Is my script too short?

[Madbandit]

Originally Posted by Super Existence

I've written a horror film which is clocking in at 80 pages.

The first third of the film is where most of the dialogue is, after that it goes pretty quiet and is mainly action, kind of like 'The Descent'.

I know action can take longer than dialogue in terms of page count versus minutes on screen. But I'm still not sure if it would come in at an 80 minute film or not.

That's not bad for a horror spec really. Horror films, unless you want to have a three-dimensional arc and characters, are around 80-90 minutes.

[Smileycat]

Thanks for the education!

[Jenny]

Originally Posted by Super Existence

I'd missed out loads of script neccesities like parethicals and Cut To:'s etc. by the time I was done with a proper format it was kncoked up to 87 pages.

You don't want parentheticals or Cut To's. I'm not sure what you're working with as a model script, but for a spec script you want to rip those bad boys back out.

Are you asking about scene numbers in the other thread because you're trying to add them to this script? You don't need scene numbers at this stage, those are only useful when the script goes into production.

There's really know way to tell if your script is too short without reading it. At best we can make an educated guess that you need more conflict, more twists and turns.

I think the best thing for you to do is to get some people who are into horror to read your script. Horror fans are serious fans and they read every script that goes around town. They can tell you if yours holds up with the best or if it's too short.

[Silvercruz]

Originally Posted by Super Existence

I've written a horror film which is clocking in at 80 pages.

The first third of the film is where most of the dialogue is, after that it goes pretty quiet and is mainly action, kind of like 'The Descent'.

I know action can take longer than dialogue in terms of page count versus minutes on screen. But I'm still not sure if it would come in at an 80 minute film or not.

I am also in writing a horror and it is already looking like is going to be shorter than what is supposed to be. Still, I have to ask you are you trying to be short and to the point, like Alien?

After every single podcast and book strongly advised to be bare, well, I am trying to be bare. Still, after reading several scripts, cannot help but notice that many include juicy details, and poetic language. I don't want to hide lack of plot with bells and whistles but neither have a boring mechanical script that is several pages shorter than what is going to be on the film because I am letting other people do their job and interpret the script.

I wonder if we have the same problem and if there might be solution that might work for the two of us.

[Patrick Sweeney]

No expert on sales here, but I think 80 pages will cause people to regard your screenplay with a lot of initial skepticism that can be overcome with a truly great read - but you're also giving yourself an extra hurdle when you've got plenty to leap already.

Padding it out is totally the wrong thing to do. Unnecessary parentheticals, camera angles, cuts, and so forth will only reinforce the initial skeptical thought that you don't know what you're doing. Not what you want.

Is there someone who can read your draft? Can you afford coverage? There are some fairly inexpensive consultants out there. Perhaps someone with an outside perspective can identify a subplot or character arc or plot hole that needs some shoring up.

Get your extra pages from adding to the story, not by subtracting from it with a lot of extraneous padding. I'd shoot for at least 90 pages, myself.