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110 pages or BUST…

I get a lot of email from you readers out there asking about page count.

*NOTE: Yes, I am in the business. Yes, I am a professional screenwriter. Yes, I have sold a screenplay.

I realize that a lot of the screenwriting books out there talk about your screenplay NOT going beyond 120 pages.

I’m probably going out on just a bit of a limb here but I have to disagree with the 120 page count.

The NEW SPEC script page count should really not go over 110 pages. Notice that I said SPEC script page count.

If you’re already in the industry… Already sold a script… Already have quite a few contacts… No problem. Write what you want. Write it as LONG as you want even.

Don’t have any contacts?
You haven’t sold a screenplay yet?
You’re not already in the industry?

Better get that page count down to 110.

Getting your page count down to 110 pages will cause people in the industry to draw several conclusions without even haven read the fucking script yet…

1) You could very well be writing at a professional level since the page count is PERFECT.

2) You’ve done your homework.

3) Your SPEC is TWEAKABLE.

By the same token, a SPEC script with more than 110 pages can cause people in the industry to draw several conclusions without even haven read the fucking script yet…

1) This person does not know how to write a screenplay.

2) This person didn’t even bother to tweak it to 110 pages.

3) This person is in LOVE with their work.

4) This person didn’t do their homework.

5) This person won’t have the ability to do a rewrite.

Having said that… It’s important to note that this goes for SPEC scripts that you’re trying to market. If you’ve already got the contacts… Already sold a script… Already in the industry… No problem. At that point, people just want to read what you have.

Unk




Wednesday: 21 June 2006|1657|Under Uncategorized

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