50 pages is going to be a very short film - short it distribution
and festival terms. Even with a lot of scenes where the character
is getting up to stuff the finished movie is likely to be too short
for a "feature".

If you don't know what to do, that means your story is finished.
Perhaps this isn't the story you should tell if you are planning
a 90 minute film. No need to add things that don't matter.

Maybe you should put this story aside and work on your next one.

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

Thanks for the reply....yeah it is deffinitely short... and if I cant make it feature length then its deffinitely better to keep quality rather than add quantity....but luckly I watched a movie and it inspired me not to copy it but I saw how it potrayed like different issues ....even little but relevant to the character and thus I thought of ideas to add which are valuable in terms of answering questions about the character...I think it fits in very well....so I think it should be ok...THANK GOD!!!

But thank you for the advice, its nice to know what people are on about!

Yeah, the problem with 50 pages is that it will most likely end up being a middle of the pack film in terms of length.

It's pretty much the worst position to be in for a narrative feature. Docs can get away with it, maybe cartoons can too, but a movie that long usually feels too drawn out or too insubstantial. Even if it's actually great, there's not much distribution potential for it, I'd think.

If I ended up with a script like that, I might whittle it down to make a true short. Depends completely on the situation though, really hard to say what's best.

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http://vimeo.com/corax

Just to make sure we've got it right; your 50 pages are in standard script format, right? It is commonly held that one page of script equals about 1 minute of film time (averaged out over a number of pages), but this only works if all the margins, indentations, line spacing, typeface and paper size (US Letter) are properly set. I'm not sure if the UK script formatting rules result in the same 1 page = 1 minute rule.

Hi all!

I don't care if they UK does it or not Im doing it the US way!!! lol only joking no I think its the same! Well no my dialogue has not be formatted properly but I thought even without the right format it still should at least (pure dialogue)be near the 60/ 70 pages mark.

I am looking at an original script for a movie which has been successful....and its script well the first few pages; like 8, are hardly any dialogue like just few lines which means If I format it properly then it might pan out 90 or at least close enough so I can add little things to make it 90!

I am sorting few things out and will type to standard format in a few days once I have sorted these extra bits and bobs..I think it should be ok! Just inital scare when I looked at the page numbers thus wanted info!

Will post again soon with what I have on standard layout

Ah yeah... there's a lot more space between lines in standard script format. That will probably change things a lot. 😉

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http://vimeo.com/corax

If you want to be sure you're formatting correctly, best thing to do is get a script writing software. If you want to spend money, you can go for Final Draft or ScreenWriter, or you could get Celtx for free (www.celtx.com). You'll probably have to spend an hour or two re-formatting your script to make sure it uses proper functions for proper type of text (Parenthetical for character's business and such, Action for, well, action, etc...).

The standard script format has tons of blank space, especially around margins, because it then allows creative team (director, cinematographer, production designer, composer...) to write comments in the margins and still leave the script legible. In addition, when you add it all together, average amount of dialogue, action and other text between the dialogue always ends up being about a minute a page. Some pages will have nothing but dialogue, others will have a lot of action, and little dialogue, but in the end, it will all even out, more or less.

Try it with Celtx. The software is really great, not just for script writing, but also for some preproduction work.

I was about to use celtix as final draft is to expensive but in additional info, it stated that the format is for US letter pages printing only not UK A4 page so that was a bomber but I came across this site http://www.dependentfilms.net/files.html and under script formatting it has simply screenplay.....its a simple layout and it has buttons (macros already recording) for dialogue, character etc... and its free! I am currently using that and I found it really simple to use....(someone who has never used standard script format before)

I checked my Celtx and found out that there is a choice between US Letter and A4 for paper format. This is done when you set up your script for export to PDF (the 'TypeSet/PDF' tab at the bottom). You can also get to it from the 'Script' menu (under 'Format Options...').

Microsoft Word templates and macros can do a decent job of formatting, and if you're comfortable with it, then that's great. My primary argument in favour of Celtx is that it is so much more than a simple screenwriting programme. You get automated scene breakdowns (who is in which scene), it gives you a very comprehensive access to all aspects of your script, plus it contains plenty of functionality for other preproduction work (scheduling, planning, storyboarding, etc...). For a free tool, it is quite difficult to match, especially since it has matured significantly since its early days, when it was somewhat buggy and feature-limited.

Celtx is wonderful. Word templates are almost always too clunky... if I were typing a script in Word (which I've done before), I'd just do all the formatting on my own. I'd highly recommend sticking to a screenwriting program, it's much more productive. You don't have to wrestle with formatting as much, let alone stress out about it being formatted properly. And like Vasic said, scene breakdowns and catalogues are invaluable. Start making use of them as soon as you can.

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http://vimeo.com/corax

Yeah the review I was reading about celtex stated in the future they plan to change it to A4 printable so they have obviously updated. About story boarding....I want to make a storyboard so I can send it with my script to pitch the idea and to prove to investors ....look I am capable of directing so let me direct it! But i am seriously not a good artist and I dont want my work to look unprofessional! Any tips also any other tips such as to persuade investors I am capable of directing it....I mean I have studied film in college and made a short (which I no longer have access to + that was like no where the knowledge of filming I have now)I mean I know I can do it but will the investors listen to me or are they more likely to say hell with you its our money...ifso then thats a bomber!

btw whats with celtix and paying for add on such as plot view...full screen etc.

Will the normal celtic contain what you guys have said...

I havne't read the script, but I'm going to guess there is not enough conflict in the second act.

Go back and really think about who the main character is and what he wants and then write down a list of all the internal and external conflicts to that goal.

Jamie Paszko
Publisher/Editor
www.FilmSlateMagazine.com

thanks for the heads up film slate magazine....yeap act to was deffinitely lacking....but Ive add more and deffinitely looks like more substance now and thanks for your advice it deffinitely helped!

Now my character is deffinitely having a hard time! lol if you know what I mean but yeah cheers!