The Energon Pub

Does anyone know how long an average movie script should be in general? That stopmotion that I am making is supposed to be three hours long, but Im only on page 57 and almost done, and I have everything that I needed in the script. So how long should an average movie script be? Ive heard from 90 pages to 130.

120 pages is the average. Anything over is excessive.

And you're working on a stop motion movie that's over three hours?

Each script page is a minute of film, which means that the script for your movie should be 180 pages long.
Also it must have an action/drama/exiting scene starting on page 60 the latest.

Also it takes at least 7 frames, that means pictures, to make one second of film the more frames the better and smoother.

3 hours work can get you 30 seconds of film.

Here are a few tips:
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Stop-Motion-Animation

Dead Metal wrote:Each script page is a minute of film, which means that the script for your movie should be 180 pages long.
Also it must have an action/drama/exiting scene starting on page 60 the latest.

Also it takes at least 7 frames, that means pictures, to make one second of film the more frames the better and smoother.

3 hours work can get you 30 seconds of film.

Here are a few tips:
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Stop-Motion-Animation

Well, what about the action scenes? Do I have to coreograph every move in the script? For example, there is a 5 minute scene that is only described in about 5 lines. And another close to 10 minute scene written in about 3 lines that is an action scene in the beginning. the conflict actually starts right when the stopmotion starts. And I know all about how long it will take. I worked all day on a 20 second scene. ALL day, I even put in FX from photoshop, frame by frame (I posted the vid in my stopmotion topic).

SlyTF1 wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Each script page is a minute of film, which means that the script for your movie should be 180 pages long.
Also it must have an action/drama/exiting scene starting on page 60 the latest.

Also it takes at least 7 frames, that means pictures, to make one second of film the more frames the better and smoother.

3 hours work can get you 30 seconds of film.

Here are a few tips:
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Stop-Motion-Animation

Well, what about the action scenes? Do I have to coreograph every move in the script? For example, there is a 5 minute scene that is only described in about 5 lines. And another close to 10 minute scene written in about 3 lines that is an action scene in the beginning. the conflict actually starts right when the stopmotion starts. And I know all about how long it will take. I worked all day on a 20 second scene. ALL day, I even put in FX from photoshop, frame by frame (I posted the vid in my stopmotion topic).

Honest to goodness I don't mean this to sound snarky or anything, but do you mean that your script has a 5 minute action scene that's basically described in your script as being like, "Fight between Autobots and Decepticons"? I mean, that's how it reads to me.
If that's the case, then yes, you'd have to coreograph the whole sequence, since toys don't just move by themselves as long as you're watching them.
When you take your eyes off of them though, that's when they do cool stuff, since you can't see them.

Dagon wrote:

SlyTF1 wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Each script page is a minute of film, which means that the script for your movie should be 180 pages long.
Also it must have an action/drama/exiting scene starting on page 60 the latest.

Also it takes at least 7 frames, that means pictures, to make one second of film the more frames the better and smoother.

3 hours work can get you 30 seconds of film.

Here are a few tips:
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Stop-Motion-Animation

Well, what about the action scenes? Do I have to coreograph every move in the script? For example, there is a 5 minute scene that is only described in about 5 lines. And another close to 10 minute scene written in about 3 lines that is an action scene in the beginning. the conflict actually starts right when the stopmotion starts. And I know all about how long it will take. I worked all day on a 20 second scene. ALL day, I even put in FX from photoshop, frame by frame (I posted the vid in my stopmotion topic).

Honest to goodness I don't mean this to sound snarky or anything, but do you mean that your script has a 5 minute action scene that's basically described in your script as being like, "Fight between Autobots and Decepticons"? I mean, that's how it reads to me.
If that's the case, then yes, you'd have to coreograph the whole sequence, since toys don't just move by themselves as long as you're watching them.
When you take your eyes off of them though, that's when they do cool stuff, since you can't see them.

Well, thats sort of how it is. I mean, Im going to be animating the TFs really, the only thing I need a script for is to remember which order the story goes in and to remember the lines. I do have a script editor, but other than that its just me working on this. im at the end where the "BIG" battle takes place, where Unicron shows up and scares the crap out of every one, I planned for that part to be atleast 30 minutes and all I say really os (fight continues). But, like I said, I already know every movie I want the TFs to make, so do I need to do that? heres a part that I picked out from the scene just to show what im talking about

(They charge and Bumblebee first comes into contact with a Decepticon. The Battle begins.)

Megatron: Look at them, they fight for nothing.

Unicron: Do not underestimate them. My powers are unmatched and even I am underestimated.

Megatron: The Autobots are foolish to underestimate you! You have brought the Decepticons nowhere near where I or even The Fallen would have dreamed of!

Unicron: That must please you.

(The battle continues for a long time. While Cybertron is still in a frenzy, preparing for Unicron’s arrival they are painting Decepticon symbols on walls and blowing up buildings and fighting. A city is almost completely destroyed.)

(At the battle. Bumblebee climbs up to where Megatron is standing and they fight.)

I hope you see what im talking about.

SlyTF1 wrote:

Dagon wrote:

SlyTF1 wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Each script page is a minute of film, which means that the script for your movie should be 180 pages long.
Also it must have an action/drama/exiting scene starting on page 60 the latest.

Also it takes at least 7 frames, that means pictures, to make one second of film the more frames the better and smoother.

3 hours work can get you 30 seconds of film.

Here are a few tips:
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Stop-Motion-Animation

Well, what about the action scenes? Do I have to coreograph every move in the script? For example, there is a 5 minute scene that is only described in about 5 lines. And another close to 10 minute scene written in about 3 lines that is an action scene in the beginning. the conflict actually starts right when the stopmotion starts. And I know all about how long it will take. I worked all day on a 20 second scene. ALL day, I even put in FX from photoshop, frame by frame (I posted the vid in my stopmotion topic).

Honest to goodness I don't mean this to sound snarky or anything, but do you mean that your script has a 5 minute action scene that's basically described in your script as being like, "Fight between Autobots and Decepticons"? I mean, that's how it reads to me.
If that's the case, then yes, you'd have to coreograph the whole sequence, since toys don't just move by themselves as long as you're watching them.
When you take your eyes off of them though, that's when they do cool stuff, since you can't see them.

Well, thats sort of how it is. I mean, Im going to be animating the TFs really, the only thing I need a script for is to remember which order the story goes in and to remember the lines. I do have a script editor, but other than that its just me working on this. im at the end where the "BIG" battle takes place, where Unicron shows up and scares the crap out of every one, I planned for that part to be atleast 30 minutes and all I say really os (fight continues). But, like I said, I already know every movie I want the TFs to make, so do I need to do that?

Then I don';t think you need to write out everything. If you were going to try getting someone else to do this movie, then yes, because they'd have to understand what you want it to look like. But if it's just you, then do what you want. If you know what you're doing, then you don't need to write it all out.

Dagon wrote:Then I don';t think you need to write out everything. If you were going to try getting someone else to do this movie, then yes, because they'd have to understand what you want it to look like. But if it's just you, then do what you want. If you know what you're doing, then you don't need to write it all out.

Exactly. Probably the best advice. Essentially, screenplays are tools for others (director, producers, execs) to understand the writer's vision.

Even then, action screenplays are pretty sparse with the action sequence description. All of those moments are designed by the director and the storyboard artist.

For example from my favorite action script last year... Star Trek.

Winona PUSHING -- giving birth to their baby -- and we're BACK AND FORTH between a husband and wife that will never see each other again, MUSIC SWELLING as the Kelvin TURNS HARD, avoiding TORPEDOES -- the shuttle BANKING as the Doctor and Nurse help Winona -- and we're ON GEORGE as he HEARS A BABY CRYING -- and TEARS COME TO HIS EYES

Look at how sparse the description reads. In that moment of the movie has so much going on yet Orci and Kurtzman wrote the reason why we should care about the scene.

Great screenwriters don't write the details, they capture the important moments.

I'd recommend storyboarding those action sequences for your stop motion film. Quick descriptions should be enough for the script.

Dead Metal wrote:Also it takes at least 7 frames, that means pictures, to make one second of film the more frames the better and smoother.

Except that's really low. Movies tend to run at 24 frames per second, and anything lower than 18 and the human eye begins to notice skipping in the video.

Though I could be wrong on those numbers, 7 frames per second is still really low.

I've heard 120...unless your Dan Akroyd who apparently turns in scripts the size of phone books that could make three films from the one script and need to be wittled down to something managable for one film.

My experience of screenplays and scripts comes down to one simple rule: As long as it gets the point across, it'll do.

Honestly, some scripts settle for

They fight

as a valid instruction. The choreographing is for the choreographer. If you are the choreographer, put it in there if you think you need to.

The script is ultimately and simply the instructions for the rest of the piece. Only put in as much as you - and anyone you're working with - will need to get the job done. If you need it to have intricate directions, put them in. If you can story board that stuff instead, leave em out.

And honestly, concerning the bigger picture, the length of the script is of no real value. You're not making a big budget flick with some studio exec threatening to axe it just because the wad of paper you've handed him is a little light.

It's just an instruction manual. You're going to write it, then, hopefully, follow it word-for-word. So make sure the instructions are exactly what you need them to be.

[quote="Scatterlung"]My experience of screenplays and scripts comes down to one simple rule: As long as it gets the point across, it'll do.

Honestly, some scripts settle for

They fight [quote]

Yeah I know! In my English class, we where reading Romeo and Juliet and all it said was: "they fight; Man is stabed falls to ground" WTF!?

Might I suggest finding a scriptwriting forum? Seibertron is great for some things, but there are places on the web dedicated solely to things like this, where you'll get opinions from people who've been educated in scriptwriting, professionals who work in this field. Here you'll hit on one or two people who know scripts, but somewhere out there, everybody knows. They'll be able to tell you about standards and practices. If you have questions about how to write a fight scene or the length of your screenplay, try to find a message board on Google.