2.3.09

FREE Professional Screenwriting Software

A quick note to all those out there who need properly formatted scripts but don't have/can't afford pro software like Final Draft, Script Thing, etc.

GET CELTX!! Before I got final draft I wrote using Celtx version 1, a wonderful writing program that's easy to use, professionally standardized, has different templates for stage plays, teleplays and feature screenplays, and above all, it's FREE! After I switched to Final Draft I found myself missing some Celtx extras, like being able to store your projects online, the Celtx community boards, etc.
Celtx just rolled out their version 2, which is new, improved, and still FREE! For those of you who don't have and can't afford proper writing software, Celtx is a can't miss and will make your life much easier! To check out or download the new version of Celtx just go to http://celtx.com/download.html

PS - I am in no way connected to or affiliated with Celtx, this is just a genuine endorsement from someone who used (and may go back!) and was impressed by their software.

1.3.09

Page Count: How Much is too Much?

Is 90 too short? Is 110 too long? Is 120 okay, or the mark of an amateur? If you do your research you will soon find many credible sources all giving different estimates regarding your page count. Ultimately I think it's just a decision you have to make yourself based on available knowledge and the needs of your particular story.

My view on page count is you have to look at it in the context of a new writer trying to break in: you can be sure that any agent, exec or producer who does read your spec are overworked already and read so much crap they're not necessarily excited about reading more crap, so one of the first things they do is flip to the back and check the page count. This accomplishes two things for them:

1. Keeps their workload bearable: No agent, producer or exec will read your spec until a reader covers it first (even then, they may never actually read it). But that reader/assistant has 10 scripts to read and cover, maybe their boss's cat to neuter, etc. So when they flip to the back to check the page count, are they going to choose to read the 95 page spec first, or the 125 pager? We're talking about a 30 page difference here - that's like a whole extra act! My opinion is that a 110-125 pager screams "amateur" or "bloated", so they'll put off reading it as long as possible, until they have no choice but to tackle it.
By that point it's probably already late in the day/night/week, they're tired, have read lots of other crappy specs and are now not looking forward to reading yours, and they haven't even breached page two yet (Format Tip: your first/title page is never numbered, so your first actual page should read 2).
This attitude also sets you up for another pitfall: since they now dread reading your spec, the first unprofessional mistake you make or hiccup your spec has, they're apt to judge your entire spec based on it because you've now given them another excuse aside from page count - you don't know what you're doing - to skim through and not give your story the attention it deserves.

2. Relates to the above: Amateurism. A lot of people believe that a screen story can/should be told in @ 90-100 pages (just think of all the 90 min. films out there; when you see an 2hr, 3hr extravaganza, I bet 99 times out of a hundred that screenplay is coming from a seasoned pro whom people will indulge on their page count because they've already proven their storytelling/box office skills). So when readers see a page count of 110 to 125 from an unknown, the immediate impression of the author is "I'm dealing with an amateur - someone who takes 110 pages to tell a story that I'm sure could be told in @ 90". And booya - you've been pigeonholed as an amateur.

So essentially, I'm very nervous of the impression a page count in the 110-125 range makes on readers when you're trying to be seen as a professional, not just another hopeful trying to break in.

Regarding the advice that anything less that 110 gives the impression the script needs to be "fleshed out more", this may be the case if you have an 89 pager, but I don't think any reader/exec is going to check a 95 page count & arrive at either of the preceding two conclusions, or just automatically assume because the page count is 95 the story is going to necessitate more fleshing out.
If anything, I think they'll be grateful an "amateur" has a page count under 100, it might speak well of your ability to be concise, which is what screen storytelling is really all about (unlike this post). On top of that everyone knows the script is going to go through major changes in development anyway, and things will always be added/taken out.

I guess we'd also have to consider genre when talking @ page count. If I saw a 125 page action spec, horror, or romantic comdey I'd automatically assume it was as bloated as this post - that there's surely things the writer could have cut but didn't. On the other hand, if we're talking about a character based drama or thriller, the same could be true, or the plot may simply have a lot of necessary twists & turns (either way I don't think it would get the benefit of doubt).

So for a specific answer, I think a good page count for an aspiring writer is anywhere from 95 to 109. I could be wrong, but that just seems like a comfortable "safety zone" my opinion. I fear anything over 109 risks being seen as amateurish or bloated, and no one I've heard of ever got flak for turning in a 95- 100 page spec.