Hi everyone :)

I was thinking of writing a kind of Crime Drama. But I'm not sure how long 100 pages would be? I don't know whether to aim for an extended one-off or two-parter, or maybe the first couple of episodes in a six-parter or something.

Does anyone have any ideas about what I should aim for?

I'm completely new to the idea of writing scripts for TV, but from what I understand a 30 min episode is about 40-45 pages of script or so, and a 1 hour episode is 60-70 pages. It averages out to about just under a minute of screen time per page.

So can you work it out from there? Because I'm not that great at math. :)

100 pages would be roughly 2 1/2 30 minute episodes or 1 1/2 one hour episodes.

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-Sub Rosa-
Episode 1x01 "Down and Dirty"

COMING SOON to a TV near YOU!

I was planning on doing a pilot and then the first episode. I read somewhere that typical tv scripts are no shorter than 45 pages and no longer than 60. I was figuring an hour for each episode which puts me at 120 pages, does that make sense? 60 pages/ hr? (Assuming commercials etc..)

Scriptfrenzy 2008 - The Dreamweaver - Pre-production :D
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I guess it makes sense but pilots and first episodes are usually synonymous for new shows. So you'd be writing the pilot and episode 2.

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-Sub Rosa-
Episode 1x01 "Down and Dirty"

COMING SOON to a TV near YOU!

Thanks for the input everyone :)

I think I'll do an extended 1 1/2 hour episode, or at least aim for that, as it'll be on tv for 2 hours with the commercial breaks lol.

Glad we could help! Us TV scripters need to stick together!
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-Sub Rosa-
Episode 1x01 "Down and Dirty"

COMING SOON to a TV near YOU!

Depending on the action/dialogue mix, 1 page = 1 minute of screentime (in font size 12).

It also depends on if you are writing for a commercial scation or not. For example, my series is aimed at the BBC, so for a 1 hour script I need to write 60 pages. For commercial TV, it'll be about 45 pages to take into account ad breaks.

"Haec credam a deo pio? A deo iusto, a deo scito? Cruciatus in crucem. Tuus in terra servus, nuntius fui. Officium perfeci. Cruciatus in crucem. Eas in crucem!"

If what I have to say is irresponsible, then I alone am responsible for the saying of it

Ya, but you have to be careful. The Office scripts that I've got run about 37 pages give or take for a half hour show (not the hour episodes). Scour DailyScript for an idea of what the average page lengths are for pilots.

I am going to write shorter TV series - about 20 min per episode, dont you know about how many pages would it be?

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Per aspera ad astra.

Hi, um... I wanted to write a series of 5min long shows. Will I need special formatting? I'd appreciate any advice.