Two-hour teleplay - Writers Forum

Kimba · 05-19-2005, 01:10 AM

I'm currently in the process of writing a two-hour teleplay. How many pages should an average script be?

mammamaia · 05-19-2005, 10:03 AM

teleplays are not quite the same as screenplays, so the 1 page=1 minute rule of thumb doesn't apply...

you need to check some tv scripts and a good how-to for the format... for one thing, a 2-hour tv movie will not have only 3 acts, like a regular film, due to commercial breaks...

go here for a good rundown on the format:

http://www.screenstyle.com/screenvssits.html

scroll down to:
Screenplay vs. Teleplay: A Comparison

hope that helps... hugs, maia

Kimba · 05-19-2005, 10:28 PM

Yes, I kinda figured that. I read somewhere that a teleplay has 7 acts as opposed to 3 acts for a screenplay. I'm just curious how many pages on average a teleplay should be.

mammamaia · 05-20-2005, 08:14 AM

go to www.script-o-rama.com and check out a few... average them out, and you'll have your answer...

just make sure you're looking at real scripts, not transcriptions...