Stretching it out!

I'm working on a potential radio sitcom script at the moment. Supposed to be one of six.

I've nearly completed the first episode and I just did a read through and timed it at about 22 minutes. I can probably add a couple of minutes so do you think that would be enough?

Before I timed it I was a bit pessimistic as most people say roughly a page per minute and I'd only got 13 complete, although of course it depends on font size and spacing.

So I think I'm nearly there for the first episode.

Better longer than shorter, to allow for editing.

Page per minute only applies to the screen.

Quote: Lazzard @ 18th July 2017, 9:39 AM

Page per minute only applies to the screen.

But surely for radio you'd need to fill it up more, not the other way round.

Just done another read through and 23-24 minutes.

Well done Chappers

Quote: Chappers @ 19th July 2017, 1:56 PM

But surely for radio you'd need to fill it up more, not the other way round.

A page of radio is less than a minute, is what I meant.
The page per minute for screen has come about as an average - the line " He slowly picks his way across the rooftops" only takes 5 seconds to read but might take 30 seconds of screen time.
It's the lack of described action that makes the difference.
In advertising I used to allow two words a second for dialogue - and that was at a bit of a lick.

Am I getting this the wrong way round? As it's just dialogue i suppose you can get more time onto a page.

Best just to time a page and treat that as your benchmark.
Different styles of comedy/writing will produce different results.

Quote: Lazzard @ 21st July 2017, 10:54 AM

Best just to time a page and treat that as your benchmark.
Different styles of comedy/writing will produce different results.

Or just read it through all the way and time it - which I did.

True.

Quote: bushbaby @ 19th July 2017, 7:22 PM

Well done Chappers

How did I miss bushbaby coming back (briefly). WaveWave