How long should a one hour episode be???

How long should a one hour episode be???

Yeah, yeah, I know what you're going to say, but I'm being serious.
What I mean is this:

How long do you make your one hour episodes (just the script, not estimated credit rolling times) that should fit a one hour slot.

Do you make them 57.30 minutes because you think they're going to be on BBC1?

Or do you factor in commercial breaks (thus making it possible to be broadcast on the commercial channels) and make them the average 42.00 minutes?

In the past, I've tended to go for the 42.00 minute script so that it wouldn't matter whether it ended up on the Beeb or a commercial channel.

Of course, the downside is that, on the Beeb, it would be 45 minutes in total including credits, ads for other Beeb shows, etc.
Although Doctor Who is 45 minutes, so does it matter?

I'd make them 50 minutes and allow for cuts.

Just write it at 55-60 pages surely?

Within reason, I wouldn't worry too much about writing exactly to screen time on a submission first draft. (I once got a commission on a sitcom script which was massively over-long at 56 pages! It was submitted just as a writing sample at the time.) Obviously it is good to show that you can write tidily and efficiently in respect of time, but in a pilot demonstrating the characters is more important than getting your plot neatly finished. I write everything to non-commercial screen time, unless I know it's specifically for a commercial channel.

Imagine you're a producer and you receive a gem of a script with no allowance for commercial breaks. Do you reject it - no, of course not. You commission him/her with the understanding that the re-write/final draft includes room/cliffhangers for commercial breaks. Alternatively leave it to an experienced script editor.

I mean, what's next - thinking about who's going to sponsor your sitcom?

"Harvey's Furniture Store.. bringing your sitcom to life..."???

Bottom line for 'new' writers:

Concentrate on writing a gem of a script. Thinking about commercial breaks; counting your chickens; crossing your bridges, etc, etc. will only slow you down.

Quote: Tim Walker @ July 15 2009, 7:49 PM BST

Within reason, I wouldn't worry too much about writing exactly to screen time on a submission first draft. (I once got a commission on a sitcom script which was massively over-long at 56 pages! It was submitted just as a writing sample at the time.) Obviously it is good to show that you can write tidily and efficiently in respect of time, but in a pilot demonstrating the characters is more important than getting your plot neatly finished. I write everything to non-commercial screen time, unless I know it's specifically for a commercial channel.

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It's funny - the BBC just recently sent me a sitcom script back that was 61 pages long. They wanted me to rewrite it down to 45 pages as they said at 61 pages it would be at least 45 minutes. Thing is though, I tend to include a lot of direction in my stuff, so half a page of direction could count for only a few seconds of screentime. Anyway to be sure I read it all aloud, accounting for pauses and scene changes etc, and sure enough it was too long at 37 minutes. So I got it down to 54 pages which they seemed happier with,

I've got a Two Pints shooting script around here somewhere and I'm positive that's over 50 pages long too.

Yeah, I know I shouldn't worry about screen times yet, but I go for the start as you mean to go on approach, i.e. I'd rather make it fit to time now, so that it's less work later.

Doing a re-write after everyone that counts has had their say is hard work whether it's to length or not.

Quote: Mikey Jackson @ July 15 2009, 7:21 PM BST

How long should a one hour episode be???

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Simple enough -about 13,000 words.

Does that include the word Hippopotamus? As that's the longest word I know, and I also know it takes up a lot of room.

Quote: Leevil @ July 15 2009, 10:17 PM BST

Does that include the word Hippopotamus? As that's the longest word I know, and I also know it takes up a lot of room.

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Antidisestablishmentarialism Leevil - no charge

Quote: Marc P @ July 15 2009, 10:21 PM BST

Antidisestablishmentarialism Leevil - no charge

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And you can't even spell it right!

Quote: Chappers @ July 15 2009, 10:27 PM BST

And you can't even spell it right!

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Check the time check my whisky level!!!!

And give me a break.

Quote: Marc P @ July 15 2009, 10:34 PM BST

Check the time check my whisky level!!!!

And give me a break.

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Ha ha! Just thought I'd beat Aaron.