Genre Adjustments

Genre	Adjustment	Typical Length
Action	0.8-0.9 min/page	95-115 pages
Comedy	1.0 min/page	90-110 pages
Drama	1.0-1.1 min/page	100-120 pages
Thriller	0.9-1.0 min/page	100-115 pages
Horror	0.9-1.0 min/page	85-100 pages
Animation	0.7-0.8 min/page	75-95 pages

Why It Varies

Action-heavy scripts: More white space, faster pace → shorter pages
Dialogue-heavy scripts: Dense pages → longer runtime per page
Visual storytelling: Less text, more subtext → varies

Estimation Methods

Method 1: Element Count

Rough estimate based on script elements:

Scenes: 60 scenes × 1.5 pages avg = 90 pages
Adjustment for dialogue density: +10%
Estimated: ~99 pages

Method 2: Word Count

Total words: 20,000
Average screenplay: 180-200 words/page
Estimated: 20,000 ÷ 190 = 105 pages

Method 3: Structural Estimate

Act One (Setup): 25 pages
Act Two (Confrontation): 55 pages
Act Three (Resolution): 25 pages
Total: 105 pages

Method 4: Scene-by-Scene

Most accurate:

| Scene | Est. Pages |
|-------|-----------|
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 1.5 |
| 3 | 3 |
| ... | ... |
| Total | X |

Fountain Page Count

Title Page

Always counts as page 1
Not numbered in output
Adds ~1 page to total

Scene Headings

Each scene heading takes ~2 lines
55-60 lines per page standard
Many short scenes = more page overhead

Dialogue vs. Action

Dialogue: ~35-40 lines per page (narrower column)
Action: ~55-60 lines per page (full width)
Heavy dialogue = fewer scenes per page

Elements That Add Length

Dual dialogue (takes more vertical space)
Parentheticals (extra lines)
Transitions (blank lines before/after)
Page breaks (forced ===)

Target Lengths

Feature Films

Market	Target	Range
Studio	110	100-120
Indie	95	85-110
Spec	105	95-115
Comedy	100	90-110

Television

Format	Target	Range
Half-hour (single cam)	30	25-35
Half-hour (multi-cam)	50	45-55
One-hour drama	55	50-65
Limited series (episode)	60	55-70

Short Films

Duration	Pages
5 min	5
10 min	10
15 min	15
20 min	20

Tracking Template

Page Count Log

## Page Tracking: [TITLE]

### Current Status
- **Total Pages:** [X]
- **Target:** [Y]
- **Variance:** [+/- Z]

### By Act
| Act | Pages | Target | Status |
|-----|-------|--------|--------|
| One | X | 25 | [over/under/ok] |
| Two | X | 55 | [over/under/ok] |
| Three | X | 25 | [over/under/ok] |

### Historical
| Date | Pages | Change | Note |
|------|-------|--------|------|
| 2025-12-20 | 85 | -- | First draft start |
| 2025-12-25 | 102 | +17 | First draft complete |
| 2025-12-27 | 98 | -4 | Trim pass |

Runtime Calculation

Formula

Runtime (minutes) = Pages × Genre Factor

Calculator

Pages: 105
Genre: Thriller (0.95)
Estimated Runtime: 105 × 0.95 = 99.75 minutes
Formatted: 1h 40m

By Scene

| Scene | Pages | Runtime |
|-------|-------|---------|
| 1 | 2 | 2 min |
| 2 | 3 | 3 min |
| ... | ... | ... |
| Total | 105 | 105 min |

Adjusting Length

Too Long

Cut scenes: Remove non-essential scenes
Combine scenes: Merge scenes with similar purpose
Trim dialogue: Reduce line count
Tighten action: Cut verbose descriptions
Enter later/leave earlier: Trim scene edges

Too Short

Add character moments: Deepen relationships
Expand key scenes: Give weight to important moments
Add B-story: Strengthen subplots
Develop obstacles: More complications
Add breathing room: Moments of reflection

Red Flags

Feature spec over 120 pages: Instant rejection risk
Feature spec under 90 pages: Feels slight
TV spec off by more than 5 pages: Format unfamiliarity

Quick Reference

Scene Page Estimates

Scene Type	Typical Length
Short dialogue	1/2 - 1 page
Standard dialogue	2 - 3 pages
Action sequence	3 - 5 pages
Major confrontation	4 - 6 pages
Montage	1 - 2 pages
Establishing	1/4 - 1/2 page

Structural Landmarks (110-page feature)

Beat	Target Page
Catalyst	10-12
Break Into Two	25
Midpoint	55
All Is Lost	75
Break Into Three	85
Climax	100-105
Resolution	105-110

Genre Adjustments

Why It Varies

Estimation Methods

Method 1: Element Count

Method 2: Word Count

Method 3: Structural Estimate

Method 4: Scene-by-Scene

Fountain Page Count

Title Page

Scene Headings

Dialogue vs. Action

Elements That Add Length

Target Lengths

Feature Films

Television

Short Films

Tracking Template

Page Count Log

Runtime Calculation

Formula

Calculator

By Scene

Adjusting Length

Too Long

Too Short

Red Flags

Quick Reference

Scene Page Estimates

Structural Landmarks (110-page feature)

Validation Checklist

page-estimation

Page Estimation Skill

Invocation Triggers

The Page-to-Screen Rule

Standard Formula