I really wish the TWO unproduced screenwriters with overlong scripts I’ve worked with recently could see the overwhelming evidence that people, including industry people, do choose to not watch/delay-to-never-watch overlong films... https://twitter.com/samanthahorley/status/1302220207851700225

When I suggested they found ways to cut them down, one a 125 page drama, the other a 111 page comedy, both ARGUED with me that they didn’t need to, films were longer now, etc. Both invoked examples of long films but ones made by masters (eg Scorsese) or with massive box office...

As from these replies, a whole ton of people, including many industry people, myself included, never watched The Irishman even though we all “should” have because industry...

As someone said about watching horror, they don’t watch anything over 90-100 mins. Comedies we expect to be snappy too, 90-95 mins ideally. You can argue with me about it as much as you like, but if your script is going to an industry exec like me or someone actually important...

This is the first thing they’ll notice and it makes it look like a first draft and screams inexperience. Also, the first thing we do when embarking on a script is check page count and if it’s over 100, your eyes roll, over 110 your heart sinks, over 120 your stomach rumbles...

You don’t want execs to read your script already expecting to be bored.

There’s also a very practical matter of longer films can mean fewer screenings so exhibitors don’t like them much either. And they are more expensive to make, longer shoots, edits, sound mix, grading etc...

When my first screenplay was optioned by Eleven Films for TV I had to rewrite a feature into a pilot, to 56/57 pages, a TV hour. There’s no argument. That’s it.

I loved it. Loved the exercise and loved the discipline, the constraints became about mathematical precision...

It was an incredible collaborative creative experience. And it made me a better writer immediately. You become your own script editor.

Highly recommend if your script is too long you give this a go before sending it out.