# Pacing and Timing

## Overview

Pacing controls the rhythm and speed of your story, managing audience engagement through the strategic use of action, dialogue, and scene length. Proper timing ensures your screenplay unfolds at the right speed for maximum impact.

## The Page-Per-Minute Rule

### Standard Timing
**Feature Films**:
- 1 page ≈ 1 minute of screen time
- 90-120 pages for feature length
- Action-heavy pages run faster
- Dialogue-heavy pages run slower

**Television**:
- 1-hour drama: 50-60 pages (without commercials)
- 30-minute comedy: 25-30 pages
- Streaming (no commercials): Add 5-10 pages

**Variations**:
- Dense dialogue: 1 page = 45-50 seconds
- Heavy action: 1 page = 70-75 seconds
- Average mix: 1 page = 60 seconds

### Factors Affecting Timing
- White space on page
- Dialogue density
- Action complexity
- Scene transitions
- Parentheticals and pauses

## Scene Length

### Optimal Scene Length
**General Guidelines**:
- Average scene: 1-3 pages
- Short scene: ½-1 page
- Long scene: 3-5 pages
- Epic scene: 5+ pages (rare, must be justified)

### Scene Length by Purpose
**Establishing Scenes**: 1-2 pages
- Set location and mood
- Introduce characters
- Establish stakes

**Action Scenes**: 2-5 pages
- Build tension
- Choreograph movement
- Maintain clarity

**Dialogue Scenes**: 2-4 pages
- Character development
- Conflict and revelation
- Emotional beats

**Transition Scenes**: ½-1 page
- Move between locations
- Show passage of time
- Maintain momentum

### Varying Scene Length
**Purpose**:
- Create rhythm
- Control pacing
- Emphasize important moments
- Prevent monotony

**Pattern**:
- Mix short and long scenes
- Accelerate with shorter scenes
- Decelerate with longer scenes
- Build to climax with increasing pace

## Rhythm and Beats

### Story Beats
**Definition**: Significant moments that advance plot or character.

**Types**:
- **Plot Beat**: External event or action
- **Character Beat**: Internal realization or change
- **Emotional Beat**: Feeling or mood shift
- **Comedy Beat**: Setup and punchline

### Beat Spacing
**Fast Pacing**:
- Beats every 1-2 pages
- Quick scene changes
- Minimal downtime
- High energy

**Moderate Pacing**:
- Beats every 3-5 pages
- Balanced scene length
- Mix of action and reflection
- Sustainable engagement

**Slow Pacing**:
- Beats every 5-10 pages
- Longer scenes
- Character exploration
- Atmospheric development

### Rhythm Patterns
**Escalating**:
- Scenes get shorter
- Beats come faster
- Tension increases
- Builds to climax

**De-escalating**:
- Scenes get longer
- Beats slow down
- Tension releases
- Resolution phase

**Wave Pattern**:
- Alternate fast and slow
- Build and release tension
- Maintain engagement
- Prevent fatigue

## Pacing Techniques

### Montage
**Purpose**:
- Compress time
- Show progression
- Build momentum
- Create energy

**Structure**:
```
MONTAGE - TRAINING SEQUENCE

-- Sarah lifts weights, straining.
-- Sarah runs on treadmill, exhausted.
-- Sarah practices punches, improving.
-- Sarah spars with trainer, confident.

END MONTAGE
```

**Timing**: 1-2 pages for entire montage

### Time Compression
**Techniques**:
- Jump cuts
- Dissolves
- Match cuts
- Ellipsis (implied time passage)

**Example**:
```
INT. OFFICE - DAY
John starts working on the report.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. OFFICE - NIGHT
John, exhausted, finishes the last page.
```

### Time Expansion
**Techniques**:
- Slow motion
- Detailed action description
- Multiple angles
- Intercutting

**Purpose**:
- Emphasize important moments
- Build suspense
- Show complexity
- Create impact

### Cross-Cutting
**Definition**: Alternating between two or more simultaneous scenes.

**Effect**:
- Increases tension
- Shows parallel action
- Creates urgency
- Builds to convergence

**Pacing**:
- Start with longer scenes
- Progressively shorten cuts
- Accelerate to climax
- Converge storylines

## Controlling Pace

### Accelerating Pace
**Techniques**:
- Shorter scenes
- Shorter sentences
- More white space
- Quick dialogue exchanges
- Action over description
- Eliminate transitions

**When to Use**:
- Action sequences
- Chase scenes
- Climactic moments
- Building tension
- Time pressure

### Decelerating Pace
**Techniques**:
- Longer scenes
- Detailed description
- Extended dialogue
- Pauses and silences
- Atmospheric details
- Reflective moments

**When to Use**:
- Character development
- Emotional scenes
- Aftermath of action
- Setup and exposition
- Resolution

### Maintaining Pace
**Balance**:
- Vary scene length
- Mix action and dialogue
- Alternate tension and release
- Control information flow
- Strategic white space

## White Space Management

### Visual Pacing
**Dense Page** (slow reading):
```
JOHN
I've been thinking about what you said
yesterday, and I have to tell you that
I completely disagree with your assessment
of the situation. Here's why...
```

**Sparse Page** (fast reading):
```
JOHN
No.

MARY
What?

JOHN
I said no.
```

### Action Line Spacing
**Fast Pace**:
- Short paragraphs (1-2 lines)
- Punchy sentences
- Active verbs
- Minimal description

**Slow Pace**:
- Longer paragraphs (3-4 lines)
- Detailed description
- Atmospheric details
- Sensory information

## Category-Specific Timing

### Feature Films
**Act Structure Timing**:
- Act 1: 25-30 pages (25-30 minutes)
- Act 2: 50-60 pages (50-60 minutes)
- Act 3: 25-30 pages (25-30 minutes)

### Television Episodes
**1-Hour Drama** (42-44 minutes):
- Teaser: 2-4 pages
- Act 1: 10-12 pages
- Act 2: 10-12 pages
- Act 3: 10-12 pages
- Act 4: 10-12 pages
- Tag: 1-2 pages

**30-Minute Comedy** (22 minutes):
- Cold Open: 2-3 pages
- Act 1: 8-10 pages
- Act 2: 8-10 pages
- Tag: 1-2 pages

### Web Content
**Short-Form** (2-5 minutes):
- Hook in first 15 seconds (¼ page)
- Fast pacing throughout
- Minimal setup
- Quick payoff

### Commercials
**30-Second Spot**:
- ½ page maximum
- Every second counts
- Immediate hook
- Clear message

## Best Practices

### DO
✅ Vary scene length for rhythm
✅ Use white space strategically
✅ Match pace to story needs
✅ Build tension through acceleration
✅ Allow breathing room after intensity
✅ Cut unnecessary scenes
✅ Start scenes late, end early
✅ Trust the page-per-minute rule

### DON'T
❌ Make all scenes the same length
❌ Rush important character moments
❌ Drag out simple actions
❌ Ignore natural story rhythm
❌ Overuse montages
❌ Forget to vary pace
❌ Include unnecessary transitions
❌ Let scenes meander without purpose

