Are there time standards for documentary films? How to decide how long a film should be?
I have a short film I’m working on and am not sure how long or short it should be. Ultimately, I think it would make a nice special on TV so I’m guessing 22 minutes for a half-hour time slot? I know I can’t stretch it to 44 minutes. Or does it really matter as long as it falls within a minute or two?
I mean, how should a film be formated? How much time for start credits? How much time for end credits?
Do the credits count towards the running time?
Credits count toward running time. I think you should allow 1-2 mins for opening credits and 2-3 for closing, but that depends on how many people are working on the film. Also don’t sell short the idea of starting the documentary while showing the opening credits, it may not seem like the most professional way but documentaries are about information so the more the better. Just makes sure the credits are not on screen at the same time as any other text information and they are distinctive from other text.
I’m not aware of time standards for documentary. It depends on what you want to do. If you want a television documentary then 22-23 mins would seem standard if on commercial television. But quality documentaries rarley go for anything less then a 1hr time slot.
March 11th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Credits count toward running time. I think you should allow 1-2 mins for opening credits and 2-3 for closing, but that depends on how many people are working on the film. Also don’t sell short the idea of starting the documentary while showing the opening credits, it may not seem like the most professional way but documentaries are about information so the more the better. Just makes sure the credits are not on screen at the same time as any other text information and they are distinctive from other text.
I’m not aware of time standards for documentary. It depends on what you want to do. If you want a television documentary then 22-23 mins would seem standard if on commercial television. But quality documentaries rarley go for anything less then a 1hr time slot.
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