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96 A PRACTICAL MANUAL OF SCREEN PLAYWRITING
duction are indicated. Savings must be effected in ways that are already available to the screen writer of television films. These ways will be discussed in the following sections.
The average feature film for theaters is composed of a length of 35 millimeter film that runs from between 7000 to 8000 feet. For a half-hour television drama, it would run for about 2500 feet if presented on 35 millimeter film and correspondingly less on 16 millimeter film. It is about 30 per cent cheaper to shoot pictures on 16 millimeter film than on 35 millimeter, although the results— both aurally and visually— are considerably less in quality than pictures shot on 35 millimeter film. Television films will be shot on 16 millimeter film, but, for the purpose of clarity, from now on all references to film footage will be based on 35 millimeter.
This footage is composed of a number of "clips" of film cut down from the original footage of "take" shots, which usually average about six feet for every foot of film used in the picture.
Each film clip consists of a number of "frames," which run sixteen to every foot of film. These individual frames are exposed in the camera twenty-four frames to the second, and they are projected on the screen at the same rate of speed.
It is the job of the screen-play writer, then, to indicate exactly what image is to be exposed on ever)' frame of the picture.
After listing certain details in the opening lines of the screen play— to be found in the section under FORMAT— the writer describes the first shot of the script as follows:
EXT. MERIWETHER HOSPITAL-DAY
This is a generalization which indicates— to the assistant director, whose job it is to break down the script for shooting purposes— but more particularly to the director— that the scene is set in exterior surroundings, as distinct from an INT. (interior) , which is set inside a house, a vehicle, or any other edifice or covered place.
Following this comes the specific place, in this case the MERIWETHER HOSPITAL. It could be the ROBERTS' DINING ROOM, LOBBY OF WEST HOTEL, or PRISON CELL, but it must specify the exact place in which the action is to be played.
Then comes the time of day in which the action of the shot occurs. In most cases— and especially in television films— DAY or NIGHT will suffice. But for the more important pictures, and es