A script timer estimates how long a script runs on screen. For a screenplay, the standard estimate is one formatted page per minute, so this timer lays your script out in industry format first and counts the pages. As a video script timer, it times the words a speaker will read in a video, ad, podcast or voice-over script, at the pace you pick.
How to use the script timer
- Paste your script into the box, or open a Final Draft (.fdx), Fountain, PDF or text file. The file is read in your browser and is not uploaded.
- Pick a speaking pace. 130 words a minute is a natural conversational read; promos and fast explainers run nearer 160 to 170.
- Read the two estimates: screen time from pages (for a screenplay) and read-aloud time from spoken words.
- Adjust minutes per page if your genre plays faster or slower than one minute a page.
Screen time versus read-aloud time
The two numbers measure different things. Screen time counts everything that takes time on screen: action, silence, a car chase described in one line that plays for two minutes. Read-aloud time counts only the words someone speaks. In a screenplay the timer counts dialogue lines only, so the gap between the two numbers shows how much of your film happens without words.
| Kind of script | Best estimate | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Feature or short film screenplay | Pages × minutes per page | Formatting spreads action and dialogue evenly across the page |
| TV episode | Pages × minutes per page | Same format; check your show's usual page count |
| YouTube, ad or explainer script | Spoken words ÷ words a minute | Nearly every second is narration |
| Podcast or voice-over | Spoken words ÷ words a minute | Add time for music beds and pauses |
Is one page really one minute?
As an average across a whole feature, yes, roughly. Courier 12 pt on a US Letter page, with standard margins, was chosen partly because it evens out to about a minute of screen time. Individual pages vary a lot: a page of rapid dialogue can play in 40 seconds, and a page of dense action can take two minutes. Treat the result as a planning figure for budgets and festival limits, not a promise about the edit.
Typical lengths
- Feature film: 90 to 120 pages, so about 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Half-hour TV episode: 25 to 35 pages. Hour-long drama: 50 to 65 pages.
- Short film for a festival: usually under 15 pages; many festivals cap shorts at 15 or 20 minutes.
- Vertical micro-drama episode: one to two pages for 60 to 120 seconds.
For the reasoning behind these numbers, read how long a screenplay should be. To see the pages themselves, the screenplay formatter shows the same layout and saves it as a PDF.
Timing a script while you write it
In the Scenaloom editor the page count updates as you type, and the page you see is the page the PDF will print. You can set a daily word goal, check pacing on the scene board, and export a scene list with page lengths. Start writing free; the Free plan needs no card.
Questions
How long is one page of a screenplay?
About one minute of screen time on average. The rule assumes standard formatting: Courier 12 pt, US Letter, 55 lines a page. Dialogue-heavy pages tend to play shorter and action-heavy pages longer.
How many words a minute should I use for a voice-over?
Around 130 words a minute is a natural read. Calm narration or instructions run near 110, and energetic promos near 160 to 170. Time a test read of your own voice to calibrate.
Is my script uploaded anywhere?
No. The timer reads pasted text and opened files inside your browser, and nothing is sent to a server. Closing the tab clears it.
Why does the timer show a different page count from my word processor?
Word processors don't apply screenplay margins, element indents and page-break rules. The timer lays the script out in standard format first, so its page count matches a properly formatted PDF.
Can I time a script written in Final Draft?
Yes. Open the .fdx file and the timer reads it directly. PDFs exported from screenwriting software work too, as long as the PDF has selectable text.