comercial breaks.. with what freq.? at DVinfo.net

Alfred Okocha · January 26th, 2005, 01:21 PM

Hi all,

I'm trying to edit my first pilot.. =)
Are there any standards to follow about comercial breaks? I mean do you edit the program with the comercial breaks in mind or do the channels cut in whenever they want to?

I mean different channels have different comercial spacing, so you can't cut a version for every channel, can you?

If anybody have an idea please help me.. The program is for 30 minutes (what, 25 effective?) and one hour (50 minutes, 45?)

Thanks alot, any help appreciated!

Richard Alvarez · January 26th, 2005, 01:47 PM

Check into television script formats. They indicate when and where the commercial breaks come in different formats.

google a search for television script formats

Christopher C. Murphy · January 26th, 2005, 01:49 PM

28:30 is the standard

Alfred Okocha · January 26th, 2005, 02:27 PM

Christopher C. Murphy said
"28:30 is the standard"

?? 28 minutes for half an hour? 56 for an hour? Is that it?

Richard Alvarez
Check into television script formats. They indicate when and where the commercial breaks come in different formats.

google a search for television script formats

Could really find anything good.. Do you have a Ballpark idea??

Thanks.

Richard Alvarez · January 26th, 2005, 03:05 PM

Start here
http://www.screenstyle.com/screenvssits.html

And do the research

Alfred Okocha · January 26th, 2005, 03:32 PM

OK,
thanks!

Alfred Okocha · January 26th, 2005, 05:42 PM

HI Richard!

CAn't find any info there.. about comercail breaks I mean. Do you have any other idea?

Or anybody else..
(must be alot of TV people around here somewhere.. =)

Thanks.

Bob Costa · January 26th, 2005, 10:03 PM

I know when I watch TV on most channels, I can watch a 30 minute show in about 24 minutes from my DVR, and that includes time to skip the commercials or backup if I skip too far. My guess is the average cable channel has 7 minutes of commercials per half hour. Some are even more, maybe 9-10.

Jesse Bekas · January 26th, 2005, 10:23 PM

The show certainly has to be edited to account for commercial breaks. Most have a little 1-5 second bump (establishing shot with a bit of music) when returning from commercial.

Pace it for commercial breaks to take place at the end of each act (I'm assuming the show was written using a 3-act structure), and assume 7&1/2-9 minutes of airtime will be used for commercial.

Alfred Okocha · January 27th, 2005, 04:51 AM

Thhe pilot I'm talking about is an "interviewing program". So I have possibilities to put comercials, still, whenever I want to. Jesse, I figured that there would be two comercial breaks, hence the tree-act for 1/2 hour. If I stretch it to an hour.. (I seem to have alot of material). Do you make it a 5 act or a 6 act program? (6 acts is ALOT of breaks.. comercials..=( )

Thanks all of you for you help, so far!

James Emory · January 28th, 2005, 09:23 PM

I believe there are typically four - two minute breaks for each 30 minute block. So that's about 22 minutes of program time including the opening, content and credits. Sometimes only the opening is shown and then the first commercial break is taken. Then with others, its the opeing and the whole first block and then the first break. I've seen this graphically represented for a news broadcast by a pie chart.

Each network has a different way of inserting commercials. Discovery Networks and MTV begin a new show straight from the credits of the previous one with no commercial(s) in between. I believe they do this to keep the viewers' attention to carry them into the next program. It makes perfect sense. You know most people just turn that channel when commercials come on after a show unless they definitely want to watch the following show.

Alfred, for your pilot, I would shoot alternate bumps or transitions for commercial breaks that can easily be edited in later if it makes it to broadcast. Otherwise a straight cut should be fine for a proof of concept.

Jesse Bekas · January 28th, 2005, 11:13 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by James Emory :...Each network has a different way of inserting commercials. Discovery Networks and MTV begin a new show straight from the credits of the previous one with no commercial(s) in between. I believe they do this to keep the viewers attention to carry them into the next program. -->>>

ABC started doing that now as well. That and shifting shows a couple of minutes ahead or behind. so you miss the beginnings of other networks' shows. God forbid, they just make their lineups better.

January 26th, 2005, 01:21 PM	#1
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	comercial breaks.. with what freq.? Hi all, I'm trying to edit my first pilot.. =) Are there any standards to follow about comercial breaks? I mean do you edit the program with the comercial breaks in mind or do the channels cut in whenever they want to? I mean different channels have different comercial spacing, so you can't cut a version for every channel, can you? If anybody have an idea please help me.. The program is for 30 minutes (what, 25 effective?) and one hour (50 minutes, 45?) Thanks alot, any help appreciated!

January 26th, 2005, 01:49 PM	#3
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	28:30 is the standard __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer

January 26th, 2005, 10:03 PM	#8
Bob Costa Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Venice, FL Posts: 850	I know when I watch TV on most channels, I can watch a 30 minute show in about 24 minutes from my DVR, and that includes time to skip the commercials or backup if I skip too far. My guess is the average cable channel has 7 minutes of commercials per half hour. Some are even more, maybe 9-10. __________________ You are either growing or dying.

January 26th, 2005, 01:47 PM	#2
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Check into television script formats. They indicate when and where the commercial breaks come in different formats. google a search for television script formats

January 26th, 2005, 02:27 PM	#4
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Christopher C. Murphy said "28:30 is the standard" ?? 28 minutes for half an hour? 56 for an hour? Is that it? Richard Alvarez Check into television script formats. They indicate when and where the commercial breaks come in different formats. google a search for television script formats Could really find anything good.. Do you have a Ballpark idea?? Thanks.

January 26th, 2005, 03:05 PM	#5
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Start here http://www.screenstyle.com/screenvssits.html And do the research

January 26th, 2005, 03:32 PM	#6
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	OK, thanks!

January 26th, 2005, 05:42 PM	#7
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	HI Richard! CAn't find any info there.. about comercail breaks I mean. Do you have any other idea? Or anybody else.. (must be alot of TV people around here somewhere.. =) Thanks.

January 26th, 2005, 10:23 PM	#9
Jesse Bekas Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA Posts: 572	The show certainly has to be edited to account for commercial breaks. Most have a little 1-5 second bump (establishing shot with a bit of music) when returning from commercial. Pace it for commercial breaks to take place at the end of each act (I'm assuming the show was written using a 3-act structure), and assume 7&1/2-9 minutes of airtime will be used for commercial.

January 27th, 2005, 04:51 AM	#10
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Thhe pilot I'm talking about is an "interviewing program". So I have possibilities to put comercials, still, whenever I want to. Jesse, I figured that there would be two comercial breaks, hence the tree-act for 1/2 hour. If I stretch it to an hour.. (I seem to have alot of material). Do you make it a 5 act or a 6 act program? (6 acts is ALOT of breaks.. comercials..=( ) Thanks all of you for you help, so far!

January 28th, 2005, 09:23 PM	#11
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	I believe there are typically four - two minute breaks for each 30 minute block. So that's about 22 minutes of program time including the opening, content and credits. Sometimes only the opening is shown and then the first commercial break is taken. Then with others, its the opeing and the whole first block and then the first break. I've seen this graphically represented for a news broadcast by a pie chart. Each network has a different way of inserting commercials. Discovery Networks and MTV begin a new show straight from the credits of the previous one with no commercial(s) in between. I believe they do this to keep the viewers' attention to carry them into the next program. It makes perfect sense. You know most people just turn that channel when commercials come on after a show unless they definitely want to watch the following show. Alfred, for your pilot, I would shoot alternate bumps or transitions for commercial breaks that can easily be edited in later if it makes it to broadcast. Otherwise a straight cut should be fine for a proof of concept.

January 28th, 2005, 11:13 PM	#12
Jesse Bekas Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA Posts: 572	<<<-- Originally posted by James Emory :...Each network has a different way of inserting commercials. Discovery Networks and MTV begin a new show straight from the credits of the previous one with no commercial(s) in between. I believe they do this to keep the viewers attention to carry them into the next program. -->>> ABC started doing that now as well. That and shifting shows a couple of minutes ahead or behind. so you miss the beginnings of other networks' shows. God forbid, they just make their lineups better.