Actually, I think the original rule was "3 minutes, if you need a couple extra seconds, it's Ok." I'd interpret that as 15 seconds. You could probably have another 10 for credits, but if you went over 3:30 for BOTH you'd really bepushing your luck!

Get what I'm talking about? Let's set a HARD limit that everyone has no problem understanding. No more problem!

Mike

I've always beat the drum for keeping the Challenge as close to three minutes as possible. Sometimes it just pains us to cut stuff; for instance, I'm having to axe a scene of which I spoke earlier in the week. (Probably just as well, but now it's so boring!) And a couple times all my cutting has led to even more confusion about my messages. But it should teach us to choose a tighter, less complex story, I suppose.

When we're all watching the entries we will be glad for the current time limit! :)

@ Mike Horrigan: My writing prof used to say, "You have to kill your babies."

Essentially it means 'cut till hurts.' But there are some sneaky ways you could fix it up some.

Make a 3 frame overlap between every cut.

If you have awkward pauses where an actor is thinking, waiting for a reaction or just took too much time, you can cut to an isolation shot then cut back to the actor and delete a little time that way.

Make your opening credits a two second fade in and out of the title only.

Bonus points if you can 'establish the theme,' 'establish your protagonist' or 'set up the inciting incident' by FADING IN on action going on behind your title.

Don't look at having to kill, delete, remove 45 seconds. Just cut tight.

Sorry if these things are obvious to you but it's all I can think of at the moment.

Great advice. Like I said, this is my first shot at this contest so I was just seeing what the boundaries were. Now that I know that 3:30 is the breaking point I'll have to do my best to come in at 3:29! Title and credits included. ;)

Thanks for all the advice, I'll trim the fat and streamline this baby. I love a challenge. :)

BTW, a 5 minute "hard" limit with everything included would suit me fine.

If most seem to want them shorter then how about a 3:30 hard limit?

Just keeps it simple.

Mike

Can I sell some of my seconds, I am going to run short.... :)

LOL!

I'm now down to 3:30

Looking good for time now...