1.7.1 Recording Schedule

The recording schedule looks like this:

When creating the schedule, the following guidelines are used: 12 loops per hour or 60 lines (which is about 5 loops) if there is a lot of dialogue. This is the total count of lines for all actors in a given loop.

Counting the lines in a loop⁹

A line is any dialogue belonging to a single character that is between three words and 50 keyboard strokes in length. Lines are counted separately for each loop, usually with the help of specialized software. The sentences “I love you” and “Oy! Can you please show me the way to the restroom” are both one line. Interjections shorter than three words and parts of words count as 1/3rd of a line. For example:

Two characters converse in this loop: Walter and Gale. Walter’s phrase contains 50 keyboard strokes plus one partial and one full word, so the line count is 1.6 lines. Gale’s phrase is only 13 characters, but it is three words long, and so it is 1 line. Actors are paid by the line, and the convention is 16 lines per hour for a theatrical release and 26 lines for a DVD release.

With simple narration / Voice Over, you can complete up to 45 minutes of a show in a typical 8-hour work day. For the same amount of studio time you may only be able to do 15 minutes of a television miniseries.

The thing to take into account is that the number of lines together with the complexity of the dialogue are proportional to the amount of time needed at the studio.