Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

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  • Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

    In my current script, I wanted to pay homage to one of my favorite movie scenes, the "museum scene" in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I love this scene because I think it reveals the soul of the movie. Here it is (with commentary from Mr. Hughes): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p89gBjHB2Gs

    The FB script I downloaded from DailyScript (labeled as a shooting script) has an entirely different set of shots than what's in the film. After listening to the director's commentary, I got a feeling this was mostly spur of the moment, unscripted improvisation.

    I have two characters entering a museum, both mesmerized by the grandeur and art. I used a combination of "series of shots" and "intercuts" in my first attempt, but it looks really clunky on the page. Any suggestions on how you would do it?

  • #2
    Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

    My two cents: Just say it plays out shot-for-shot like the museum scene in Ferris Bueller.

    No point in making the reader guess.
    Looking to take the "Bono" off my screenname.

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    • #3
      Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

      Originally posted by ProBono Writer View Post
      My two cents: Just say it plays out shot-for-shot like the museum scene in Ferris Bueller.

      No point in making the reader guess.
      Funny, I considered that option, then wonder, "what if some greenhorn 19-year old intern, who's never heard of, let alone seen FB, gets ahold of my script?" As a college professor, this happens to me all the time. I reference something from pop culture more than a couple decades old, and about half the 18-22 year-olds get this weird, "what the hell is he talking about" look on their faces. I think Bill Martell posted on this topic a few months ago.

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      • #4
        Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

        Originally posted by bioprofessor View Post
        I used a combination of "series of shots" and "intercuts" in my first attempt, but it looks really clunky on the page. Any suggestions on how you would do it?
        methinks you're worried too much about how it looks on the page when what the audience will see is the job of the editor and cinematographer, and even the musical score.

        i wouldn't mention FB but if you must -- simply write the overall effect the visions of art have on your characters.

        btw - limama has a FB script in her files that is not a shooting draft.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

          Originally posted by NikeeGoddess View Post
          methinks you're worried too much about how it looks on the page when what the audience will see is the job of the editor and cinematographer, and even the musical score. i wouldn't mention FB but simply write the overall effect the visions of art have on your characters.
          I think you're right Nikee - This is probably more of an editing issue. I'll write the effect I'm going for and move on. Thanks!

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

            Hey Bio:
            I hadn't remembered that scene. Lovely with the commentary, too. I don't imagine very many people will get the reference, so I'd write the scene and make sure the emotional moments come through in the read. You can save your tribute commentary for the DVD.
            Happy to give it a read when you need a set of eyes.
            altop

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            • #7
              Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

              You can write something to the effect of this:

              "John and Jim move through the museum... blah blah blah. As Ferris Bueller, I mean, John does X--"

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

                I always wonder about movie references and homages too. I just wrote a scene that references the "One of us" scene from Freaks. I have no idea how many readers will "get" it. It's more or less

                The crowd chants Freaks-style.

                CROWD
                We accept her.... One of us...

                (And then they get to "Gooble gobble...") Hopefully readers who don't know the scene will just figure from the "Freaks-style" that it's a real reference.

                Mine is different though, as I'm not trying to recreate the scene exactly, just the atmosphere in kind of a funny way.

                Had to watch that museum scene, which I'd forgotten. Definitely a cool scene. And sure looks like a pain to write without getting all bogged down in camera direction.
                Last edited by snoozn; 11-19-2010, 10:14 AM. Reason: donedeal makes me type badly

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                • #9
                  Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

                  Originally posted by snoozn View Post
                  I always wonder about movie references and homages too. I just wrote a scene that references the "One of us" scene from Freaks. I have no idea how many readers will "get" it. It's more or less

                  The crowd chants Freaks-style.

                  CROWD
                  We accept her.... One of us...

                  (And then they get to "Gooble gobble...") Hopefully readers who don't know the scene will just figure from the "Freaks-style" that it's a real reference.

                  Mine is different though, as I'm not trying to recreate the scene exactly, just the atmosphere in kind of a funny way.

                  Had to watch that museum scene, which I'd forgotten. Definitely a cool scene. And sure looks like a pain to write without getting all bogged down in camera direction.
                  I have to confess that, in my first pass, I tried to write the scene shot-for-shot like that in FB. Then I realized that there's a fine line between paying homage and lazy copycatting. So, I'm rewriting it with just a subtle nod to Hughes' genius.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

                    Are you going to post it here? I'd be interested to see how it turns out!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

                      Originally posted by snoozn View Post
                      Are you going to post it here? I'd be interested to see how it turns out!
                      I'm not thrilled with it, but I'm going to leave it for now, let it marinate a bit. I really don't want to clutter the place with every scene from my script, but since you asked... (comments welcome).

                      BTW, you may be wondering why my two protag's are at a museum. Did I mention that they were con artists?

                      Code:
                                     EXT. MUSEUM - DAY
                       
                                     Cassie and Lizzy dash up the marble stairway.
                       
                                     The low necklines of the duo's tightly-corseted, lace dresses 
                                     catch the eye of a SECURITY GUARD (30).
                       
                                     Cassie pauses to flirt with Guard, until Lizzy grabs Cassie's 
                                     arm and yanks her inside.
                       
                                     INT. MUSEUM EXHIBIT HALL - DAY
                       
                                     A string QUARTET fills the air with a Bach concerto.
                       
                                     Mesmerized by the hall's grandeur and beauty, Cassie pivots 
                                     to take it all in...
                       
                                                           CASSIE
                                               Wow!
                       
                                     CASSIE'S P.O.V. - QUICK SHOTS OF CLASSIC EUROPEAN ART
                       
                                     A.  Millet's Sewing Lesson.
                       
                                     B.  Romanelli's Columbia bust.
                       
                                     C.  Wichmann's Madonna and Child.
                       
                                     D.  van Oosterwyck's Rose and Butterfly.
                       
                                     E.  Cagnacci's Allegory of Life.
                       
                                     BACK TO SCENE
                       
                                     EXHIBIT HALL
                       
                                     Lizzy stands before Millet's famous oil painting, [I]The [/I]
                      [I]              Gleaners.[/I]
                       
                                     LIZZY'S FACE
                       
                                     Entranced.  Eyes riveted, staring straight ahead.
                       
                                     PAINTING
                       
                                     A dust-covered peasant women stoops to gather stray grains in a 
                                     barren field.
                       
                                     LIZZY'S FACE
                       
                                     Eyes well with tears.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

                        I think that's the right kind of homage. It's similar enough that anyone who remembers the FB scene will definitely get it. But it also works independently and isn't going to look weird or off to those not familiar with the original.

                        Interesting that you don't also have Cassie stand in front of a particular painting (like in the FB scene). But it's a nice contrast, with Cassie taking it all in and Lizzy fixated on one painting.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

                          I like the scene.

                          Consider (with the guard): ... Lizzy grabs Cassie's hand and pulls her inside.

                          Consider: Intercut Cassie moving around and Lizzy staying put.

                          I know what you're going for with the POV of various paintings, but, in the film, how will we know who's POV it is?

                          The description of the peasant woman painting sounds more like movement rather than a "snapshot".
                          "I am the story itself; its source, its voice, its music."
                          - Clive Barker, Galilee

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

                            Originally posted by bioprofessor View Post
                            I'm not thrilled with it, but I'm going to leave it for now, let it marinate a bit. I really don't want to clutter the place with every scene from my script, but since you asked... (comments welcome).

                            BTW, you may be wondering why my two protag's are at a museum. Did I mention that they were con artists?

                            Code:
                                           EXT. MUSEUM - DAY
                             
                                           Cassie and Lizzy dash up the marble stairway.
                             
                                           The low necklines of the duo's tightly-corseted, lace dresses 
                                           catch the eye of a SECURITY GUARD (30).
                             
                                           Cassie pauses to flirt with Guard, until Lizzy grabs Cassie's 
                                           arm and yanks her inside.
                             
                                           INT. MUSEUM EXHIBIT HALL - DAY
                             
                                           A string QUARTET fills the air with a Bach concerto.
                             
                                           Mesmerized by the hall's grandeur and beauty, Cassie pivots 
                                           to take it all in...
                             
                                                                 CASSIE
                                                     Wow!
                             
                                           CASSIE'S P.O.V. - QUICK SHOTS OF CLASSIC EUROPEAN ART
                             
                                           A.  Millet's Sewing Lesson.
                             
                                           B.  Romanelli's Columbia bust.
                             
                                           C.  Wichmann's Madonna and Child.
                             
                                           D.  van Oosterwyck's Rose and Butterfly.
                             
                                           E.  Cagnacci's Allegory of Life.
                             
                                           BACK TO SCENE
                             
                                           EXHIBIT HALL
                             
                                           Lizzy stands before Millet's famous oil painting, [I]The
                                           Gleaners.[/I]
                             
                                           LIZZY'S FACE
                             
                                           Entranced.  Eyes riveted, staring straight ahead.
                             
                                           PAINTING
                             
                                           A dust-covered peasant women stoops to gather stray grains in a 
                                           barren field.
                             
                                           LIZZY'S FACE
                             
                                           Eyes well with tears.
                            I think you can get away without the implied camera shots. Consider(?):

                            Code:
                                           
                                           CASSIE'S P.O.V. - QUICK SHOTS OF CLASSIC EUROPEAN ART
                             
                                           A.  Millet's Sewing Lesson.
                             
                                           B.  Romanelli's Columbia bust.
                             
                                           C.  Wichmann's Madonna and Child.
                             
                                           D.  van Oosterwyck's Rose and Butterfly.
                             
                                           E.  Cagnacci's Allegory of Life.
                             
                                           BACK TO SCENE
                             
                                           Lizzy stands before Millet's famous oil painting, [I]The
                                           Gleaners.[/I]  Entranced.  Eyes riveted, staring deeply into--
                             
                                           The Painting -- A dust-covered peasant women stoops
                                           to gather stray grains in a barren field.
                             
                                           Lizzy's Eyes fill with tears, wide with astonishing wonder.
                            Just a suggestion. Take or leave as you wish. I just don't think you need to break it up shot for shot like that here.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Paying Homage... How to Format this Scene...

                              Interesting. But just some thoughts:-

                              - what if those art pieces aren't on show at the time the movie is shot?
                              - are items in a museum in any way copywrited - the same way as songs or book quotes? (excuse ignorance here).

                              Sorry - not being picky or anything. It's just that I'm starting to become conscious about mentioning certain specifics in a script. So I'm curious about this one.
                              "Would you take a f**k to save your president?"

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