Scene headings in space

[ReneC]

I'm curious what the consensus might be, if there is one, for this question.

I'm writing a script that takes place in space. Is it necessary to use "NIGHT" if it's a shot of deep space?

Similarly, for scenes that take place inside space shuttles or space stations, should those scene headings always indicate "NIGHT" since that's what it looks like outside or should it be dependent on whatever chronographical system I'm using to denote daytime and nighttime? Or should those references be omitted altogether since it always looks the same?

[Paul Striver]

I know the Alien scripts omit DAY and NIGHT in most of the scene headings, presumably because the locations have no windows and day/night doesn't make sense in space anyway.

So if you want to omit them, go ahead. I would.

Same goes for other locations where there are no windows, e.g., INT. TELEVISION STUDIO, or INT. ELEVATOR (unless it's one of those glass elevators on the outside of a building, in which case I am obviously procrastinating like a sumbitch and need to get back to work ASA

[altoption]

Originally Posted by Paul Striver

Same goes for other locations where there are no windows, e.g., INT. TELEVISION STUDIO, or INT. ELEVATOR (unless it's one of those glass elevators on the outside of a building, in which case I am obviously procrastinating like a sumbitch and need to get back to work ASA

Putting aside conventions and production requirements, Time of Day clues the reader in to the mood of the scene. So, INT. BUILDING - DAY has a different feel than INT. BUILDING - NIGHT. And many building interiors have different lighting schemes for day and night.

[DavidK]

Originally Posted by altoption

Putting aside conventions and production requirements, Time of Day clues the reader in to the mood of the scene. So, INT. BUILDING - DAY has a different feel than INT. BUILDING - NIGHT. And many building interiors have different lighting schemes for day and night.

I'd go along with this, but similarly the example of not using DAY or NIGHT also works. The only reason I'd be inclined to use it is for the same reason given here - it clues the reader in to the mood of the scene so they get a sense of whether or not there is light from a sun shining on the spacecraft or through its windows, or it is in complete darkness.

It's also one of those questions that fits into the category of 'it-doesn't-matter-so-long-as-it's-clear.' You could equally omit DAY and NIGHT altogether and just use a description line that says the spaceship is blasted by fierce orange light from a nearby star or whatever. Whatever the conventions are, the fundamental principles of clarity and consistency always apply.

[wcmartell]

Leave it off... or use DAY and NIGHT to give a feeling of where the characters are in their "day" if that makes things more clear for the reader.

No one kicks you out of Hollywood for this stuff.

- Bill

[Patrick Sweeney]

I'd leave it off. The only time I might use them is if it's established we're on a vessel or station that has an artificial day-night cycle.

I have a script where nearly the entire story takes place inside a mine. I only use DAY or NIGHT inside the mine when we're close enough to an entrance to see the outside. Otherwise I use the second part of the slug to pin down where we are: INT. MINE - ORE CHUTE or INT. MINE - FLOODED PASSAGE.