Action we can see happening in another room

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  • Action we can see happening in another room

    I have a scene that takes place in the kitchen, but before the scene in the kitchen starts, we see (through the open door of the kitchen) a character walk down the hallway and into the kitchen and then when the conversation in the kitchen is over he walks out of the house (the front door, which is at the end of the hallway, is visible from the kitchen, through the open door).

    The idea is that the camera would be in the kitchen and the walking down the hall and out would be seen by the camera shooting from the kitchen down the hallway all the way to the front door.

    There's a story reason why I need the hallway coming and going.

    So, my question is, how do I handle this from a formatting standpoint? My inclination is to have only one slugline - the kitchen - and describe the walking down the hallway without putting in another slugline.

    Just say "Through the open door of the kitchen we see him walk down the hallway and out the front door"

    Would that be considered proper formatting?

  • #2
    Re: Action we can see happening in another room

    Originally posted by Dimitri001 View Post
    ...There's a story reason why I need the hallway coming and going...
    There better be, because otherwise I'd mention the old "get in late, get out early" rule, which means we'd eliminate the second or two watching somebody entering and leaving. [Note that this applies not only to scenes, but to the entire story. The best stories and scenes leave out all the crap before and after the good stuff.]

    However, you say this detail is important, so... With that in mind, you could write what you have (half for the entry, half for the departure), or even just "Bob enters the kitchen from the right..." whatever, and "Bob departs..." etc. Or even "Shuffling footsteps precede Bob's entry from the hallway" or whatever whatever.

    I presume this minutia is on a draft of an entire screenplay? If not, don't get bogged down with stuff like this when you're still writing, and especially if you're just outlining. In the end, details like this may be subconscious excuses to prevent you from ever reaching your goal.

    G'luck!

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    • #3
      Re: Action we can see happening in another room

      It depends on what you intend for us to see.

      I am going to assume that you mean for us to be aware that we are in the kitchen as we see the character come along the hallway and enter the kitchen, and that you intend the same thing for when the character exits the kitchen and is again in the hallway.

      For us to be aware of that, we have to see the character THROUGH doorway as he approaches and again as he leaves. "THROUGH the doorway" means that we actually see the door frameframe as the character comes into the kitchen and again as he leaves.

      If you are OBVIOUSLY in the kitchen (as explained above, in the comments about the doorframe), then you have one scene with several shots. You have a shot as the character enters, one as he leaves, and at least one (probably more) as action takes place in the kitchen.

      So if you intend for us to see the doorframe, you can get by with one scene and several shots. Just set the scene in the kitchen and describe what happens. Nonetheless, you can handle all of this with three scenes if you want. One for the entrance into the kitchen. One for the action in the kitchen proper (it will probably use several shots). One for the departure back into the hallway.

      The simplest thing is to go with one scene.
      INT. KITCHEN - DAY

      Mr. Smith appears in the hallway outside the kitchen door and walks into the kitchen.

      Various actions and shots in the kitchen.

      Mr. Smith leaves through the kitchen door back into the hallway. He does not look back. He turns at the end of the hallway and disappears in the direction of the living room.
      A bit of advice. Do not worry about format so much. Professionals engage in all kinds of formatting that is questionable. Just write what you see. There is no absolute standard, and everything gets converted into shots eventually.

      "The fact that you have seen professionals write poorly is no reason for you to imitate them." - ComicBent.

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      • #4
        Re: Action we can see happening in another room

        Originally posted by Dimitri001 View Post
        I have a scene that takes place in the kitchen, but before the scene in the kitchen starts, we see (through the open door of the kitchen) a character walk down the hallway and into the kitchen and then when the conversation in the kitchen is over he walks out of the house (the front door, which is at the end of the hallway, is visible from the kitchen, through the open door).

        The idea is that the camera would be in the kitchen and the walking down the hall and out would be seen by the camera shooting from the kitchen down the hallway all the way to the front door.

        There's a story reason why I need the hallway coming and going.

        So, my question is, how do I handle this from a formatting standpoint? My inclination is to have only one slugline - the kitchen - and describe the walking down the hallway without putting in another slugline.

        Just say "Through the open door of the kitchen we see him walk down the hallway and out the front door"

        Would that be considered proper formatting?
        Would you please post the pages over in the "Script Pages- forum so that we can see what you've written? You can take down the pages later on if you want. It might help everyone here who wants to offer you advice on your question in this thread.
        “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Action we can see happening in another room

          So if you intend for us to see the doorframe, you can get by with one scene and several shots. Just set the scene in the kitchen and describe what happens. Nonetheless, you can handle all of this with three scenes if you want. One for the entrance into the kitchen. One for the action in the kitchen proper (it will probably use several shots). One for the departure back into the hallway.
          The idea is that the film would begin and end with the same shot. The camera is in the kitchen, shooting through the door frame and what we see is the hallway and then at the end of it the front door and both in the beginning of the film and the end we would see the character (with the camera in this same position) walk through the hallway and out the front door.

          So, I'm trying to convey the shot in the script. Not just the action, but what this would look like in the film.

          That's why I'd like to have just one slugline for the kitchen and explain what we see, rather than change sluglines (which kind of implies change of shots). Like this:

          INT. KITCHEN - DAY

          Through the open door of the kitchen we see down the hallway through to the front door at the end of it.

          X enters the hallway and walks into the kitchen.

          Stuff happens in the kitchen.

          X walks out of the kitchen. We see him walk down the hallway and out the front door.


          So, the thing that bothers me is whether this wouldn't be considered wrong, given that some of the action technically happens outside the kitchen, but my slugline says kitchen. But, like you say, maybe this stuff isn't absolute and I'm being a little too pedantic.

          Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
          A bit of advice. Do not worry about format so much. Professionals engage in all kinds of formatting that is questionable. Just write what you see. There is no absolute standard, and everything gets converted into shots eventually.
          Yes, I was beginning to suspect that there is no set standard for a lot of these kind of questions.

          Originally posted by TigerFang View Post
          Would you please post the pages over in the “Script Pages” forum so that we can see what you’ve written? You can take down the pages later on if you want. It might help everyone here who wants to offer you advice on your question in this thread.
          I know this is totally silly, but I feel a little uncomfortable doing that for privacy reasons. I wrote above how I have it in the script, formatting-wise.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Action we can see happening in another room

            Granted this might be the least exciting example of all time, but I'd suggest doing a little something like this or essentially what you wrote:

            INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

            A long hallway leads directly from the front door into the kitchen. Framed pictures adorn one side of the hall's walls.

            The front door opens. JOHN DOE, 35 and average looking, walks down it. He carries a lunch pail in one hand.

            He enters the kitchen and sets the pail on the counter.

            John opens the refrigerator door. Leans over to examine the contents. He reaches in and pulls out a bottle of beer.

            He lets the fridge door close on its own as he walks to a drawer, opens it and takes out a bottle opener. John pops the top – a SWOOSH of air is released. He takes a long drink. Savors it.

            John walks back down the hallway and exits through the front door.

            _______________

            What this would tell a director & DP -- though they might do something else on the day -- is the camera stays in the kitchen the entire time and "sees" through a door way/door frame all the way down the hall to the front door or possibly another room in the house. This tells the location manager and the production designer what type of house they need to find or how it's being suggested the set be built/laid out for the home.

            Maybe you intend for the shot to be done with say a 35mm or even 28mm lens with no camera movement and it all plays out in one shot like a stage play. That's it. Again, the director might shoot it that way. Or maybe they shoot that shot as the master, then pop in for closer medium shots and singles of John at the fridge, reaching inside, opening the door & taking out opener, then a close-up on his face & mouth as he takes a sip. (Or whatever action you have in mind, of course.)

            Maybe they shoot it locked off with no movement. Maybe the lay down tracks and slide to the side to follow him to a fridge then back again as he exits. But in many cases the where of the slugline is "dictating" where the camera will be set up.
            Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 05-01-2020, 07:40 AM.
            Will
            Done Deal Pro
            www.donedealpro.com

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