How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

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  • How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

    I'm working on a project right now where the previous scene ended with the set and characters being 'plunged into darkness'. The next scene is meant to open with a hand pulling away from the character the scene introduces (hero's love interest), and then move to the wider scene. Right now, this is how I've got it written:
    Jackson pulls the lever, plunging the room into darkness.

    INT. NICE APARTMENT/LIVING ROOM -- DAY

    INSERT: BLACK SCREEN

    SUPER: 10 YEARS LATER

    ELISE POV
    A hand pulls away, revealing a furnished living room in an apartment with large windows. A vast city-scape is visible outside.

    NORMAL POV
    Jackson steps around from where he's standing behind ELISE SATTLER and gestures grandly to the room.

    JACKSON
    What do you think?
    Is this a good way to structure it? Or is there a better way?

  • #2
    Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

    You can just use BACK TO SCENE when the POV is over.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

      Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
      You can just use BACK TO SCENE when the POV is over.
      Even though it starts out with the character POV?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

        END POV ? Instead of Normal POV. My only issue w/ BACK TO SCENE is that there really isn't a scene yet to get back to. To be honest, in this example, I'm not sure if we really need to know it's her POV on screen.

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        • #5
          Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

          Originally posted by Jonathan_Bentz View Post
          Even though it starts out with the character POV?
          Yes - any time you return to the 'normal' cinematic view from something else you can use BACK TO SCENE - it covers everything. (Not presuming to answer on Jeff's behalf but just noticed the question.)
          "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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          • #6
            Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

            I see that you have a specific answer to your specific question, based on how you've formatted things. Beyond that, I have seen scripts in which brief POV moments are done like this:
            ELISE POV: We see a hand pull away, revealing a furnished
            living room in an apartment with large windows. A vast
            city-scape is visible outside.

            JACKSON (O.S.)
            What do you think?

            Elise looks awed. Jackson is at her side, wearing his big
            salesman's smile.
            IOW, seeing "__ POV:" on the same line/in the same paragraph as the action description, it's clear enough that that the POV ends with the next action paragraph - especially since that one indicates we can now see Elise.

            In any event, I am not clear as to why you need to do this as explicit "POV". For example, let's say the scene started with --
            Elise stands by the front door, someone's hand over her
            eyes. As the hand starts to pulls away --

            JACKSON'S VOICE
            What do you think?

            Now she sees a furnished living room in an apartment
            with large windows. A vast city-scape is visible outside.
            Or simply, "Someone's hand blocks our view. It pulls away, and from the front door, the apartment looks gorgeous..."

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            • #7
              Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

              Jackson pulls the lever, plunging the room into darkness.

              INT. NICE APARTMENT/LIVING ROOM -- DAY

              INSERT: BLACK SCREEN

              SUPER: 10 YEARS LATER

              ELISE POV
              A hand pulls away, revealing a furnished living room in an apartment with large windows. A vast city-scape is visible outside.

              NORMAL POV
              Jackson steps around from where he's standing behind ELISE SATTLER and gestures grandly to the room.

              JACKSON
              What do you think?
              It took me some time to figure out what was happening. I assume the lights went out in the same room we are in ten years later. IMHO the following is clearer. You can imply POV, and you don't need to insert a Black Screen. Just my opinion.

              INT. NICE APARTMENT/LIVING ROOM -- DAY

              Present day action and dialogue.

              Jackson pulls the lever, plunging the room into total darkness.

              SUPER: 10 Years Later

              CLOSE UP - of a hand covering a pair of eyes. The hand moves away.

              PULLBACK TO REVEAL - ELISE SATTER standing in the same room before large windows that overlook a vast city-scape.

              Jackson gestures grandly to the room.

              JACKSON
              What do you think?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

                Originally posted by Jonathan_Bentz View Post
                Even though it starts out with the character POV?
                Yes, because the way you've written it you'll be returning to the scene of the master scene heading.
                Last edited by Why One; 03-07-2014, 10:30 AM.

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                • #9
                  Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

                  Personally I would do it like the following. I don't know if it's "proper form" but to me it makes the most sense visually (even without explicitly saying return to a "normal POV").
                  Jackson pulls the lever, plunging the room into...

                  DARKNESS

                  SUPER: 10 YEARS LATER

                  A hand pulls away, revealing...

                  INT. NICE APARTMENT/LIVING ROOM -- DAY

                  A furnished living room in an apartment with large windows. A vast city-scape is visible outside.

                  Jackson steps around from where he's standing behind ELISE SATTLER and gestures grandly to the room.

                  JACKSON
                  What do you think?
                  Last edited by slupo; 03-07-2014, 11:10 AM.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

                    Jackson pulls the lever, plunging the room into darkness.

                    INT. NICE APARTMENT/LIVING ROOM -- DAY

                    INSERT: BLACK SCREEN

                    SUPER: 10 YEARS LATER

                    ELISE POV - hand pulls away, revealing a furnished living room in an apartment with large windows. A vast city-scape is visible outside.

                    Jackson steps around from where he's standing behind ELISE SATTLER and gestures grandly to the room.
                    ^Most of the time, that's how I would do it. It can be assumed that you are transitioning to another shot when you space down and continue the action. Exceptions might need to be made, as always.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

                      Is there a more vivid or revealing prop you could use to hold on as a transitional image?

                      I think a hand goes by quickly across the screen. Doesn't seem as interesting as an art object in the room, or perhaps a window or item of furniture, to telegraph time has passed and there has been a transformation.

                      Hard to tell from the brief excerpt though, maybe the hand is key to both scenes.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

                        I wouldn't over think how to handle POVs. Back to Scene is a good choice. Here's the thing that's easy to forget - you're writing (hopefully) for people who are familiar with screenplay structure and shorthand. They get it. Just stay consistent.

                        Also, make sure you're using POV in a way that is meaningful and critical to telling your story. If it's window dressing to sex things up a bit, people will skim past it without really noticing.

                        I'm a director who writes - and I can tell you that lots of things you will put in your script, including transitions, POV shots, etc. will more than likely get tossed. From the script I'm interested in the story, characters, emotional development, conflict, plot/structure, dialogue, mood and things along those lines.

                        I'm not saying that you shouldn't put those other things in - it can go a long way to helping with the readability of a screenplay which can be rather bare. Just don't sweat the small stuff. Realize what a writer brings to the table, which is the creation of the story, and that directors, cinematographers, actors, editors, etc. will be bringing a considerable amount of interpretive power to visually telling that story on film.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: How to handle transitioning from POV to the full scene?

                          I never use BACK TO SCENE or any variation of it and I've never had a problem. I personally don't like reading it in scripts either. Just because it's unnecessary to me.

                          It's typically very obvious that we're no longer seeing the scene through POV. Example:
                          -------------
                          INT. CADILLAC - MOVING -- NIGHT
                          Jason leans over the steering wheel, peering...

                          THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD
                          as the WIPERS SLAP manically back-and-forth, allowing an intermittent
                          view of a WOMAN holding a BUNDLED BABY on the highway's shoulder,
                          no shelter or umbrella to guard against the downpour.

                          Jason flicks on his HAZARD LIGHTS, CLICK-CLACK, CLICK-CLACK, and
                          he pulls onto the shoulder of the deserted highway.
                          --------------

                          In the above example, I think it's clear that we're returning to a "normal view," though it's not blatantly stated.

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