Listing characters in revisited scenes

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  • Listing characters in revisited scenes

    Let's say that you have a long, continuous scene set in one location, and that you feel it best to break this scene up into two or three bits, both for variety and to keep the audience in mind that other things are going on at the same time.

    Do you have to give the complete list of characters every time you revisit the scene, if there are many characters involved? Or is there some shorter way to indicate that the scene picks up with the same group that was there before, when the scene left off?

    Here's what I mean.

    Scene 1 (First Location):
    Characters A, B, C, D, E and F are involved.

    Scene 2 (Second Location):
    Other characters.

    Scene 3 (First Location):
    Picks up where Scene 1 left off. Same characters: A, B, C, D, E and F.

    Scene 4 (Third Location):
    Other characters.

    Scene 5 (First Location):
    Picks up where Scene 3 left off. Same characters: A, B, C, D, E and F.

    In such a case, in scenes 1, 3 and 5, in the first action line beneath the scene heading, do you have to write out the names of every character (A, B, C, D, E and F) all three times? It can be a long list to repeat.

    Or is there some kind of shorthand that's accepted in these cases, like writing "Same characters as previously," or some such, once the slug identifies the location?

  • #2
    Re: Listing characters in revisited scenes

    Originally posted by karsten View Post
    Let's say that you have a long, continuous scene set in one location, and that you feel it best to break this scene up into two or three bits, both for variety and to keep the audience in mind that other things are going on at the same time.

    Do you have to give the complete list of characters every time you revisit the scene, if there are many characters involved? Or is there some shorter way to indicate that the scene picks up with the same group that was there before, when the scene left off?

    Here's what I mean.

    Scene 1 (First Location):
    Characters A, B, C, D, E and F are involved.

    Scene 2 (Second Location):
    Other characters.

    Scene 3 (First Location):
    Picks up where Scene 1 left off. Same characters: A, B, C, D, E and F.

    Scene 4 (Third Location):
    Other characters.

    Scene 5 (First Location):
    Picks up where Scene 3 left off. Same characters: A, B, C, D, E and F.

    In such a case, in scenes 1, 3 and 5, in the first action line beneath the scene heading, do you have to write out the names of every character (A, B, C, D, E and F) all three times? It can be a long list to repeat.

    Or is there some kind of shorthand that's accepted in these cases, like writing "Same characters as previously," or some such, once the slug identifies the location?
    From a production standpoint, if the script gets made the line producer (or whoever else is assigned to it) will do a breakdown of the script for budgeting and scheduling purposes. It's their job to catch these kinds of things... to make sure that the same actors are in the same scene even if you cut away from it, to make sure the characters are wearing the same outfits in all the scenes that take place the same day in the story, to make sure that the wall clock your character glances at in the kitchen during the opening scene is also in every other kitchen scene... so no, you really don't need to worry about listing each character every time if you cut away and come back to the same scene later.

    That said, every character who's in a scene should, theoretically have something to actually do in that scene. So if A, B, C, D, E and F are in the scene, but you cut back and it's only A and B talking for another two pages, what happened to C, D, E, and F? Are they just roaming around in the background or standing there mute?

    You don't necessarily have to list every character each time you cut back to a scene you've previously established. Part of that is because that's someone else's job to note that stuff when the movie's getting made. But the bigger part is that it should be clear in each scene who's in it by their actions and words. Not every character necessarily has to speak in each scene, but if characters D and E are in the scene, they should have a purpose in the scene... and it should thus be clear that they are, in fact, in the scene regardless of how many chunks it's broken up into.

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    • #3
      Re: Listing characters in revisited scenes

      Could you say something like "the same group of people" without being confusing?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Listing characters in revisited scenes

        Thank you for the responses. SoCalScribe's point about keeping in mind everyone who is present in a scene and accounting for them is well taken.

        Originally posted by BattleDolphinZero View Post
        Could you say something like "the same group of people" without being confusing?
        I like that. "Same group as before," perhaps?

        I can't recall reading something like this in a script, but then, I haven't yet read as many scripts as I should have.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Listing characters in revisited scenes

          Originally posted by karsten View Post

          I can't recall reading something like this in a script, but then, I haven't yet read as many scripts as I should have.
          It's about clarity and brevity. If you can be clear, you're fine. Don't worry about having read it. Listing a bunch of names a second time is only necessary if you think the reader is going to be confused by coming back to the scene. If your sh!t is proceeding in a way that they (the reader) will remember who was just in the scene, I think it's fine to use a summary sentence as opposed to bogging the scene down with a list.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Listing characters in revisited scenes

            Originally posted by karsten View Post
            Thank you for the responses. SoCalScribe's point about keeping in mind everyone who is present in a scene and accounting for them is well taken.


            I like that. "Same group as before," perhaps?

            I can't recall reading something like this in a script, but then, I haven't yet read as many scripts as I should have.
            I've done things like this before and never had anybody complain. E.g., immediately after the scene heading, a line like...

            Poker game still in progress.
            or
            Mike, Bob, and the others, still at it.
            or
            Mike and the rest of the gang, right where we left them.

            If it keeps the story moving and it's clear, that's all that matters.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Listing characters in revisited scenes

              Originally posted by karsten View Post
              Let's say that you have a long, continuous scene set in one location, and that you feel it best to break this scene up into two or three bits, both for variety and to keep the audience in mind that other things are going on at the same time.

              Do you have to give the complete list of characters every time you revisit the scene, if there are many characters involved? Or is there some shorter way to indicate that the scene picks up with the same group that was there before, when the scene left off?

              Here's what I mean.

              Scene 1 (First Location):
              Characters A, B, C, D, E and F are involved.

              Scene 2 (Second Location):
              Other characters.

              Scene 3 (First Location):
              Picks up where Scene 1 left off. Same characters: A, B, C, D, E and F.

              Scene 4 (Third Location):
              Other characters.

              Scene 5 (First Location):
              Picks up where Scene 3 left off. Same characters: A, B, C, D, E and F.

              In such a case, in scenes 1, 3 and 5, in the first action line beneath the scene heading, do you have to write out the names of every character (A, B, C, D, E and F) all three times? It can be a long list to repeat.

              Or is there some kind of shorthand that's accepted in these cases, like writing "Same characters as previously," or some such, once the slug identifies the location?
              just thinkiing out loud, how about...

              Rob, Pete, Dave, Johnny Boy, Fred the Thief and Ernie Meyers, "the Gang" sit swapping cards at a dimly lit table in Club Rocococco...

              and later down the page...

              Back with "the Gang".

              Dave deals...

              or whatever.

              You sweep them up into a batch, give them a convenient nomenclature and save some space.

              My few rusty cents worth.
              Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Listing characters in revisited scenes

                I have touched down on this thread several times and have debated whether to jump in.

                The question is a good one. I had never thought about this exact situation before, because from the standpoint of practicality, it does not come up often. You just write your scene, and people are in it by virtue of speaking and doing. You mention their names as you write the scene.

                Here is how I would handle this situation. I think that what BDZ and Road Warrior suggested is fine: list everyone the first time (maybe define it as The Group) and then in subsequent scenes just refer to The Group.

                However, if you handle the scenes like this, they will not be self-contained. You will have to go back to the first instance and look at it to see all the people that are in it. (We are assuming that some of the characters are just there, without speaking or doing anything specified in the action.) In general, this does not matter for the reader, but it does when someone breaks down the scenes to determine which characters are present in it. And sometimes the original scene gets changed or cut. This will necessitate changes in the subsequent scenes.

                Why not make the scenes easier to handle by just repeating the names? Your first paragraph in each of the scenes then becomes something like this:
                Code:
                All of The Gang are still present. Rob, Pete, Dave, Johnny Boy, 
                Fred the Thief, and Ernie Meyers sit swapping cards at a dimly lit 
                table in Club Rococo.
                And then you continue with the scene, having re-established all the characters who are in it.

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

                Comment

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