Scene Headings

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Scene Headings

    I start my characters off at Scene Heading A but then I move them to a new location

    The thing is....the new location is directly connected to where I had them at Scene A.

    Hallway ---> Bathroom

    Should I write a whole new Scene Heading (Slugline?)

    OR

    Can I just say in my action, we watch him walk through the hallway into the bathroom. Inside, the bathroom we watch him take a dump...

  • #2
    Re: Scene Headings

    A.

    INT. JOHN'S HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY

    John does some stuff, then rushes into the bathroom...

    INT. JOHN'S HOUSE - BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

    ...where he finds Mr Hanky.


    or

    B.


    INT. JOHN'S HOUSE - DAY

    John enters the house, slamming the door shut behind him.

    IN THE HALLWAY

    He does some stuff, then enters the bathroom.

    IN THE BATHROOM

    John finds Mr Hanky using his cologne.


    A is better IMHO.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Scene Headings

      There are multiple legitimate ways to handle this.

      If you are really talking about one continuous dialogue scene you can say

      INT. PETE'S HOUSE - DAY

      Pete and Annie walk up the hallway as they chat.

      PETE
      Can we talk about this later?

      ANNIE
      My mother's waiting! Just decide!

      BATHROOM-

      Pete hurries to the medicine cabinet and gulps down an antacid.

      PETE
      I'll call your mother in ten minutes.


      I think it's less intrusive to go with--

      INT. PETE'S HOUSE - DAY

      Pete and Annie walk up the hallway as they chat.

      PETE
      Can we talk about this later?

      ANNIE
      My mother's waiting! Just decide!

      Pete hurries into the bathroom, opens the medicine cabinet and gulps down an antacid.

      PETE
      I'll call your mother in ten minutes.


      Just try not to interrupt the flow of the dialogue unless it really adds something. Such as--

      INT. PETE'S HOUSE - DAY

      Pete and Annie walk up the hallway as they chat.

      PETE
      Can we talk about this later?

      ANNIE
      My mother's waiting! Just decide!

      BATHROOM-

      A banded stack of $100 bills is on the counter. Pete hurries in and hides it in a drawer, blocking Annie's line of sight with his body. Then he yanks open the medicine cabinet and gulps down an antacid.

      PETE
      I'll call your mother in ten minutes.




      ---

      Holiday special- 20% off script consults...
      http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ead.php?t=9901
      - - - - - - -
      Script consulting still going strong.

      Details and updates here, as always: http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ead.php?t=9901

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Scene Headings

        Hey, thanks guys.

        It's pure action. Here's what I have:

        Int. Hallway - Night

        He walks down the hallway. Goes into the bathroom.

        We watch him inside the bathroom taking a dump.

        -end scene-


        I was just wondering if it seems amateurish...or really nothing to sweat over...

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Scene Headings

          If it's that simple, why not just set the scene in the bathroom then?

          Subject enters from hallway, takes dump?

          A walk in a hallway seems like a waste of a line of script.
          - - - - - - -
          Script consulting still going strong.

          Details and updates here, as always: http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ead.php?t=9901

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Scene Headings

            Originally posted by DirtyDays View Post
            Hey, thanks guys.

            It's pure action. Here's what I have:

            Int. Hallway - Night

            He walks down the hallway. Goes into the bathroom.

            We watch him inside the bathroom taking a dump.

            -end scene-


            I was just wondering if it seems amateurish...or really nothing to sweat over...
            The scene heading reflects where the camera is, not where the actor is. In the example you gave, if your intent is to watch from the hallway, then no new slugline is required.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Scene Headings

              Originally posted by one seven spectrum View Post

              B.


              INT. JOHN'S HOUSE - DAY

              John enters the house, slamming the door shut behind him.

              IN THE HALLWAY

              He does some stuff, then enters the bathroom.

              IN THE BATHROOM

              John finds Mr Hanky using his cologne.

              This.

              As you embrace this technique you will find it much easier to keep a sense of movement in your scenes.

              Next level is...

              IN THE HALLWAY -

              LITTLE KID fvcks with everything as he walks. Jiggles the vase, jars the paintings, jiggers the plugs in the sockets. His mother steps out looking for him so Little Kid...

              DUCKS INTO THE BATHROOM -

              Where he finds his pops taking a dump. Pops "shh"s him. Winks.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Scene Headings

                BDZ +1. Easiest and cleanest way.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Scene Headings

                  It's great to make a flow like that but know this, in terms of a production script at some point every separate location will have to have its own slugline with a corresponding DAY or NIGHT designation. Not EARLY MORNING, Not MIDNIGHT. DAY or NIGHT.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Scene Headings

                    Originally posted by odriftwood View Post
                    It's great to make a flow like that but know this, in terms of a production script at some point every separate location will have to have its own slugline with a corresponding DAY or NIGHT designation. Not EARLY MORNING, Not MIDNIGHT. DAY or NIGHT.
                    That should be the last thought in your head when you're writing a spec. Or an assignment. Or anything that isn't a production draft.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Scene Headings

                      Originally posted by altoption View Post
                      The scene heading reflects where the camera is, not where the actor is. In the example you gave, if your intent is to watch from the hallway, then no new slugline is required.
                      What if the camera is at the very end of the hallway and the bathroom doesn't have a door?

                      Also, instead of a hallway what about a market place?

                      If I make my scene heading:

                      Ext. Market Place - Day

                      My camera is strictly confined to the market place only?

                      So, every action I write for my characters has to take place only there and if they venture anywhere else. I have to write a new scene heading or slug?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Scene Headings

                        Originally posted by DirtyDays View Post
                        What if the camera is at the very end of the hallway and the bathroom doesn't have a door?

                        Also, instead of a hallway what about a market place?

                        If I make my scene heading:

                        Ext. Market Place - Day

                        My camera is strictly confined to the market place only?

                        So, every action I write for my characters has to take place only there and if they venture anywhere else. I have to write a new scene heading or slug?
                        Personally, I think it's confusing if you worry about where the camera is. I think it's better if you think of what you want the reader to see.

                        If you want to show the character moving through the house or you want the reader to focus on different locations within a market place use the mini slugs as discussed. That's what you want the reader to see. The camera could be on a roof somewhere. Do you care?

                        If you want to show one character spying on another character or you want the audience looking at a location from another location you can use a pov shot.

                        For example (apology to BDZ for ****ing up his example)

                        IN THE HALLWAY -

                        LITTLE KID fvcks with everything as he walks. Jiggles the vase, jars the paintings, jiggers the plugs in the sockets. The Kid comes to a closed door and peers through a hole into the

                        BATHROOM

                        Where he sees his pops taking a dump.

                        or

                        INT. BATHROOM

                        Pops is taking a dump. Pops "shh's him. Winks.

                        The first Bathroom scene infers we are looking into the bathroom through the peephole and pop doesn't know. The second method is from pops' pov and he knows he's being spied on.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Scene Headings

                          The use of a MINI SLUG implies a cut.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Scene Headings

                            Originally posted by jonpiper View Post
                            INT. BATHROOM

                            Pops is taking a dump. Pops "shh's him. Winks.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Scene Headings

                              That should be the last thought in your head when you're writing a spec. Or an assignment. Or anything that isn't a production draft.
                              Mayhaps. But it's a good habit to get into especially if the goal is to make it to a production draft. The more a spec writer can write professionally from a formatting stand point, the stronger impression they will make IMHO.

                              Besides, I just went through a clean up like on a script this as the behest of a director. Rather I had it cleaned up before .....

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X