Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

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  • Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

    What the heck is that called? I've heard a bagillion times, but I rarely use it. So it's never stuck. Now that I need it of course... I can't f-ing remember.

    What the heck is the word you put above the dialogue, by the character name of this very specific quasi-VO line that transitions into a convo in the next scene.

    Feeling. Amateur.

    Please help.

  • #2
    Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

    prelap

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    • #3
      Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

      That works! Thank you!

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      • #4
        Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

        they need to be speaking still after the cut otherwise, from my understanding, it's a vo. (FYI, I don't know if this is true or not)
        Last edited by bjamin; 02-11-2014, 04:58 PM.

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        • #5
          Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

          could someone give an example how a prelap might look? I'm struggling with this same issue....thanks

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          • #6
            Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

            http://johnaugust.com/2007/pre-lap

            I've seen it done without the hyphen. And I guess VO and Prelap are interchangeable (in these types of instances.) I thought the rule/guideline was prelaps require the character to still be speaking after the cut, but according to JA's sample, it does not. Live and learn.
            Last edited by bjamin; 03-05-2014, 07:59 AM.

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            • #7
              Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

              before today I'd never heard of the term prelap....I'm reading examples and envisioning how the scene might look...thanks for your help....I'll keep reading until I catch on as to how to write it.

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              • #8
                Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

                Really good question.

                The example that John August gave has one problem. The person named GARY in Scene #1 is not in the snippet from Scene #2. Now, I assume that Gary is really there and that the snippet just does not include him.

                But the person speaking the "prelap" in Scene #1 has to appear in Scene #2, or the "prelap" dialogue in Scene #1 becomes "V.O." or "O.S." dialogue (depending on whether the character in seen on screen).

                The person speaking the prelap does not have to be the first person to speak in Scene #2, and in fact does not even have to speak at all. It can just be assumed that Gary has already spoken the prelap dialogue in Scene #2.

                On the matter of spelling, the use of the hyphen after *pre* is flexible. However, my advice is to follow the recommendation of the Chicago Manual of Style (the only thing that approaches the status of the Ultimate Authority). According to Chicago, do not use the hyphen with *pre* except before capitals, as in *pre-Raphaelite*.

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

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                • #9
                  Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

                  The first time I read prelap on the page was in regards to a sound. The sound/noise lead/carried us into the new scene. That's what made me believe when you prelap using a character's DL then the same character should still be speaking at the start of the corresponding scene.

                  A simple case of me over-thinking it.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

                    Originally posted by bjamin View Post
                    The first time I read prelap on the page was in regards to a sound. The sound/noise lead/carried us into the new scene. That's what made me believe when you prelap using a character's DL then the same character should still be speaking at the start of the corresponding scene.

                    A simple case of me over-thinking it.
                    Yes, it only means the sound for the second scene begins while we are looking at the images from the previous scene, regardless of whether it's dialogue, action, or atmos or some other sound. Funnily enough in 20 plus years I did not encounter the term 'pre-lap' and first discovered it here about three years ago.
                    "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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                    • #11
                      Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

                      Originally posted by DavidK View Post
                      Yes, it only means the sound for the second scene begins while we are looking at the images from the previous scene, regardless of whether it's dialogue, action, or atmos or some other sound. Funnily enough in 20 plus years I did not encounter the term 'pre-lap' and first discovered it here about three years ago.
                      I'm also not very familiar with the term prelap.

                      As the John August article said, these are rarely done in screenplays because they can get confusing.

                      Generally these types of cuts are made by the editors. And in editing, the correct term for this cut is called an "aural transition".

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                      • #12
                        Re: Character Speaks in VO in first scene before convo in next scene begins?

                        Originally posted by junior fletcher View Post
                        could someone give an example how a prelap might look? I'm struggling with this same issue....thanks

                        INT. ART GALLERY - DAY

                        Joe stares at an abstract painting, head tilted,
                        trying to make heads of tails of it.

                        JOE (PRE-LAP)
                        It looked like crap.

                        INT. JOE'S KITCHEN - DAY

                        Mary checks out a photo of the same painting
                        in the gallery brochure as Joe fills her coffee cup.

                        JOE
                        And the client wants
                        to pay us 500Gs to
                        lift it?

                        Mary glances at him over the tops of her glasses.

                        MARY
                        What do you know
                        about art?

                        JOE
                        Nothing. I know money.
                        And I'll tell you now: that
                        ain't worth sh!t.

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