Starting with Protag's POV

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  • Starting with Protag's POV

    Okay. I'm trying to begin the screenplay with a character's moving POV without showing who he is or even stating his name. How do I that?!!
    "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
    -Maya Angelou

  • #2
    Re: Starting with Protag's POV

    If the character is driving a car or other vehicle and is the only character in the vehicle, it's relatively easy. We assume there must be a character in the scene when the vehicle is moving.

    INT. AUTO - DAY

    A two lane highway stretches ahead forever. The broken white center line
    speeds by.

    Blah Blah.

    If the scene takes place in a stationary setting, you can imply a character's POV.

    INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

    Pitch black, until a table lamp is switched on by a gloved hand.
    [Then continue exploring the room with action description without revealing the character]

    or

    or you can write mysterious CHARACTER'S POV.

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    • #3
      Re: Starting with Protag's POV

      it's very important that the opening shot be a POV for this particular script.

      I'll try to be more specific. I don't have the HALLOWEEN script or the FRIDAY THE 13th Scripts but I think there's a scary scene or two where we are looking at stuff from the antag's POV. We don't see him., but we know we're seeing things from his viewpoint. BTW I'm not writing a horror.
      "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
      -Maya Angelou

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      • #4
        Re: Starting with Protag's POV

        But sometimes they do a rip-off version: we THINK it's the bad guy's POV but really it actually was just where the camera guy was standing. Be careful of that-- it pisses people off.

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        • #5
          Re: Starting with Protag's POV

          Originally posted by writerly
          ok, no offense Jon but those suck as examples of POV.

          In the first - that's so generic that it could be any Int. Car scene.

          The second could easily NOT be POV - could be from someone else's POV seeing a gloved hand. That's just an example of not revealing someone's face.

          POV means the camera is literally the character's eyes, seeing out what they see. For example, looking through binoculars. Or whatever it is that the character sees.

          WriteByNight, if could you be a bit more specific, that might help.

          There are different ways to show POV and different thoughts about it, depending on your personal preference or style. The main thing is to not get bogged down in it and be clear. Maybe you don't need a POV shot. Sometimes, however, they are needed.
          No offense taken, writerly. These simple examples, illustrate that your don't have to spell out a POV shot. In a spec script you can imply the shots with some creative writing. If written well, without specifying POV, the director will "see" the shots as you, the writer, envision them.

          When you don't show anybody else in the room, we know it cannot be from another persons pov -- unless there's a video camera or someone in a closet, in which case that would be noted.

          So, the scene is shot either from the unseen character's pov, perhaps with a hand held camera, or from a God-like camera's pov, where we know that some unseen character is doing something in the room. Does it make a difference?

          If one way or the other advances the story more effectively, then I think it's the writer's job to get that accross. However, the director may decide against the writer's take on shooting the scene.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Starting with Protag's POV

            okay forgive me writerly. here goes in a nutshell:

            we start with an eye level shot moving towards a doorway. this is the pov shot. but we can't give this person a name since we havent seen him yet. we're just seeing what he sees (which is a murder about to take place).

            now your third example may be the closest to what i what to get at but how do we know the character is a swimmer if we're starting from what she sees? i mean she could be on a raft. she could on a boat. etc, etc.
            "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
            -Maya Angelou

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Starting with Protag's POV

              That's more towards what I was getting at. Thanks.
              "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
              -Maya Angelou

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Starting with Protag's POV

                From Halloween:


                EXT./INT. MYERS HOUSE -- NIGHT -- SUBJECTIVE POV
                (PANAGLIDE)

                It is night. We move toward the rear of a house through
                Someone's POV. CAMERA MOVES UP to a Jack-o'- lantern glowing brightly on a windowsill. It is a windy night and the
                curtains around the Jack-o'-lantern ruffle back and forth.
                Suddenly we hear voices from inside the house.
                "I ask every producer I meet if they need TV specs they say yeah. They all want a 40 inch display that's 1080p and 120Hz. So, I quit my job at the West Hollywood Best Buy."
                - Screenwriting Friend

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                • #9
                  Re: Starting with Protag's POV

                  Originally posted by roscoegino View Post
                  From Halloween:


                  EXT./INT. MYERS HOUSE -- NIGHT -- SUBJECTIVE POV
                  (PANAGLIDE)

                  It is night. We move toward the rear of a house through
                  Someone's POV. CAMERA MOVES UP to a Jack-o'- lantern glowing brightly on a windowsill. It is a windy night and the
                  curtains around the Jack-o'-lantern ruffle back and forth.
                  Suddenly we hear voices from inside the house.
                  I assume most of us are writing spec scripts.

                  Is it important to write the story with a POV shot? What is the best way to write the scene as a Spec Script? Which style will best capture a Reader's interest. IMHO if you intrigue the Director with the written story, with a minimum of stage and camera direction, he or she will determine how best to shoot the scene.

                  EXT./INT. MYERS HOUSE -- NIGHT

                  A figure in dark clothes sneaks to the rear of the house to an

                  OPEN WINDOW

                  Curtains ruffle in the breeze, brushing a brightly glowing Jack-o'-lantern on the windowsill. Happy Halloween.

                  A filthy hand removes the top of pumpkin. Flames dance through the top, igniting the curtains.

                  GIRLS VOICE (O.S.)
                  Goodnight, Mommy.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Starting with Protag's POV

                    If the entire location is shot within a singular POV; I'd put it in the Slugline.
                    INT. VINCE'S HOUSE - MURDERER'S POV - NIGHT

                    In the dead of night the CREEKING FOOTSTEPS on the killer lead from the twilight lit hallway.

                    UP STAIRS. The spiral staircase walls are lined with pictures of Jessica and her family. Her rafting trip.

                    CU: JESSICA with Jonathan. A knife comes into view pushes the picture so it tilts sideways.

                    Then proceeding up the staircase. BEDROOM. The SHOWER'S water hides the imperfections of Jessica's SINGING.

                    The bedroom closet door opens and closes behind.
                    But this wily god never discloses even to the skillful questioner the whole content of his wisdom.

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