I'm working on a romcom and last week I read Ronald Bass's script for "My Best Friend's Wedding". He has this interesting style when writing his actions, or I should say reactions. During the whole opening scene in the resturant, Julia Roberts's character (I think it was Julianne, but I'm not sure) would be speaking, and her friend (Rupert Everett's character, have no idea what his name was) would be reacting to what she was saying. Only it was not so much actions or reactions as impressions of actions.
So, she would say something, ending with "you know." And in the action line it would just say, "He knows" or "He knows her" or "He understands". The action was implying what he was thinking, without giving any physical action direction or audible response, so the actor would take that and show outwards signs of these thoughts, I guess. I'm not sure if this is very common. I haven't had a chance to read any other of his scripts, and it may just be his particular style. Obviously he can get away with it, and I enjoyed reading it like that.
But I would think that this sort of thing would be generally frowned upon for unproven screenwriters? Am I wrong?
Any thoughts?
So, she would say something, ending with "you know." And in the action line it would just say, "He knows" or "He knows her" or "He understands". The action was implying what he was thinking, without giving any physical action direction or audible response, so the actor would take that and show outwards signs of these thoughts, I guess. I'm not sure if this is very common. I haven't had a chance to read any other of his scripts, and it may just be his particular style. Obviously he can get away with it, and I enjoyed reading it like that.
But I would think that this sort of thing would be generally frowned upon for unproven screenwriters? Am I wrong?
Any thoughts?
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