Post FADE OUT:

[BlueParrot]

Quick Q:

I am currently doing this script where I'd like to have the movie end.

But during the credits following post-FADE OUT, I'd like to have photos run alongside the credits.

Is that a no-no? (Well, if it is, I'll do it anyway)

How would I do that?

Would it simply be

FADE OUT.

ROLL CREDITS.

Insert Photo A (describe photo)

Insert Photo B

etc.

[UserName]

My unprofessional opinion is that it's a no-no.

[kleptomaniac]

Your job is done once you type THE END or FADE OUT, so what you'd like to do is a no-no.

[StJo]

Post FADE OUT:

If the reader(s) have made it to FADE OUT: they're not going to pass based on your credit roll.

BTW - recently had the "pleasure" of perusing several purchased spec scripts (one was a greenlight) at a friend's house. Some were by first time writers, some were by pros, and they all had this in commmon: they had almost NOTHING in common in terms of format, presentation, etc. Two brads, three brads, good brads, bad brads (quite Dr. Seussian!). Courier mixed with different fonts, quotes before FADE IN, no quotes before FADE IN, title page copied onto cardstock cover, no cover at all, italics, semi-colons, wrylies galore, bold-face type (oh my!). Credit crawl written out, no credit crawl at all. Three spaces between slug lines, often two. Actual songs quoted. Every possible "no no" ad nauseum right there on the page. I had my friend identify the pro scripts and the newbies to be certain, and it just didn't matter. It was all over the map. But they all still looked and read like a script, they were all "within bounds." My new friend assured me (as many others have) that the same rules apply to any screenwriter - learn the rules and then break them if you must. Just get the story across - period. So, we've reached the point where I'm supposed to say it was the story that mattered... but that's for another post.

sj

[Ardeejay]

Really? It seems like, since you can write a credit sequence for the beginning of the screenplay, although it's not standard, there would be no reason you couldn't do the same thing for the end, and possibly the same way. Now, I don't know, and I don't even plan on doing so, it just doesn't seem like it would be a big deal to do it.

Is it really a no-no?

[Ardeejay]

Of course I mean writing the credit sequence pre-FADE OUT and not post. Would that be all right?

[Gymbal31]

Is it absolutely brilliant? Is the story incomplete without the photos next to the end credit crawl? Then put it in.

But if the story isn't finished without it, then why is there a FADE OUT before it?

Besides, the producer and director will do what they want anyway.

[kleptomaniac]

I didn't mean no-no as in don't even consider it, I just mean that chance are if the thing gets made, your end credit roll could be the first thing to go since it is not essential to the story, IMHO.

[heyyady]

But what about these films that do the character followup as the credits roll? Didn't the writer do that?

[JennyR]

I have it in one of my screen plays, not necessarily a "no-no" in fact producers and agents like what I did there... anyway, here's what I did, I ended the final scene then wrote: Roll credits, then "Insert Photo's" then, Fade Out.

Your pics are still part of your movie. Technically you might not even have to write "roll credits" now that I'm thinking of it, it's probably the director's job to know where he wants to do that.

I mean, I never write "roll opening credits"....

Hmmm -
well good luck any way!

Jen

"Always double on eleven"

[BlueParrot]

Right now, I'm writing a script about two brothers who start out 5 and 8 and end at 25 to 28.

I thought that photos during the credit roll would be a nice way to bridge some time gaps (not essential to the story but...if the movie gets made, maybe they'll see the credits and see my name since I usually bolt during credits...half joking).

I'll likely do it anyway. Doing that and taking the label off my mattress make me feel like a rebel.

[Gymbal31]

I am already dialing the number to the mattress police as we speak, er, type.

[wcmartell]

I did this in my script DARK SALVAGE... but was sneaky about it. I did a montage of photos BEFORE I typed FADE OUT. So it goes from the final scene, to the montage, to FADE OUT.

I never mentioned credits rolling... but I'm sure everyone figures out what I'm doing.

- Bill

Dark Salavage:
www.scriptsecrets.net/linker1.htm

[BlueParrot]

Yo yo yo martell,

What you did in your script is a good idea. I think i'll do that, too.

Thanks.

[Strange Mind]

who do you think you are now, rocky balboa?