I have a couple of scenes in my first episode which give a brief introduction to the two main characters' recent history. And another scene I have newspaper headlines and either actual footage from the House of Commons, or a verbatim re-enactment of that footage.
What I need to know is, what do I write in the scene heading, and what do I do about ext/int?
Also, where in the script can I put things like 'two years later' - does that come under an Action?
Any help greatly appreciated.
It's against the law to use any footage of Parliament to make fun of it.
Have just realised this
http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/31/jon-stewart-parliament-broadcast-satire
Ah we'll, that's that sorted out, what about the other stuff?
The location and the time of the scene go in the scene heading.
see example http://www.datahighways.net/dhl/downloads/w2000/BelieveNothingEP5.pdf
Quote: billwill @ March 19 2013, 1:57 AM GMTThe 8 and the time of the scene go in the scene heading.
see example http://www.datahighways.net/dhl/downloads/w2000/BelieveNothingEP5.pdf
Yes, but that's a scene, a montage is a special case.
Quote: brynne @ March 18 2013, 7:27 PM GMTI have a couple of scenes in my first episode which give a brief introduction to the two main characters' recent history. And another scene I have newspaper headlines and either actual footage from the House of Commons, or a verbatim re-enactment of that footage.
What I need to know is, what do I write in the scene heading, and what do I do about ext/int?
Also, where in the script can I put things like 'two years later' - does that come under an Action?
Any help greatly appreciated.
What format are you writing in?
BBC taped sitcom
Quote: brynne @ March 19 2013, 12:07 PM GMTBBC taped sitcom
Bill's probably your man, in that case.
It's a horribly clumsy format, I can't imagine why they persist with it.
Quote: Lazzard @ March 19 2013, 12:21 PM GMTBill's probably your man, in that case.
It's a horribly clumsy format, I can't imagine why they persist with it.
I'm not sure whether or not it is worth using as a submission format nowadays, because I am not up-to-date on current procedures
It's a production format really. It dates back to typed pages before word-processing computers. The left hand side is blank for the 3-camera directions and audio directions which appear on the final shooting script. The dialogue is double spaced so that the camera cue point line can be drawn into the dialogue and marked with an upturn at the cue point. All this is done by the "Production Assistant" just before or just after the dress rehearsal.
On typed paged these directions used to be added on the blank left side, then the script photocopied and passed to the production team.
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In an on-spec script in the UK, you can probably do your montage as a sequence of 'stage directions' but not for nothing you should generally think of stage directions as "Visual Exposition" i.e. you only describe what the audience sees or hears. So you need to think seriously about how you present your montage 'images' to the audience. The visual impact should imply the two-year date change all on its own. A very tricky thing to do; it's a cop-out to have "Two Years Later" flash on the screen or be spoken by a voice over. Shots of flicking calendars have been used, I think, but that too is a bit of a cop-out. If it is really important to the overall plot spend some time thinking of a really good way of SHOWING the time difference.
Incidentally most sitcoms are set in present-time, so having a flash-forward of two years is a bit weird and difficult to see how the rest of a plot can accommodate that. It would be more usual to have a flash-back of two years, setting the plot in current time.
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Remember that for a sitcom, most of the recording will be in a studio with just 3 sets and an audience; your montage will have to be pre-recorded and then shown to the audience in its chronological position via studio displays. Producers will not like the extra expense of external pre-recordings, so they have to be kept to a minimum.
Quote: billwill @ March 19 2013, 4:17 PM GMTProducers will not like the extra expense of external pre-recordings, so they have to be kept to a minimum.
Film producers hate montages.
What takes you six lines to write can take as many days to shoot - each shot needing a whole new set-up, travel etc etc
Quote: Lazzard @ March 19 2013, 4:22 PM GMTFilm producers hate montages.
What takes you six lines to write can take as many days to shoot - each shot needing a whole new set-up, travel etc etc
True but montages can often be made from library shots, which is done be negotiations with the copyright holder by one of the assistants and a video editing person.
Hi all, and thanks for your responses. Rather a lot to take in at the moment and I apologise for my patchy replies but I've been to a funeral today. I will have a read over tomorrow, and try and digest it all.
brynne
Quote: Lazzard @ March 19 2013, 4:22 PM GMTFilm producers hate montages.
What takes you six lines to write can take as many days to shoot - each shot needing a whole new set-up, travel etc etc
CUT TO: A NUMBER OF PRODUCERS TRAVELING ROUND, SETTING UP SHOTS, FILMING ACTORS, LOOKING HARASSED WHILE THE SUN MOVES ACROSS THE SKY...
Quote: Tim Azure @ March 19 2013, 11:03 PM GMTCUT TO: A NUMBER OF PRODUCERS TRAVELING ROUND, SETTING UP SHOTS, FILMING ACTORS, LOOKING HARASSED WHILE THE SUN MOVES ACROSS THE SKY...
Quote: Tim Azure @ March 19 2013, 11:03 PM GMTCUT TO: A NUMBER OF PRODUCERS TRAVELING ROUND, SETTING UP SHOTS, FILMING ACTORS, LOOKING HARASSED WHILE THE SUN MOVES ACROSS THE SKY...
MIX INTO: A BUDGET, ILLUSTRATED BY A RAPIDLY CLIMBING LINE GRAPH, ACCELERATES UP INTO THE HUNDREDS, THEN THOUSANDS, FINALLY BUSTING THE CONFINES OF ITS FRAME TO EXPLODE IN A SHOWER OF POUND SYMBOLS WHICH ARE THEN TRODDEN UNDERFOOT BY AN UNSYMPATHETIC AUDIENCE. SUPERIMPOSE THE WORD "METAPHOR".