British Comedy Guide

Showing passing of time in a scene Page 2

I'm with Chipolata and Marc P. You can make a gag out of the time gap, so use that opportunity. A bland "Two Hours Later" caption wastes it, IMO.

You don't give an exact scenario; just a ‘Bloke in a room', so here are some suggestions:

1)

INT. ROOM. DAY.

BLOKE IS PACING AROUND THE ROOM.

BLOKE:
(OOV) I was in that room waiting....waiting from 7 am to 9 am. It was two hours; it seemed like two weeks - maybe a fortnight.

2) Or if there's a TV in the room (television that is, not a transvestite):

NEWSREADER:
Good morning, it's 7 am. Here are the headlines. The BBC is to conduct an internal inquiry regarding the newsreader who said the word; ‘F**k' live on The Breakfast Show.

DISSOLVE TO:

CHILDREN'S PRESENTER:
Morning kiddies! The small hand's on the number 9 and the big hand's on the number 12. It's time for us to visit - Bloke In The Room!

3)

INT. ROOM. DAY.

BLOKE IS HOLDING DOOR OPEN AND SHOUTING OUT.

BLOKE:
Hurry back, love – it's 7 am. Should take you about 20 minutes!

BLOKE CLOSES DOOR AND SITS IN ARMCHAIR.

DISSOLVE TO:

BLOKE IS PACING AROUND, LOOKING AT HIS WATCH IMPATIENTLY. WOMAN ENTERS SHE IS BEDRAGGLED, HER HAIR IN DISARRAY. BLOKE LOOKS AT HER ANGRILY.

BLOKE:
Where the hell have you been? It's 9 am! You've been gone two HOURS!

WOMAN:
I was kidnapped in Sainsbury's.

BLOKE:
But Sainsbury's doesn't open until 8 am – staff training.

WOMAN:
Sorry, I meant Tesco's.

BLOKE:
Kidnapped? – What, in Tesco's?!

WOMAN:
By the doughnut counter.

BLOKE: Jesus! What did they look like?

WOMAN: Well, there was jam ones, ring ones, and some with fresh cream on top.

BLOKE:
I meant, what did --- (RELAXES) Never mind, you're here now. Did you get my lager?
_____________________________________________________________________________

Hi Morrace,

Here's the actual scene with the clock used. It's an internet forum, wanna show Mortimer's desperation and loneliness at waiting a few hours for someone else to arrive (like waiting for someone to reply to a Critique post!).

SCENE 1. INT. DINGY LIVING ROOM TYPE SETTING – DAY1

THE ROOM RESEMBLES A LIVING ROOM IN AN ALL-MALE, FOOTBALL-SUPPORTING STUDENT HOUSE. A TATTY OLD SIGN ON THE WALL EXCLAIMS "Welcome to www.ThatBloodyFootballForum.com"A SPECTACLED, TEARY-EYED, LONE MIDDLE-AGED MAN SITS PATIENTLY IN AN OLD ARMCHAIR WITH A CUP OF TEA. HE'S WEARING A JUMPER WITH A LITTLE FOOTBALL MOTIF AND A STICKER STATING THE NAME "MORTIMER". A CLOCK HE REPEATEDLY LOOKS AT READS 07:00.

MORTIMER:
Anyone here? (BEAT) Anyone?!?
THE CLOCK IS SHOWN TO MOVE TO 09:01

A THIRTY-SOMETHING MANCUNIAN MALE ENTERS AND SIGHS. HE IS HANDSOME WITH A TRENDY HAIRCUT. PEERING AT THE SIGN STATING www.ThatBloodyFootballForum.com HE SHAKES HIS HEAD FORLORNLY.
MORTIMER LOOKS UP EXPECTANTLY. THE NEWCOMER PUTS A NAME STICKER ON HIS DESIGNER SUIT LAPEL STATING "HARDY". HE PLONKS HIMSELF IN A RETRO SWIVEL EGG CHAIR.

HARDY:
(LOOKING AROUND) Ace. First in. No-one in, no?

MORTIMER WIPES EYES AND DISCARDS TISSUE IN LARGE PILE ON FLOOR.
MORTIMER:
(Excitedly) I am! (BEAT) Just in.

HARDY:
You. What a start to the bastard week.

MORTIMER:
Oh do hold on! I think that's my door bell. Back in a jiffy, it's probably not really for me!

HARDY:
Like a hard day's work, sexual relationships, physical exercise…

MORTIMER:
I do hope it's not those youths again. Looking for money from me for some poor, starving children, separated from their parents!

HARDY:
Bloody students.

Oh I see! Well, I don't see anything wrong using the clock. So it's an internet forum. Getting off the clock as it were, I've just realised that I've been away from the computer for about 3 hours but I didn't log out of BSG; therefore people could 'see' me but I wasn't here!

E.g. HARDY speaks to MORTIMER at some point but doesn't 'hear' because (like me) he didn't log out. Hope that makes sense!

I'd say just do it however you want it to look on screen.

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