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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board    Screenwriting Discussion    Screenwriting Class  ›  Phone calls Moderators: George Willson
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jerdol
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 2:58am Report to Moderator
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How do you do them?  Do you have to keep writing the various sets, or it enough to just write it once?  Like:

INT. JIM'S PHONE-BUILDING - DAY

He dials the phone.

EXT. JACK'S PHONE BOOTH - DAY

The phone rings.  Jack answers it.

                        JACK
              Hello?

INT. JIM'S PHONE-BUILDING - SAME TIME

                        JIM
              Testing, test.

EXT. JACK's PHONE BOOTH - SAME TIME

                       JACK
             Is it this or the following?


OR:

INT. JIM'S PHONE-BUILDING - DAY

He dials the phone.

EXT. JACK'S PHONE BOOTH - SAME TIME

                        JACK
              Hello?

                        JIM
              Testing, test.

                        JACK
              Is it this or the previous?


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Chris_MacGuffin
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 3:42am Report to Moderator
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The first way seems a bit more complete and together. Either that or you can say that Jim is (O.S) but you need to indicate where he and Jack are.

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Martin
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 4:48am Report to Moderator
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There are a few accepted ways of doing this.

One is to INTERCUT the conversation. First you describe the location of each side of the conversation and then specify INTERCUT and have the dialogue as normal. Example:

INT. JIM'S PHONE-BUILDING - DAY

He dials the phone.

EXT. JACK'S PHONE BOOTH - DAY

The phone rings.  Jack answers it.

INTERCUT the following.

  JACK
Hello?

JIM
Testing, test.

Another way is to use (V.O), you shouldn't use (O.S) because that suggests that they are in the same location.

INT. JIM'S PHONE-BUILDING - DAY

He dials the phone.

EXT. JACK'S PHONE BOOTH - DAY

The phone rings.  Jack answers it.

JACK
Hello?

JIM (V.O)
Testing, test.

You don't really want to have a slugline after every line of dialogue spoken so I'd suggest one of these methods
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Chris_MacGuffin
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 5:05am Report to Moderator
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Right, right, (V.O) is better, sorry about that.
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George Willson
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 9:54am Report to Moderator
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Another way to do it and cut between locations without excessive sluglines is like this:

INT. JIM'S PHONE-BUILDING - DAY

He dials the phone.

EXT. JACK'S PHONE BOOTH - DAY

The phone rings.  Jack answers it.

                       JACK
             Hello?

INTERCUT BUILDING / PHONE BOOTH

                       JIM
             Testing, test.

                      JACK
            Is it this or the following?

                      JIM
            I thought it was the previous.

                      JACK
            Have we done this before?

                      JIM
            I'm so confused.

END INTERCUT

Jack hangs up and shakes his head.

---

Whichever side you begin the intercut is where you end it. If you are afraid there is confusion, you can put another slugline after the END INTERCUT just to be clear, and if you don't end where you began (in this case, at the Phone Booth), then you need to do another slugline.

The V.O. is the proper way to do a phone conversation where the audience hears half the conversation through the phone.



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George Willson  -  August 25th, 2005, 9:59am
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bert
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 10:41am Report to Moderator
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Yeah, I have read from several sources to go with "Intercut".

Establish both locations, then "Intercut", then go with the dialogue uninterrupted.

The director decides who is shown from the "Intercut" slug forward.


Hey, it's my tiny, little IMDb!
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jerdol
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 3:24pm Report to Moderator
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Thanks, that really helped.  But now I came across a similar, although different problem.

I'm creating a stalking scene, where one person is in her apartment watching TV while the killer is creeping up slowly towards the apartment.  I'm intercutting the scene, but because it doesn't have dialogue, how do I do the intercut?  In the previous examples, the intercutting was identified by the names of the characters as they spoke.  How do you do that here?

Furthermore, the insert of the TV complicates things further.  I've written it basically:

INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT

The victim watches TV.

INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - SAME TIME

KILLER POV.  The killer keeps creeping.

INTERCUT APARTMENT/APARTMENT BUILDING

The victim watches TV.

INSERT TV SCREEN

It's a funny TV show going on there.

BACK TO SCENE

KILLER POV.  The killer keeps on creeping along.

The victim is still watching TV.


I'm worried about the last part though.  The fact that there's no barrier between th killer's actions and the victim's actions might make it confusing to read.  Is this how it should be done?


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Mr.Z
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 3:39pm Report to Moderator
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I use INTERCUT everytime I have to switch repeatedly from one location to another, regardless of if I have characters speaking in such locations or not. I think that in your example, you could still use INTERCUT.

Once you establish that the characters are in different locations using different sluglines, in the INTERCUT it will be clear that they´re still in different places each time you mention them. Hitting the "enter" key after switching from one to another, is highly recommended.

And if you think the INSERT complicates the matter, just take it away. You can just  describe what´s going on in the TV. How about this?

INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT

The victim watches TV.

INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - SAME TIME

The killer keeps creeping.

INTERCUT APARTMENT/APARTMENT BUILDING

The victim watches TV. It's a funny TV show going on there.

The killer keeps on creeping along.

The victim is still watching ...


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Martin
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 3:45pm Report to Moderator
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This is a tricky one. I'm not 100% sure. I have a feeling this might be a good time to use INT/EXT in your slugline:

INT/EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING- NIGHT

The victim watches TV.

KILLER POV. Creeping slowly towards the window.

The victim munches on some popcorn

TV SCREEN

A funny TV show.

KILLER POV. Moving closer to the window.

The victim is engrossed in the TV.

I think it works better without the INSERT and BACK TO SCENE. Just have TV SCREEN as a slugline.

Like I say, I'm not sure on this one but that's probably how I'd write it.


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Andy Petrou
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 4:26pm Report to Moderator
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(Here's a scene where I used 'Intercut' - Hope it helps) ---->

INT. MIKEY'S HOUSE -- EVENING

Mikey arrives home and the PHONE IS RINGING.  The caller I.D shows Data's name FLASHING.  He sighs and picks up the phone.

                                   

                                    MIKEY
                        What now, dude?

                                    DATA (O.S.)
                        You did pick up the suits, right?

                                    MIKEY
                        Yeah.  Everything's under control.

                                    DATA (O.S.)
                        Come on Mike!  I've asked you a
                        hundred times and...    
                                               

                                     MIKEY
                        Alright!  I haven't got 'em yet.  I
                        promise by tomorrow you'll...
                                       
                                               
INTERCUT TO:


INT. DATA'S STUDY -- EVENING

Data is fixing Chunk's modified vacuum cleaner.  Chunk is  sitting next to him, wearing a plaster on his forehead.  He does not look impressed.   Emma gives them two glasses of water.  Chunk flicks drawing pins at the machine.

                           
       
                                    DATA
                        WHAT?  Tomorrow?

                                    MIKEY(O.S.)
                        TODAY!
                             (pause)
                        Jeez, Data!  I just walked through
                        the...


Data shakes his head and hangs up the phone.  He flashes Chunk an evil glare and points to all the mess he made with
the drawing pins.

Confusion.

                               
   
                                    CHUNK
                        What I do?

                                               
INTERCUT TO:


INT. MIKEY'S HOUSE -- MOMENTS LATER
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George Willson
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 7:26pm Report to Moderator
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I believe this is a case where too much script directing is going on. I can understand the purpose of the INTERCUT, but why is what is on TV so important? What has been suggested is technically correct, but unless the TV provides a vital piece of information, then I would leave it to the director. Probably no reason to INSERT it.


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TheProducer
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 10:54pm Report to Moderator
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George is absolutely right.  Don't concern yourself with being the director unless you are really directing the script  Write it for the reader.  Be kind to them.  Make it interesting.  


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punch drunk cookies
Posted: August 25th, 2005, 11:51pm Report to Moderator
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Yeah, write in a way that seems cool and less stressful to you. But at the same time, it totally works. That's how I do it. By the way, I just learned about "intercut" from you dudes.   Usually, I just say "We CUT BACK AND FORTH DURING THE CONVERSATION."  


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Scoob
Posted: August 29th, 2005, 11:21pm Report to Moderator
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Im working on something at the moment and have a part where the phone is pretty much a big part of the story.
I dont know if my way is any better or if it is right, but i have put it across in a way I hope it is easy to follow.

INTERCUT WESTLAKE BEDROOM/ MANDELL HOUSE LIVINGROOM
MAN IN BLACK
(husky)
Hello Kristy.
KRISTY
Hi...umm...is Katie there?
MAN IN BLACK
No.
Kristy seems taken aback by the response and hesitates for a moment.
The Man In Black is calm and relaxed on the sofa, his arm still around George’s neck.
KRISTY
Can I speak to Katie please?
MAN IN BLACK
No.
KRISTY
OK..is this Steven?
The Man In Black remains silent for a moment.
KRISTY
(sarcastic)
Cos Steven, I’m Kristy, I’m like the person who is inviting you both round tonight?
There is another silence.
Kristy is looking confused in her room.
The Man In Black is calm and relaxed. Finally, he replies.
MAN IN BLACK
Yes.
KRISTY
(confused)
Yes what?
MAN IN BLACK
(lying)
Yes, this is Steven.
KRISTY
(uneasily)
OK great...well...umm...nice to like actually get to speak to you. I was calling Katie ‘cos you are like late?
MAN IN BLACK
(calmly)
Late for what, Kristy?
KRISTY
(agitated)
Jesus, didn’t Katie tell you? She said it was cool...


I know the dialouge and the whole scene is not corrected yet, but this is an example of what Im working with, but would this seem to be ok?




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