Help.
  I understand (V.O.) means Voice Over and (O.S.) means Off Screen.
  If I have this wrong please correct me and ignore the rest of this post.

  I wrote a script for the OWC called Cell S27. I Used (O.S.) and was advised to use (V.O.). In my mind I saw the scene as almost one continuous shot with the camera drifting from inside the cell to outside the cell. During the present the cell is empty and the present characters are outside looking in, when the scene moves into the past the cell is occupied and the hallway is empty. When a character from one time speaks during the visual for the other time I use (O.S.). The reason for my choice was the two events were running concurrently, story wise, and it's possible the director may choose to have both past and present characters exist in the same space and have time overlap.

  Perhaps I'm asking the wrong question.
  How do you convey an idea on presentation without falling into the "Do not direct with your screenplay" written/unwritten rule.
  I'd toyed with the idea of having the Janitor become the P.O.V. link as he could be ignored in the past as an apparition and in the present because, he's the janitor. Tossing this because, it was awkward and clunky and I'm not good enough to know if it was a dumb idea to begin with or how to pull it off properly. (did I mention I babble? lots of babble.)

  The bottom line was I wanted the immediacy of having the present characters exist while the past action happened. I wanted it to be no different from watching the action through a one way mirror and when you didn't see the character on screen it was because they were just off screen.

  Thanks.

(V.O.) is primarily used for narration.

(O.S.) is used when a character steps out of the camera's view, but he is still in the scene.


Phil

This seems like a good opportunity to ask this:

When is it appropriate to use (O.C.) rather than (O.S.)? I'm not quite clear on that. It seems like the same thing.

What's (O.C.)? I've never heard of that.

~Zack~

O.S. = Off Screen. Meaning that the character is still in the scene, but not infront of camera.

V.O. = Our character hears a voice, but cannot see the character (ie character not in scene). Also used for narration.

O.C. = Off Camera. Similar to Off Screen, but nowadays only used in TV specs.

Quoted from Pete B. Lane This seems like a good opportunity to ask this: When is it appropriate to use (O.C.) rather than (O.S.)? I'm not quite clear on that. It seems like the same thing.

I thought the same thing when I saw the post. It is mostly known to those who use Final Draft.

If they mean the same thing why not just get rid of one. I usually use (O.S.) but recently started using the (O.C.) one.

O. C. is used for TV and I've never seen it used in a shooting script of a screenplay.

It's custom in screenplays to use O. S.

(Since I like to be different, I use O/S and O/V. It just looks cooler.)

O.C. means out of the camera's range of view.  It's a technical direction for a camera operator. The actor is present in the scene but you don't see him.  It was more common when things like soap operas were shot live.

These days you sometimes see O.C. in shot-live sitcoms and in period pieces that deal with television or news shows.

O.S. means your actor is not physically present in the scene.  He could be in the next room or on the phone three states over but he's not physically within the shot.

I disagree slightly with your O.S. definition, Tierney_Cat.

O. S. means he's on set. He's physically there, but in the next room, hiding behind the sofa, under his bed, in the closet, whatever... but he's physically on set and says his lines.

If he's three states over, and you're hearing him over the phone, that'd be V.O. Anything heard over any device that transmit voice is V. O.

V.O. is almost strictly voice of god narration of a character in the screenplay.  You never use it in something participatory.

If your actor is involved in the scene meaning he is in the room or on the phone it's O.S. You also use O.S. for stuff on the radio or loud speakers at sporting events or stores.

It's a technical thing.  V.O. is separated from the action.  It's commentary.  It does not play in the scene as something other characters can hear and react to.  O.S. means it takes place in real time and your character can hear it but not see the source of it.

Check Untraceable the first script up on Simply Scripts if you want confirmation.

So O.C. means off camera? Would you use O.C. in a documentarty then?

~Zack~

Tierney_Cat: I've got about a dozen screenplay books that disagree with you.

When someone is having a phone conversation, the other voice is a recording. They're never actually there.

If it's going to be recorded and then played over, it's Voice Over.

Quoted from Zack So O.C. means off camera? Would you use O.C. in a documentarty then? ~Zack~

I have no idea, but probably. Are documentaries even written like a screenplay?

O.S. is for offscreen only. V.O. is for everything else. A character on the other end of a phone call is not offscreen. Otherwise the two characters wouldn't be talking on the phone. Makes sense, doesn't it?

Thanks all, my question has been answered. I was using O.S. anyway, but I thought I'd ask.