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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board    Screenwriting Discussion    Screenwriting Class  ›  CUT TO Moderators: George Willson
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Pale Yellow
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:06am Report to Moderator
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In a sequence of scenes happening at the same time but in different locations...is this when you can use CUT TO or with each slug how do you show it's happening simultaneously??
D
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Forgive
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:21am Report to Moderator
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You'll probly have lot of different opinions on this - so I'll chuck mine in for the record:

As far as I know use cut to: when you are in a scene that you intend to return to:

INT. HOUSE

Blah, blah

        CUT TO:
Somewhere else
BACK TO SCENE

...takes you back to the house.

But as far as I know these are editing instuctions and should be avoided in a spec script.

You can use slugs with a continuous or mini slugs so:

HOUSE
blah
CAR
blah
HOUSE

But let's see what other people think.
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Pale Yellow
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:25am Report to Moderator
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In this part of the script, tension is building, and something's happening one place..while something else is happening another place...but it's takin place at the same time...make any sense?? I guess I could use continuous....

Thanks for the input. Just wanna make sure I understand. New to this stuff.

D
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grademan
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:42am Report to Moderator
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Hey Pale Yellow,

If you're trying to build tension, scene transistions aren't necessarily your friend. CUT TO to me is redundant. I don't recall ever using it. A mini slug will do wonders.

Gary
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Pale Yellow
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:44am Report to Moderator
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Thanks Gary...Will do.

Dena
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Forgive
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:51am Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Pale Yellow
something's happening one place..while something else is happening another place...but it's takin place at the same time...make any sense??

Makes perfect sense - mini slugs will bring across just fine with minimal interrption:

HOUSE
One person hits someone
CAR
Someone else does something, while --
HOUSE
They exchange blows
CAR
it get steamy --

as long as you space them as per action lines, then it'll read really quickly, and it'll be pretty clear it's all happening at the same time.

Hope that's (a bit) clearer?
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Forgive
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:53am Report to Moderator
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You can also do an full slug to start: INT/EXT. HOUSE / BACKYARD etc. and then move on to minis.
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DarrenJamesSeeley
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:58am Report to Moderator
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Once or twice using CUT TOs aren't going to hurt anyone. When they become rampant they become an eyesore, as they are (more times than not) used to "pad" the script. I never consider them "direction" but I generally feel they are redundant. If I need to trim a script length, those pests are the first on the chopping block.

The reason why I never considered them "direction" is the same reason why CUT TOs are redundant: aren't you "cutting" to the next scene anyway?


"I know you want to work for Mo Fuzz. And Mo Fuzz wants you to. But first, I'm going to need to you do something for me... on spec." - Mo Fuzz, Tapeheads, 1988
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Pale Yellow
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 9:11am Report to Moderator
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This helps you guys. I wasn't sure I could use mini slugs in two different locations...have used them in the same building or house before but ...this helps a bunch.

d
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Electric Dreamer
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 9:56am Report to Moderator
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If you're alluding to a phone chat. You can use INTERCUT as well...

INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

Jane answers a ringing phone.

JANE
Hello?

EXT. CITY STREET - PAY PHONE - DAY

John sighs in relief, speaks into the receiver.

JOHN
Jane, thank god you're home.

PHONE INTERCUT...

If the two events aren't connected, then establish scenes and use mini slug intercuts.

Facilitating a clear efficient read being the ultimate goal.

Regards,
E.D.


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Kevan R. Craft
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 10:52am Report to Moderator
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Try not to use them because the director will ignore them anyways!

In fact the director will ask you or another assigned writer to write a shooting script anyways and he will oversee the writing of this and even maybe write this himself as and director's draft. he will decide where any CUT TO: goes in the script and indeed if he uses those art all because he may use a dissolve or FADE OUT: or whatever..

I would suggest leaving any and all transitions out of a Spec Script because this is what you are writing. You can of course use a FADE IN: and FADE OUT: to suggest a fade to black or transition of time..

Otherwise, leave them out! For one thing using them smacks of a screenwriting *NEWBIE* who has no chops and not done his or her research about using *transitions*.. There should be no *shooting script* conventions used in a spec script at all.. In fact, a Spec Script should be as lean and as minimal as you can get it.

The basic idea behind this is the shooting script stuff eliminated from your spec script won't get in the way of the read when a reader reads it. And I speak from experience that if I see any shooting script conventions used in any spec script I read these get in the way of my read and I mention this in my notes to the screenwriter.

When you write a spec script you want the reader to see from your layout, formatting and white space you know what you are doing and are familiar with spec script conventions.

If and when you ever get to write a shooting script then you can do what you figgen-well like.. For now writing a spec script make it as *MINIMAL* as possible and that means having the discipline to recognize industry spec script conventions..

That's why these conventions exist in the first place..



Kevan
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CoopBazinga
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 12:25pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Forgive

HOUSE
blah
CAR
blah
HOUSE


This should be your next short, Simon. I can see the title now "BLAH" It would be a winner!

As for CUT TO:. Personally don't like them and would agree with mini slugs idea but that's just me.

Best of luck with it, Dena.

Steve
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dogglebe
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 1:10pm Report to Moderator
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Whatever way you do this, make sure that you show that it's simultaneous.  Don't just say, "At the same time..."


Phil
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Dreamscale
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 2:30pm Report to Moderator
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You really shouldn't use mini Slugs if you're talking about 2 completely different scene locations.  They don't work that way.  You'll need full Slugs, unless you're inside the same structure.

Using "CONTINUOUS" does work, as far as I'm concerned and I've used it this way many times.  It does need to be clear that the scenes are happening concurrently.   What I mean is that your scenes and the characters involved in them, need to have been intro'd previously, and your readers need to be aware that you have 2 storylines running along at the same time.

For instance, you have a group of peeps in a cave and they split up into 3 groups.  It will be obvious that the scenes involving each group are all happening at the same time.  And, in a cave, Mini's would work.  But, let's say you've got a group at a bar and 2 groups leave in separate cars and 1 group remains at the bar.  It will be clear that the scenes are running concurrently, but you'll need full Slugs as you go back and forth between each scene.  "CONTINUOUS" works until there's a gap in time, or a change in time.

As for the CUT TO and whatever other transition you're talking about, as Kevan and others have said, get rid of them, unless they make a real impact and you're using a few for a certain reason, most likely stylistic or tonal.  Otherwise, they're a complete waste of space.
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Dreamscale
Posted: February 7th, 2012, 2:47pm Report to Moderator
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Dena, I think it's also important to understand that as a Spec Writer, you are not responsible for trying to direct the film, in any way.  What I mean is this...

Say you've got a car chase scene.  You probably know from seeing 100's of them yourself, that within that "scene", you'll see numerous different little scenes, like the INT of the car being chased, the INT of the chasing car, the EXT of each, the road they're traveling on, a close up of the wheels spinning, etc, etc, etc.

It's your job to write the scene and how it plays out, but not much more.  Sure, I would personally include INT and EXT scenes, but as few as possible to get the mental image across effectively.

Basically, what I'm saying, is that in your scenario, you really don't want to be "cutting" back and forth from 1 scene to the other to show this tension.  Write the script and tell the story. Do it in a visual way, but don't get carried away with unnecessary detail and don't attempt to direct the shots.

Hope that makes sense and helps.
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