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Was wondering what the deal is with writing the slugs for a car chase.
Basically the guy is driving through different streets in London whilst being chased.
Do you constantly need to change the "name" of the slugs to signify he is on different roads, or just have one, generic slug saying something like "Suburban Road" for all the scenes taking place on those kind of roads?
Seems overkill to hae actual street names for a chase.
I've written a car chase scene for my 7WC. I've just used the one slug which is simply EXT STREETS. No idea if it's 'correct', but I feel it works just fine. Just write in 'they turn a corner' or whatever when you need to.
I have a few car chase scenes in my script. But since I was cutting back and forth between another character who wasn't in the exact same spot...I was repeating the slug... not even sure if that's correct. I butchered one of my shorts on improper slugs before, so I'm def not the one to help on that.
Quick side question...
If I'm introducing a car or let's say a Police cruiser into a scene. But then a quickly cut to a scene and then quickly cut back. Do I have to keep Capitalizing POLICE CRUISER or PATROL CAR...what's the etiquette on that? I think I capitalized particular cars way too often and I didn't have to.
You'd only have to capitalize it again if there is a chance of confusion for the reader. To avoid this, make the driver or some other detail of the car distinctive.
C'mon, Rick! SLugs are easy. Just use common sense, offer as much info as you can, and write them so they're easy to follow and understand, and give your readers a nice visual.
Rick here, I think I may be able to help you out by pointing you to a particular script; which incidentally has a protag named... Rick. I can't make this sh!t up.
Long story short, I was living in Vancouver at the time that the movie 'Bird on a Wire' (Mel Gibson/Goldie Hawn) was shot (the movie was filmed there). Anyways, as I watched the movie, I was always on the lookout for familiar places, buildings, streets, etc. Then there was a car chase scene (going by memory here). The chase (scene) would be on such and such street in downtown Vancouver, or Gastown etc. Then they would turn a corner and all of a sudden be on the North Shore, which is across the Burrard Inlet (need a bridge to get there), but no bridge scene. I was like WTF?
So that's when I had an epiphany... ah yes, the writer really has no say with respect to the actual scene chase, at least, not in a linear sense of the statement. I believe they shoot the scenes from many different locations, then the actual footage is given to the editing crew and they take it from there. But you're looking for actual slugs to design the initial conception of the scene I would assume.
I found a chase scene beginning on pg 29 and it continues for about 2 or three pages. Hopefully this helps you in some shape or form. I don't think it would be wrong if you copied most of this verbatim. I mean, why reinvent the wheel... like propaganda I would presume, use what info you have, then just fill in the blanks with your own info, or what you need to sell.
If you listen to George Lucas speak about creating Star Wars;
... he'll subtly state that many (new aspects of filming) that were never accomplished before had to pulled from existing resources, including the dogfight scenes between the Rebels and the Empirical Forces... including choreographing scenes by replicating old movie or documentary footage. I'm thinking at some point and time everyone needs to use what's available, that is, until someone else finds a new way of doing it...
Unless the specific location is critical to the scene (ie, the chase ends with them crashing into Trafalgar Square, or something), I'd say just go more general.
If I recall, the slug for the big car chase scene in drive was:
I/E. DRIVER'S CAR / TARZANA STREET.
-- With Tarzana being the area of the San Fernando Valley where the chase took place.
And here's the car chase through Paris scene from The Bourne Identity, as well:
EXT. BELLEVILLE -- STREET -- DAY
And BOURNE and MARIE are running. And he is reaching into his pocket -- fishing around -- and just as he pulls out the car keys -- we recognize this as the street they parked their car on and --
BY MARIE's CAR
BOURNE unlocks the door -- pops MARIE's open. And --
THERE'S A COP -- yelling at them and -- BOURNE hits the gas -- they fly out of their parking space -- BAM!! The COP fires, shattering their windshield and there -- up ahead -- THE PROFESSOR coming out -- about to FIRE -- BOURNE aims for him -- forces him to dive out of the way and --
ONE QUICK MOVE around a TRUCK and they are free.
INT. THE LITTLE RED CAR
BOURNE and MARIE looking back nervously -- so far all over --
ON THE STREET
The PROFESSOR looking around. PEOPLE staring at him -- covered in blood -- the COP racing up -- yelling -- not yelling for long because the PROFESSOR is firing at him and --
Now the PROFESSOR is moving -- not running -- just a swift walk and now he's past the truck -- and --
A MOTORCYCLIST comes flying down the street -- oblivious -- going way too fast for these streets and -- the PROFESSOR swings his gun stock like a bat -- takes him out -- clean and smooth -- bike crashing to the ground and --
The PROFESSOR grabs the bike and takes off -- SHOOTING at TWO POLICE CARS just racing to the scene and we are into --
EXT. BELLEVILLE BLVD -- DAY
HIGH SPEED CAR CHASE. And BOURNE better do some fancy driving because here comes the PROFESSOR -- and he's a lot faster -- much better armed.
INT. MARIE'S CAR
BOURNE driving. MARIE looking back -- seeing the PROFESSOR gain on them --
MARIE xxxxxx
BOURNE xxxxxx
And -- THE PROFESSOR FIRES -- SHREDS the back off their car --
MARIE Give me the gun --
And now she's got his shotgun, leaning out the window.
BOURNE Wait 'till he's close.
BOURNE swerves, up on the sidewalk back onto the street -- slaloms through the traffic -- racing towards an intersection and --
IN THE INTERSECTION
CARS coming the other way, BOURNE just makes it through -- the PROFESSOR tries to squeeze through -- skidding and --
CRACK! The PROFESSOR hits the front of a car sideways on his bike -- he is THROWN clear through the intersection, right into the windshield of an oncoming car and --
He gets up, grabs his gun and works his way towards his bike and now we see --
EXT. VARIOUS SHOTS AROUND PARIS -- DAY
COPS are mobilizing -- swarming into this area and --
BACK TO THE CAR CHASE --
BOURNE and MARIE pick up a few cops on their tail -- shed all of them -- the last car goes into an EXPLOSIVE FLIP -- the PROFESSOR is now right behind them. And now we are into --
CRAZY CAR CHASE WITH COPS RIGHT ON THEIR TAIL
BOURNE, MARIE and the PROFESSOR leave a trail of totaled cars that the cops have to try and navigate through -- finally saying fuck it and hitting a few cars themselves and now we are into --
CAR CHASE THROUGH NARROW STREETS
MARIE'S CAR and the MOTORCYCLE can pass where the police cars cannot. BOURNE may be able to shed the cops, but not the PROFESSOR. And now one quick move and they are --
EXT. QUAI -- DAY
Racing against traffic up the Seine. Past the Louvre. COPS pursuing on the other side of the river. BOURNE and the PROFESSOR leaving behind a trail of carnage. And now --
The PROFESSOR is pulling up along side them -- one lane over. Both swerving to avoid oncoming cars and --
MARIE FIRES -- TWICE -- TAKES out a few windshields. The PROFESSOR fires at the same time -- MARIE'S CAR DOOR -- GONE -- she's totally exposed but --
THE PROFESSOR -- his BIKE is SPOUTING GAS -- one of the pellets nailed his tank.
BOURNE AND MARIE --
MARIE xxxxxx
THE PROFESSOR -- No problem -- he's unwrapping a piece of duct tape from the barrel of his gun -- two seconds and the hole is patched and -- BOURNE AND MARIE -- the side of the car is completely gone -- the PROFESSOR is gaining -- across the river dozens of police cars are racing alongside. Many more can be seen on their side -- a road block ahead -- running out of options and --
BOURNE turns hard -- crashes over the sidewalk and flies down a side street. A POLICE CAR pulls out behind them -- the PROFESSOR can't stop -- skidding hard, turning the bike sideways, skidding out -- sliding across the ground and BAMMM!!! SMASHING into a GLASS PHONE BOOTH which shatters.
And he's up -- lifting up his bike and --
BOURNE AND MARIE
SIX POLICE CARS on their tail -- more joining. Every street they look down has POLICE CARS racing in parallel. Running out of options and in the background --
THE PROFESSOR is back in the game -- passing the police cars and up ahead --
THE ROAD IS BLOCKED. POLICE ROAD BLOCK -- cops with guns. Gotta act quick and -- BOURNE turns hard left -- there's a metro staircase -- only way out and --
THEY BOUNCE down the stairs. CRASH through the doors down below.
THE FIRST POLICE CAR -- no way he's following. SLAMMING on his brakes. SKIDDING to a halt -- SKIDDING sideways -- gonna stop in time -- just at the edge of the steps and then --
THE SECOND POLICE CAR isn't braking -- T-BONES the first car -- BAM!!! -- sends it rolling sideways down the steps until it crashes to a halt at the bottom -- upside down.
The Elevator Most Belonging To Alice - Semi Final Bluecat, Runner Up Nashville Inner Journey - Page Awards Finalist - Bluecat semi final Grieving Spell - winner - London Film Awards. Third - Honolulu Ultimate Weapon - Fresh Voices - second place IMDb link... http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7062725/?ref_=tt_ov_wr