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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board / Screenwriting Class / Opening Scenes & Sluglines that pop...
Posted by: LC, October 16th, 2019, 5:41pm
Regarding this OWC
https://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-oct19/m-1570230923/s-0/ and further to quite a few people's observations of the unimaginative and repetitive nature of opening headers in the challenge specifically. EXT. SUBURBAN HOME - NIGHT...
I was going to say: If the script is fantastic you're probably not even going to care about that opening slug but having looked at some fantastic and imaginative opening grabs, I've since changed my mind, or at least acknowledge there are better ways to grab a reader and suggest the opening visual to a director:
So, if you have some examples of alt Openings that would have been terrific for this challenge, e.g., the POV of an eye maybe? Or the dark yawing depths of of a mouth screaming - or just in general -
Here are some other examples of pro script opening slugs:
Scream:
FADE IN
ON A RINGING TELEPHONE.
A hand reaches for it, bringing the receiver up to the face
of CASEY BECKER, a young girl, no more than sixteen. A
friendly face with innocent eyes.
Fight Club
David Fincher’s Fight Club is another solid example of the usage of an opening scene as a teaser. We float through the synapses of a human brain, exit out of sweating pores on a forehead, continue to pull back down the barrel of a gun to reveal that the weapon is shoved in the mouth of Edward Norton’s character, who narrates: “People are always asking me if I know Tyler Durden.”Mind you, that one above seems to be a director's choice and not how the actual script opening is written.
SCREEN BLACK
JACK (V.O.)
People were always asking me, did I know Tyler Durden.
FADE IN:
INT. SOCIAL ROOM - TOP FLOOR OF HIGH-RISE - NIGHT
SawFADE IN:
INT. UNDERWATER
The low roar of deep water.
There's also a previous SS Sluglines thread here:
https://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?m-1101250486/And this:
https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3508288/10-best-opening-scenes-horror/Thanks to Dave and Jeff for suggesting it can and should be done another way and that we should extend our imagination.
Posted by: eldave1, October 16th, 2019, 6:13pm; Reply: 1
Regarding this OWC https://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-oct19/m-1570230923/s-0/ and further to quite a few people's observations of the unimaginative and repetitive nature of opening headers in the challenge specifically. EXT. SUBURBAN HOME - NIGHT... I was going to say: If the script is fantastic you're probably not even going to care about that opening slug but having looked at some fantastic and imaginative opening grabs, I've since changed my mind, or at least acknowledge there are better ways to grab a reader and suggest the opening visual to a director: So, if you have some examples of alt Openings that would have been terrific for this challenge, e.g., the POV of an eye maybe? Or the dark yawing depths of of a mouth screaming - or just in general - Here are some other examples of pro script opening slugs: Scream: FADE IN ON A RINGING TELEPHONE. A hand reaches for it, bringing the receiver up to the face of CASEY BECKER, a young girl, no more than sixteen. A friendly face with innocent eyes. Fight Club David Fincher’s Fight Club is another solid example of the usage of an opening scene as a teaser. We float through the synapses of a human brain, exit out of sweating pores on a forehead, continue to pull back down the barrel of a gun to reveal that the weapon is shoved in the mouth of Edward Norton’s character, who narrates: “People are always asking me if I know Tyler Durden.”Mind you, that one above seems to be a director's choice and not how the actual script opening is written. SCREEN BLACK JACK (V.O.) People were always asking me, did I know Tyler Durden. FADE IN: INT. SOCIAL ROOM - TOP FLOOR OF HIGH-RISE - NIGHT SawFADE IN: INT. UNDERWATER The low roar of deep water. There's also a previous SS Sluglines thread here: https://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?m-1101250486/And this: https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3508288/10-best-opening-scenes-horror/Thanks to Dave and Jeff for suggesting it can and should be done another way and that we should extend our imagination. |
Excellent!
Posted by: SAC, October 16th, 2019, 8:40pm; Reply: 2
What a good moderator you are, Libby. Thanks for this. You’re worth every penny Don pays you. ;D
Posted by: eldave1, October 16th, 2019, 8:46pm; Reply: 3
This one from GONE GIRL always resonated with me.
BLACK SCREEN
NICK (V.0.)
When I think of my wife, I always
think of her head.
FADE IN:
INT. BEDROOM - SOMETIME
We see the back of AMY DUNNE’S HEAD, resting on a pillow.
NICK (V.0.)
I picture cracking her lovely
skull, unspooling her brain,
Nick runs his fingers into Amy’s hair.
NICK (V.0.)
Trying to get answers.
He twirls and twirls a lock, a screw tightening.
NICK (V.0.)
The primal questions of a marriage:
What are you thinking? How are you
feeling? What have we done to each
other?
AMY wakes, turns, gives a look of alarm.
BLACK SCREEN
Posted by: LC, October 17th, 2019, 2:17am; Reply: 4
Aww thanks, Steve. So nice of you to say. Right back at you. :D
And Dave, a great example you posted there. I remember reading that one and it definitely stuck with me. It really makes a difference setting a scene.
I really learned something - sometimes I'm a bit slapdash with an opening, so this OWC has been worth it just for this alone.
Posted by: Matthew Taylor, October 17th, 2019, 3:40am; Reply: 5
The one that immediately springs to mind is the opening of Lord of War - starting off with a businessman standing in the middle of a battlefield (the arms dealer) and then following a bullet from manufacturer to selling, to transport, to loading, to firing and eventual victim, a child fighter in Africa.
Immediately set's up the morality of arms dealing and profiting from war.
I also quite like the opening of In Brugge - Clips of the beautiful cobbled streets, canals and paints Brugge as a magical place - Then Ray comes on, repeatedly calling it a shithole.
Inglorious Basterds is also another great opening that comes to mind - Sets up the antagonist wonderfully, immediately hits us with theme and tone, and also comes full circle later in the movie (rather than a stand-alone opening just to get our attention)
Posted by: eldave1, October 17th, 2019, 10:05am; Reply: 6
Aww thanks, Steve. So nice of you to say. Right back at you. :D
And Dave, a great example you posted there. I remember reading that one and it definitely stuck with me. It really makes a difference setting a scene.
I really learned something - sometimes I'm a bit slapdash with an opening, so this OWC has been worth it just for this alone. |
Me too - I really never paid attention to it
Posted by: eldave1, October 17th, 2019, 10:06am; Reply: 7
The one that immediately springs to mind is the opening of Lord of War - starting off with a businessman standing in the middle of a battlefield (the arms dealer) and then following a bullet from manufacturer to selling, to transport, to loading, to firing and eventual victim, a child fighter in Africa.
Immediately set's up the morality of arms dealing and profiting from war.
I also quite like the opening of In Brugge - Clips of the beautiful cobbled streets, canals and paints Brugge as a magical place - Then Ray comes on, repeatedly calling it a shithole.
Inglorious Basterds is also another great opening that comes to mind - Sets up the antagonist wonderfully, immediately hits us with theme and tone, and also comes fall circle later in the movie (rather than a stand-alone opening just to get our attention)
|
Those were both great.
Posted by: LC, October 28th, 2019, 6:38pm; Reply: 8
FADE UP
CLOSE UP on the face of YURI ORLOV.
Late-thirties, maybe the wrong side of forty, cigarette dangling
from his fingers, wearing a conservative suit and tie.
Black smoke wafts in front of his face. He speaks matter-of-factly,
directly into camera.
YURI
There are over 550 million firearms in
worldwide circulation. That's one firearm
for every twelve people on the planet. The
only question is...
(taking a draft and stubbing out
the cigarette)
...how do we arm the other eleven?
The camera zooms away from his face, revealing:
Yuri alone on a battlefield surrounded by the charred carcasses of
armored military vehicles and other equipment, discarded weapons and
ammunition, desert floor stained with what appears to be blood.
The faint sound of gunfire, some distance away, carries to us on the
wind.
Lord Of War, Andrew Niccol.Opening scene.
Thanks, Matthew.
Full script here:
http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/lord-of-war.htmlInteresting, cause if you read on to the next scene the POV is of a bullet.
Posted by: eldave1, October 29th, 2019, 11:49am; Reply: 9
FADE UP CLOSE UP on the face of YURI ORLOV. Late-thirties, maybe the wrong side of forty, cigarette dangling from his fingers, wearing a conservative suit and tie. Black smoke wafts in front of his face. He speaks matter-of-factly, directly into camera. YURI There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every twelve people on the planet. The only question is... (taking a draft and stubbing out the cigarette) ...how do we arm the other eleven? The camera zooms away from his face, revealing: Yuri alone on a battlefield surrounded by the charred carcasses of armored military vehicles and other equipment, discarded weapons and ammunition, desert floor stained with what appears to be blood. The faint sound of gunfire, some distance away, carries to us on the wind. Lord Of War, Andrew Niccol.Opening scene. Thanks, Matthew. Full script here: http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/lord-of-war.htmlInteresting, cause if you read on to the next scene the POV is of a bullet. |
I quite liked this - a lot of violations of the so called rules - and it worked perfectly. Great opening image.
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