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The "heard in the background" confused me a bit. I understand that this is two people having a conversation and all of that conversation takes place via a device such as a telephone.
My initial thought was: Okay, using a phone call as an example, I can write a scene where my protag is in his house talking to someone on the phone. I can write what he looks like, what the home looks like, what he is doing, etc. as long as all of the dialogue takes place over the phone. Long-winded way of saying it's just like any other script except for the dialogue takes place over the phone.
After your clarification (heard in the background) - it made me think that what you are really going after is no physical scenes or visuals per se - i.e, everything in the script is heard. You don't even see the characters.
Which is it - the former or the latter (or neither?)
As in The Guilty, most of the action takes place in one room in the Cop station, and the call that comes in is just audio with sound effects in the background.
It's to be filmed, right Don? So, not a radio Play as such? Like the 911 call shows - we only see the operator and hear everything on the other end of the call - we don't cut between both scenes?
Everything is heard. Image the audience tapping into the conversations. Everything you know is only from what you hear.
would skype/facetime/zoom count in the "electronic" category?
Damn you, Gary. I didn't think of that.
I'm going to say, "No" unless the camera is broken. Everything has to be conveyed through the spoken word (texting is ok) and what sounds are in the background.
I had an idea, but now it seems I didn't understand at all.
The initial post only talks about conversations happening through electronic means, but now are we saying that that's literally all that happens? We don't see anything? Are we just writing a radio play or is it still a visual script to put to film?
I'm going to say, "No" unless the camera is broken. Everything has to be conveyed through the spoken word (texting is ok) and what sounds are in the background.
- Don
Disregard my last question, I think this answers it.
As in The Guilty, most of the action takes place in one room in the Cop station, and the call that comes in is just audio with sound effects in the background.
It's to be filmed, right Don? So, not a radio Play as such? Like the 911 call shows - we only see the operator and hear everything on the other end of the call - we don't cut between both scenes?
LC,
Actually, a radio play is what I was gunning for, tho a radio play that could be filmed. Iow, a blind person experiencing the film would get the same enjoyment as a seeing person.
I don't think it's that you can't have visuals. Don said you need action lines to describe the action.
I'm thinking of The Vast Of Night where a long single-take scene occurs between a telephone switchboard operator and a series of townspeople over the phone. The only camera movement is a slow push in. Intense scene, really effective.
I'm thinking of The Vast Of Night where a long single-take scene occurs between a telephone switchboard operator and a series of townspeople over the phone. The only camera movement is a slow push in. Intense scene, really effective.
If that's the case, I can work with those guidelines.
I don't think it's that you can't have visuals. Don said you need action lines to describe the action.
I'm thinking of The Vast Of Night where a long single-take scene occurs between a telephone switchboard operator and a series of townspeople over the phone. The only camera movement is a slow push in. Intense scene, really effective.
Actually what he said was you need action blocks to describe what you are hearing. Not what you are seeing.
Yeah, going back over the thread it does seem like it's all about the audial. But even a stage play has visuals...and it's still something that has to be screened visually to be a screenplay, no?
Interestingly what I do right now is interpret phone conversations. It might be doctors with patients, insurance conversations, nursing homes, emergency calls, banks, legal entities.
Some conversations are a lot of fun. The only thing, I can't draw from that as it's always 3 or more - it's let's say a doctor, a patient and me (interpreting from English to Russian and Russian to English). But man these people... Translating for them is difficult and fun
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