Hey, this is my first post here.
Anyway, I just read one of the sticky posts, and one of the links I clicked within the post giving tips on writing a spec script said that only shooting scripts include camera directions. This was news to me, don't screenwriters always include the occasional camera direction when they feel it is important?

I had that exact same question when I was still kind of new to these boards.

Here is the old thread (I had to dig for it), but maybe you will find something useful there to help answer your question:

http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-screenwrite/m-1120221754/

http://www.creativescreenwriting.com/csdaily/craft/05_06_05.html

I just read this article, by Henry Jones, that Mr. Z provided to the old thread. I don't know what to say, I was sitting there biting my nails, hiding my face while reading it.

I practically made ALL the mistakes he was talkig about...Does he know me?? Is this a consriracy againt me??

I took a writing class in UCLA Extension, way back then, and I could swear this stuff never came up, or maybe it did, while I was checking out that gorgeous blond seated in front of me, thinking how she'd look like in leather straps, maybe she was also part of the conspiracy, maybe I should call her and talk to her about it, I just don't want to be arrested, again, for stalking her! (Is it still 3 strikes and you're out in California? or 4? Because if so, I still have a chance with her)

Thanks for the help guys. So now I know the answer, I only use them unless they're extremely, extremely important.

Yeah my opinion on this subject is quite different from people on here.  However, I do think there is such thing as too many camera directions.  A good example is the Miami Vice script that is on here by Michael Mann.  Holy God.  I invite anyone to try and make it past the second page before you just are like "what the hell?"  He has so many camera directions it almost seems unreadable.

But in my opinion camera transitions are fine (CUT TO:, DISSOLVE TO:, FADE TO BLACK.) but only if you really need to set the tone and chronological gap between scenes.  For example if you have an opening scene that takes place say 20 years prior to your story, you might want to end it with a FADE TO BLACk and then FADE IN to your story.  Or if you have a scene that is at night and then the next scene is a couple days later, you might want to put a CUT TO: or DISSOLVE TO: to show the passage of time.  But don't go crazy and put them after every scene.  It's not wrong, but it can get really annoying.  The people on here are right in that your selling script should read like a story because it is going to be rewritten a hundred times anyway before it reaches the director so why waste your time with directions?  Just focus on the story and get it across as clear as possible.

You can read some of my screenplays to see how I have used camera transitions.  I hardly ever use directions though.  The only time I had the CAMERA actually involved was in my "The Booker Man" script but that was because my main character was actually talking to the audience via the camera.  

Anyway hope that helps.  

Thanks for the help, maybe I'll stick to something like 10-20 camera directions/100 page script. A camera direction every 5 pages to 10 pages sounds reasonable.

Don't stick to any if you can.

You only include a camera angle if you need an EXACT camera angle, like bird's eye view of a billard table.

The main reasoning behind spec script formatting is that it's supposed to be an easy read.  You have to leave some of it to the readers' imagination.  If you throw in camera angles and additional headings and non-important facts, they become a distraction and remind the reader that he's reading a script.

I'm willing to bet that Cameron, Tarantino and most other writer/directors write something similar to a spec script when they start writing.  They want to see how the story and characters look before they start adding the technical stuff.


Phil