I'm wondering if anyone on the board has written a script completely in Point of View. I have a story in mind that I would like to do that will be utilizing that process, the problem is, however, I've only written small scenes in my other scripts and I wouldn't even know where to begin as far as Scene Headings should be written, etc. Would I follow the same screenplay format with each scene and just include P.O.V. in parenthetical beside it, or would I make a special note that entire film is to be done in P.O.V.? Any help and or advice is much appreciated.  

Quoted from screenplay_novice I'm wondering if anyone on the board has written a script completely in Point of View. I have a story in mind that I would like to do that will be utilizing that process, the problem is, however, I've only written small scenes in my other scripts and I wouldn't even know where to begin as far as Scene Headings should be written, etc. Would I follow the same screenplay format with each scene and just include P.O.V. in parenthetical beside it, or would I make a special note that entire film is to be done in P.O.V.? Any help and or advice is much appreciated.

First off, that's really just a direction thing and as a screenwriter you really shouldn't bother with it.   However, if you're still adamant about doing it...  The easiest and probably the clearest way would be to put a note at the top of the script saying explicitly that the entire script is from character X's POV.  Then write the script from that character's POV - without mentioning the POV again.  

To do this properly I encourage you to look at the film 84cmopic...  Also, look into the art of inserts.  

I've got a similar problem but that I would like to use a POV just for an opening scene - a rather cliched to hell scene but nonetheless - and I've currently just simply written POV - at the start of the action sentence and then carried on. Is this acceptable?

Are we talking a lost video movie (a la Blair Witch Project) or a mockumentary?  If it's either of these, then the camera becomes a character and you can have the characters address the camera and react to it.


Phil

Are we talking a camcorder POV... or the POV of a single person?

Advice can be given, but I'd need the minute details because your gonna be writing in a restrictive way and the tiny details are paramount.  

It's actually a crime drama/suspense/thriller I'd like to do. It's similar to the Blair Witch Project in that everything is seen through the eyes of the cameraman. I got the idea from watching the First 48.

I've written two mockumentary shorts, Pugumentary and The Documentary Killers.  Both were told from the POV of the camera.  You can find them in the shorts section.


Phil

Thanks y'all. I have a good idea of how to do it now.

Keep in mind the screenwriters bible, revised edition, strongly advises agsinst using or indicating (pov) within script... I mean, it says bible in the title... Has to be legit, right?

I don't mean to hijack Jerry's thread here , I apologize, but he seems to have his answer.
I'd like to ask for help regarding a scene that has a very similar theme.

It's a cliched and classic scene of the person pointing a gun to the viewers face. I'd like to show it through the captive's eyes - from vision becoming accustomed to the sight of the room, to seeing the gun in front of his face, blurred vision through tears, etc. How would you go about doing this? The way I have it written so far worries me that it seems a long way from how it should be done.

Another problem is I don't want to name the character that has this POV. It needs to be unknown - it's the opening page - so I have ruled out use of character name.

Any ideas, help would be appreciated!

Can you post how you have it written somewhere or send it to me?  

Absolutley, thanks Balt!

I have no qualms in posting it here for all its faults.

DARKNESS.

A demanding voice.

RAY (V.O.)
Open your eyes.

FADE IN:

INT. MEDICAL ROOM - NIGHT

POV - Blurred vision gains focus on a sterile white tiled floor. Looks left - a white tiled wall. Looks right - a gurney sits in an otherwise empty white room.

A repetitive, patient TAPPING (O.S).

Looks up at the barrel of a gun.

The gun man is RAY. He’s 40, slick dark hair, goatee beard, face of stone. Dressed all in black. His finger taps repetitively against the handle.

Muffled sounds. Eyes dart downwards. Layers of duct tape cover the mouth. Nostrils flare in panic.

Looks back up at the gun. Vision blurs. Eyes flicker as tears drop down cheeks.

RAY
(softly)
Both of us feel pain right now. A different pain. But pain none the less.

Ray positions the barrel in between the eyes, forcing the head backwards. Eyes dazzled by overhead fluorescent light.

RAY
One of us will now be free of that pain.

Eyes close.

Darkness.

BANG.

I'm on my phone so bare with me...

--
INT. MEDICAL ROOM - NIGHT
Out of focus, groggy,  a sterile room observed.
White tiled floors.
White tiled walls.
A gurney.
(OS) rhythmic TAPS - a finger against metal.
Point blank, the barrel of a gun.
--

This is one of the cleaner, bare bones, ways of doing POV without saying POV.  It gives you everything you absolutely need without all the aside junk littering up the page.  One could argue it's not Shakespeare -- and it isn't.  It's a screenplay.

Remember, no matter how you choose to go about your script -- Your job is to create the images the camera will see.  Not the feelings, mood and ambiance of the room.  A designer will do that at the request of a good director.

Of note: Never use "THE" for anything other than a reference to an object.  For instance "The roads are covered in snow" would be converted to "Snow covered roads".  Things like that.

That is great help, Balt, thank you so much.
That is frickin' brilliant!!

Thank you so much.

On the other hand, this "script" is going to suck like hell.

Ahh, man, its a simple frickin' story, all this format stuff drives you to drink lol

I'm constantly looking to cut words out, but still make sense. I always look to trim the word "look/s" - which when I've got two people stuck in a room for a long period of time is prooving very hard to do!

Seriously, thank you Balt, that was a very kind and helpful thing you did, I really appreciate it.