Hello All,

I was just wondering if there is an easy way to have a phone conversation in a screenplay without having 20 or so INT.'s in a row in order to flip back and forth ????

Any examples would be appreciated.

Regards Alex

INT. MARK'S ROOM - NIGHT

Mark's phone rings.  He picks up on the second.

      MARK
   Hello?

      ALEX (filter)
   I was just wondering if there's an easy way
   to write out a phone conversation.

      MARK
   This is my preference.  It's short, quick,
   and to the point without being confusing.

      ALEX (filter)
   Thank you.  Are there any other ways?

      MARK
   Yeah.  Let me give you a call back and
   I'll show you.


EXT. ALEX'S FARM - DAY

Alex walks his prize winning rooster.  His cell phone rings.

      ALEX
   Hello?

INT. MARK'S ROOM - NIGHT

Mark sits at his desk.

      MARK
   I told you I'd call you back.

EXT. ALEX'S FARM/INT. MARK'S ROOM (INTERCUT)

      ALEX
   What do you want?  I'm walking my rooster.

      MARK
   I don't like writing phone conversations this way,
   but it's perfectly acceptable.

      ALEX
   Can I make up my own way of writing phone
   conversations?

      MARK
    (watches porn)
   Huh?  Yeah.  Whatever.  Just make sure the
   reader understands what's going on.  Gotta
   go now, I'm looking for a great shot.

                                                            FADE TO ... WHITE?


I think these are the two main ways.  I'm sure there's variations of these, (I know some people like to use VOICEOVER instead of FILTER, but to me, VOICEOVER implies narration.  FILTER says exactly what it is... canned speaking through a phone or T.V.)

:-)  Hope this has helped, Alex.

- Mark

EDIT:  (Oh yeah, and by the way...  Notice the night and day contrast in the second conversation?  That's assuming you're from Australia.  If you're from America, there wouldn't be THAT much of a time difference.)

Well, there's several ways to handle that, when you read enough scripts you'll see that.  Usually I prefer to just intercut...

Just one example.

INT.  MIDDLE CLASS HOME - DAY

FUJIKO, 30s, Asian-American, sexy, uptight, paces the hall on her cell.

                                     FUJIKO
                             You selfish prick.

INT.  OFFICE - DAY

Tom, shirtless, cell to his ear, eyes half closed...mouth quivering in ecstasy.

                                     TOM
                            Oh, yeah...

TINA, 20s, a gorgeous girl, pops her head up.

INTERCUT as needed:

                                     FUJIKO
                            Asshole!

Well, you get the picture.

Good Luck

Ghostie

Thanks Guys, very helpful.

Once locations are established for the callers with slugs...
I'll toss an INTERCUT in there for two reasons...

1) It saves space on the page.
2) It removes the need to chose what to show UNLESS it's something I need to be seen.

Reason being that other folks down the road will decide the chat edits.
And I"m all about the space savers and leaving those cuts to a production.

Regards,
E.D.