Hi guys.

Writing a car chase scene.

Was wondering what the deal is with writing the slugs for a car chase.

Basically the guy is driving through different streets in London whilst being chased.

Do you constantly need to change the "name" of the slugs to signify he is on different roads, or just have one, generic slug saying something like "Suburban Road" for all the scenes taking place on those kind of roads?

Seems overkill to hae actual street names for a chase.

Rick

I've written a car chase scene for my 7WC. I've just used the one slug which is simply EXT STREETS. No idea if it's 'correct', but I feel it works just fine. Just write in 'they turn a corner' or whatever when you need to.

Unless the name of that exact street or location is important I would just go with streets.

This may help -

http://jalopnik.com/5435663/bullitt-chase-scene-the-script/

If you lost most of the extra camera stuff it'd work in a spec script.

I have a few car chase scenes in my script. But since I was cutting back and forth between another character who wasn't in the exact same spot...I was repeating the slug... not even sure if that's correct. I butchered one of my shorts on improper slugs before, so I'm def not the one to help on that.

Quick side question...

If I'm introducing a car or let's say a Police cruiser into a scene. But then a quickly cut to a scene and then quickly cut back. Do I have to keep Capitalizing POLICE CRUISER or PATROL CAR...what's the etiquette on that? I think I capitalized particular cars way too often and I didn't have to.

You'd only have to capitalize it again if there is a chance of confusion for the reader. To avoid this, make the driver or some other detail of the car distinctive.

R

Cheers.

Slugs are the most difficult part of the screenwriting process for me, don't know why.

The slugs in my OWC are positively barbarous.

I think I need to spend a week researching them.

C'mon, Rick!  SLugs are easy.  Just use common sense, offer as much info as you can, and write them so they're easy to follow and understand, and give your readers a nice visual.

Hey Rick,

Rick here, I think I may be able to help you out by pointing you to a particular script; which incidentally has a protag named... Rick. I can't make this sh!t up.

Long story short, I was living in Vancouver at the time that the movie 'Bird on a Wire' (Mel Gibson/Goldie Hawn) was shot (the movie was filmed there). Anyways, as I watched the movie, I was always on the lookout for familiar places, buildings, streets, etc. Then there was a car chase scene (going by memory here). The chase (scene) would be on such and such street in downtown Vancouver, or Gastown etc. Then they would turn a corner and all of a sudden be on the North Shore, which is across the Burrard Inlet (need a bridge to get there), but no bridge scene. I was like WTF?

So that's when I had an epiphany... ah yes, the writer really has no say with respect to the actual scene chase, at least, not in a linear sense of the statement. I believe they shoot the scenes from many different locations, then the actual footage is given to the editing crew and they take it from there. But you're looking for actual slugs to design the initial conception of the scene I would assume.

Anyways, here's the script I was talking about.

http://www.ericlernerfictions.com/movie/bird-on-a-wire-screenplay.pdf

I found a chase scene beginning on pg 29 and it continues for about 2 or three pages. Hopefully this helps you in some shape or form. I don't think it would be wrong if you copied most of this verbatim. I mean, why reinvent the wheel... like propaganda I would presume, use what info you have, then just fill in the blanks with your own info, or what you need to sell.

If you listen to George Lucas speak about creating Star Wars;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAETMbLPBw8

... he'll subtly state that many (new aspects of filming) that were never accomplished before had to pulled from existing resources, including the dogfight scenes between the Rebels and the Empirical Forces... including choreographing scenes by replicating old movie or documentary footage. I'm thinking at some point and time everyone needs to use what's available, that is, until someone else finds a new way of doing it...

Cheers, I'll check that out.

The pro scripts are much more fluid with their scene headings and slugs, than I am.

I always just use scene headings.

It's an art in itself, and adds to the flow of the script.

Rick

Hey Rick,

Unless the specific location is critical to the scene (ie, the chase ends with them crashing into Trafalgar Square, or something), I'd say just go more general.

If I recall, the slug for the big car chase scene in drive was:

I/E. DRIVER'S CAR / TARZANA STREET.

-- With Tarzana being the area of the San Fernando Valley where the chase took place.

CT'D...

And here's the car chase through Paris scene from The Bourne Identity, as well:

EXT. BELLEVILLE -- STREET -- DAY

        And BOURNE and MARIE are running.  And he is reaching into
        his pocket -- fishing around -- and just as he pulls out the
        car keys -- we recognize this as the street they parked
        their car on and --

        BY MARIE's CAR

        BOURNE unlocks the door -- pops MARIE's open.  And --

        THERE'S A COP -- yelling at them and -- BOURNE hits the
        gas -- they fly out of their parking space -- BAM!!  The COP
        fires, shattering their windshield and there -- up ahead --
        THE PROFESSOR coming out -- about to FIRE -- BOURNE aims for
        him -- forces him to dive out of the way and --

        ONE QUICK MOVE around a TRUCK and they are free.

        INT. THE LITTLE RED CAR

        BOURNE and MARIE looking back nervously -- so far all over --

        ON THE STREET

        The PROFESSOR looking around.  PEOPLE staring at him --
        covered in blood -- the COP racing up -- yelling -- not
        yelling for long because the PROFESSOR is firing at him and --

        Now the PROFESSOR is moving -- not running -- just a swift
        walk and now he's past the truck -- and --

        A MOTORCYCLIST comes flying down the street -- oblivious --
        going way too fast for these streets and -- the PROFESSOR
        swings his gun stock like a bat -- takes him out -- clean
        and smooth -- bike crashing to the ground and --

        The PROFESSOR grabs the bike and takes off -- SHOOTING at
        TWO POLICE CARS just racing to the scene and we are into --

        EXT. BELLEVILLE BLVD -- DAY

        HIGH SPEED CAR CHASE.  And BOURNE better do some fancy
        driving because here comes the PROFESSOR -- and he's a lot
        faster -- much better armed.

        INT. MARIE'S CAR

        BOURNE driving.  MARIE looking back -- seeing the PROFESSOR
        gain on them --

                             MARIE
                   xxxxxx

                             BOURNE
                   xxxxxx

        And -- THE PROFESSOR FIRES -- SHREDS the back off their car --

                             MARIE
                   Give me the gun --

        And now she's got his shotgun, leaning out the window.

                             BOURNE
                   Wait 'till he's close.

        BOURNE swerves, up on the sidewalk back onto the street --
        slaloms through the traffic -- racing towards an intersection
        and --

        IN THE INTERSECTION

        CARS coming the other way, BOURNE just makes it through --
        the PROFESSOR tries to squeeze through -- skidding and --

        CRACK!  The PROFESSOR hits the front of a car sideways on
        his bike -- he is THROWN clear through the intersection,
        right into the windshield of an oncoming car and --

        He gets up, grabs his gun and works his way towards his bike
        and now we see --

        EXT. VARIOUS SHOTS AROUND PARIS -- DAY

        COPS are mobilizing -- swarming into this area and --

        BACK TO THE CAR CHASE --

        BOURNE and MARIE pick up a few cops on their tail -- shed
        all of them -- the last car goes into an EXPLOSIVE FLIP --
        the PROFESSOR is now right behind them.  And now we are into --

        CRAZY CAR CHASE WITH COPS RIGHT ON THEIR TAIL

        BOURNE, MARIE and the PROFESSOR leave a trail of totaled
        cars that the cops have to try and navigate through --
        finally saying fuck it and hitting a few cars themselves and
        now we are into --

        CAR CHASE THROUGH NARROW STREETS

        MARIE'S CAR and the MOTORCYCLE can pass where the police
        cars cannot.  BOURNE may be able to shed the cops, but not
        the PROFESSOR.  And now one quick move and they are --

        EXT. QUAI -- DAY

        Racing against traffic up the Seine.  Past the Louvre.  COPS
        pursuing on the other side of the river.  BOURNE and the
        PROFESSOR leaving behind a trail of carnage.  And now --

        The PROFESSOR is pulling up along side them -- one lane over.
        Both swerving to avoid oncoming cars and --

        MARIE FIRES -- TWICE -- TAKES out a few windshields.  The
        PROFESSOR fires at the same time -- MARIE'S CAR DOOR --
        GONE -- she's totally exposed but --

        THE PROFESSOR -- his BIKE is SPOUTING GAS -- one of the
        pellets nailed his tank.

        BOURNE AND MARIE --

                             MARIE
                   xxxxxx

        THE PROFESSOR -- No problem -- he's unwrapping a piece of
        duct tape from the barrel of his gun -- two seconds and the
        hole is patched and -- BOURNE AND MARIE -- the side of the
        car is completely gone -- the PROFESSOR is gaining -- across
        the river dozens of police cars are racing alongside.  Many
        more can be seen on their side -- a road block ahead --
        running out of options and --

        BOURNE turns hard -- crashes over the sidewalk and flies
        down a side street.  A POLICE CAR pulls out behind them --
        the PROFESSOR can't stop -- skidding hard, turning the bike
        sideways, skidding out -- sliding across the ground and
        BAMMM!!!  SMASHING into a GLASS PHONE BOOTH which shatters.

        And he's up -- lifting up his bike and --

        BOURNE AND MARIE

        SIX POLICE CARS on their tail -- more joining.  Every street
        they look down has POLICE CARS racing in parallel.  Running
        out of options and in the background --

        THE PROFESSOR is back in the game -- passing the police cars
        and up ahead --

        THE ROAD IS BLOCKED.  POLICE ROAD BLOCK -- cops with guns.
        Gotta act quick and -- BOURNE turns hard left -- there's a
        metro staircase -- only way out and --

        THEY BOUNCE down the stairs.  CRASH through the doors down
        below.

        THE FIRST POLICE CAR -- no way he's following.  SLAMMING on
        his brakes.  SKIDDING to a halt -- SKIDDING sideways --
        gonna stop in time -- just at the edge of the steps and then --

        THE SECOND POLICE CAR isn't braking -- T-BONES the first
        car -- BAM!!! -- sends it rolling sideways down the steps
        until it crashes to a halt at the bottom -- upside down.

Hope this helps :)

Just wanted to thank you all for taking the time to help.

It's appreciated.

Rick

This is a useful thread.

Just goes to show how class action scenes are an art form