FADE IN: - Print Topic

Posted by: ColinS, September 29th, 2022, 11:53am

I'm guessing this question has already been posted umpteen times but I thought, if anything, it's worth a re-launch --

FADE IN:

Do spec scripts or any scripts for that matter really need to start with Fade In?

Would be interested in anybody's thoughts. If anybody can be bothered :)

Cheers

Colin

Posted by: Matthew Taylor, September 29th, 2022, 2:06pm; Reply: 1

I’ve seen scripts with them and without.

I’ve seen people say that a missing FADE IN is a cardinal sin, and others who don’t give a toss. I’m sure in the grand scheme of things, it won’t hurt your chances on the way to success if you include it or not.

I started a script with BOBBLE IN: once… but it was about bobble heads

Posted by: Don, September 29th, 2022, 9:10pm; Reply: 2

FADE IN: MUST start every script. Always. This is a mountain I will die on.*

- Don

*I never remember to use FADE IN:, tho and usually start with "INT. or EXT."

Posted by: LC, September 29th, 2022, 10:56pm; Reply: 3

Quoted from Don

FADE IN: MUST start every script. Always. This is a mountain I will die on.*
- Don
*I never remember to use FADE IN:, tho and usually start with "INT. or EXT."

Haha! I actually wholeheartedly agree with this, Don, but all bets are off if it's an entry for a OWC.
Then every sacred line counts. ;D

Posted by: AnthonyCawood, September 30th, 2022, 3:08am; Reply: 4

OWC's introduced me to the concept of removing all extranesous wordage, including FADE IN and FADE OUT... now I almost never use it ;-)

Posted by: ColinS, September 30th, 2022, 5:06am; Reply: 5

Thanks guys for your thoughts.

I think it's totally redundant and tend to 'forget' to use it :)

I prefer BOBBLE IN for sure.

Posted by: Lon, October 4th, 2022, 3:55pm; Reply: 6

Not every script will start with FADE IN. You might start your script with a sound OVER BLACK, or you might start it with a quote, or a dedication.

BUT.

Before your first image appears, you had better f*cking type FADE IN. Like Don, this is a mountain I'll die on.

Posted by: MarkRenshaw, October 7th, 2022, 1:32am; Reply: 7

It's optional these days.

Posted by: SAC, October 7th, 2022, 6:30am; Reply: 8

A pro writer I’ve engaged in some emails with (he writes MOWs) never uses them. His rationale? Very few movies, or at least the ones he writes, actually “fade in.” Seems like just a personal preference at this point.

Posted by: ColinS, October 7th, 2022, 6:36pm; Reply: 9

Yeah, back in the days when Fade In was more compulsory, Kevin Williamson used fade In for his 1995 screenplay named "Scary Movie" which Wes Craven later changed to "Scream".

As we all know, Scream definitely doesn't fade in - it smash cuts straight to the phone ringing, which Drew Barrymore should never have picked up. :)