Present a scenario
Case studies 1
Present a scenario, 1 st case : to Go from one room to another
Through the different questions that you asked me last year and you are asking me again today on this site, I realize that you are still experiencing problems to present a scenario according to what you want to tell. During the reading of the different scenarios that you have asked me to read, I realized that here also the problem reoccurred. Yet I know that for most of you, you apply to follow my advice. It is, therefore, that it is necessary to go further in the explanations and in the concrete.
I adventure may be on a field to be risky, the case of the scriptures there are quite a bunch ! But I have faith in your passion and your intelligence so that you can use these tips to your stories. If you’re new to writing, see examples of sequences that is the best way to learn :o)
It is a Part of it !
In all the stories, you need that, your character will move regardless of the place where his quest : City, house, deserted island, prison, etc… I wanted to start with this case because it is the one that comes up the most often, and it is this that is blocking the young apprentice writers.
So how do you as the reader to understand the movement ?
If you have read : “presentation of a scenario “, you know that your story is written with a specific header before the description of the scene and dialogues.
This header is as follows :
Sequence 1 : Int – Apartment – Day
Sequence 1 : Appoint the number of the sequence
Int : Defines if the action takes place inside (Int) or outside (Ext)
Update : For the effect to be : day/Night/Morning/Evening/dusk etc… that is to say the “moment” of the day during which the action takes place.
Let’s turn to a concrete example :
Sequence 1 : Int – Apartment – Night
Martin is sitting in his favorite chair, the room is lit only by the television that broadcasts an animal.
Martin grimaced.
He passes a hand over his stomach, then puts it on his mouth.
All of a sudden, he gets up and rushes into the bathroom.
He leans over the toilet and vomits.
This is typically what should not be done ;o) That is to say, to write everything in a single sequence. I doubt that some of you know that it is possible to do, but not with this title sequence (we will see this a little later), and most importantly, not to reproduce throughout the scenario, because there is a difference between, to make an effect scripted or “staged” and the technical error of writing. This is how you must proceed :
Sequence 1 : Int –Apartment/Lounge – Night
Martin is sitting in his favorite chair.
The room is lit only by the television that broadcasts an animal.
Martin grimaced.
He passes a hand over his stomach, then puts it on his mouth and gets up all of a sudden.
Sequence 2 : Int – Apartment/bathroom – Night
Martin leans over the toilet and vomits.
Thanks to the title of the sequence : apartment/room and then apartment/bathroom, the reader understands that Martin is past the living room to the bathroom. But it mainly indicates to the producer and to the team that during the filming the two sequences will be run separately and that there will be two sets separate.
You have the ability to link the two locations if you want. Take the example of Martin by linking the action :
Sequence 1 : Int – Apartment/Living room-bathroom – Night
Martin is sitting in his favorite chair, the room is lit only by the television that broadcasts an animal. Martin grimaced.
He passes a hand over his belly.
Suddenly gets up and rushes into the bathroom.
He leans over the toilet and vomits.
In this example we make it clear to readers and/or director, as the scene between the two places. If you replay the sequence, you feel that the pace is not the same. In this second example, the rhythm is longer because in the reality of the action. It is you, the screenwriter who imbibe the rhythm !!!
While in the dissociation of the two sequences the rhythm is more ” Cut ” faster. It also indicates implicitly that the urgency of the stomach pain : vomiting.
As a writer you have the ability to link even more locations (sets) in the same sequence. But you can’t use this technique for all of your film. On the other hand, use it sparingly as is possible, this is what is called a sequence shot.
Example :
Sequence 1 : Ext/Int – Street/Apartment – Entrance / Living-Room/ Kitchen/Balcony/Roof – Day
Martin walking on a good pace, He crosses the street without paying attention, a car lack of the reverse.
Once on the other side, he climbs the few steps of a flight of stairs that separates it from the gate to the entrance of his apartment. He pulls out his keys, opens the door to his loft and enters.
Without stopping, he crosses the living room, the kitchen, opens the door window and out on the balcony.
Martin raises a big pot of flowers under which is a USB key packed in a plastic that it captures.
Screech of tires.
Martin looks in the street. Two 4×4 black come to stop. Armed men come out.
Martin runs through the apartment at full speed, out on the landing and climbs the stairs to reach the roof.
In this sequence we tell the scene the beginning of the plan begins outside (in the street) and continues up to the roof without the camera does not cut : It is a sequence. That is to say, a single plan covering the entire sequence.
Here is a concrete example of a sequence from small handkerchiefs, guillaume Canet.
httpvh://youtu.be/bH1s5c421dk
Here is another concrete example of a sequence : Boogie Nights, P. T Anderson.
httpvh://youtu.be/33C65V9JdbE
I think you understand now ;o)
Of course in the example I’ve just given you, there is no dialogue, it doesn’t mean that you can’t put, quite the contrary. The extract of Boogie Nights speaks for itself.
If you have a little time, I advise you to see the sequence shot that opens Snake Eyes by Brian de Palma. I’m not going to lie to you, it has not been shot only once, it is a false sequence, but it is worth a visit for both the technical mastery is great !
Last small thing to know for your travel. In none of my examples there is no indication of the “direction of actors” that is to say that there is no gesture or displacement pollutant. It is necessary to go to the essential if it does not serve the action or the plot.
I hope that the explanation of the first case on how to present a scenario that will help you to progress. I always try to be as clear as possible, but don’t hesitate to ask me questions if something does not seem clear.
Obviously, it is not possible to deal with each case, case by case…but I am sure you will find the answers to the questions that you are looking for, if not, leave me a little message ;o)
You can return to the site map or article on the presentation of the scenario 3 : Day or Night by clicking on the links.
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Good luck,
Tom Weil