I have a character who occasionally (not often, I promise) lapses into Walter Mitty-like daydreams. Can anyone suggest a way to format these?
I have a character who occasionally (not often, I promise) lapses into Walter Mitty-like daydreams. Can anyone suggest a way to format these?
Simply solved. Go to GOOGLE and search for Walter Mitty Screenplay PDF http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/Secret_Life_of_Walter_MItty,The.pdf
1 person likes this
I'd just use (TRANSITION) - WALTER MITTY DAYDREAM format content of scene normally then when over - (TRANSITION) WALTER MITTY DAYDREAM OVER or DAYDREAM OVER. I use Final Draft though. I would set-up the daydream sequence with a blank stare, a puzzled look or something in normal format action sequence when doing so. I don't think its necessary to be "off the nose" when setting up a daydream sequence. I wouldn't worry about being "off the nose" when bringing the character out of the daydream sequence either. Peace out and good luck.
1 person likes this
There's a few ways of doing it and it tends to depend on the length of the daydream/hallucination. If it's just a moment then it can easily thread into action narrative ie; As CJ enters his forum message he pauses for a moment and imagines his username reads Craphands. He carries on typing. If it's longer than that then it looks good to wrap it with slugs in a similar vein to Michael's advice. Can be whatever you want such as DAYDREAM at the start and END DAYDREAM at the end. If it's effectively a scene in itself then you may as well go whole hog and format it as such. So it would just be a normal scene slug but with something like DAYDREAM affixed ie INT. WHITE ROOM - DAYDREAM and then the next slug may be affixed with something like REALITY if it isn't clear we've switched back.
www.wix.com/jlovins1/media-story
The Hollywood Standard by Christopher Riley
1 person likes this
Thanks, folks. I'm thinking now I'll simply format it the way you do a flashback. It's more or less the same in terms of the screenplay -- a sequence that's outside of the ongoing narrative. Does that make sense?
1 person likes this
What CJ said (again) and you can hunt down the script for HIGH FIDELITY online for some actual examples.
1 person likes this
Format it as a new scene but with "DAYDREAM" at the end of the scene heading and clearly indicate "END OF DAYDREAM" at the end.