I have a part in my script where my characters are outside of an old spanish mission. One of them is on the roof, talking to the others down below her. She does do some action on the roof as well. My question is, as they're talking, do I need to keep going back and forth with EXT. SPANISH MISSION and EXT. SPANISH MISSION ROOF, or can I just keep it at EXT. SPANISH MISSION?
Screenwriting : Question about changing location/scene headings by Krista Crawford
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4 people like this
I wouldn’t they are both EXT.
So set it up in the scene description and remind the read on occasions.
Craig squint as the hits him in the eyes as Krista walks along the roof.
3 people like this
I'd do it as Craig has suggested.If you do it the way you were thinking it's going to be a lot harder to read,which you never want.
3 people like this
Great! Thanks Craig and Craig! Right now I have it as just EXT. SPANISH MISSION and do like Craig said and mention the roof every now and then.
2 people like this
Being on the roof and down below is just one location requiring one master scene heading.
Have you heard of ScreenPlay Subs? It's a free extension for FF and I think Chrome too. It takes (only about a handful) of Netflix films and splits the screen to show you the film on the left and the script on the right--it shows you where they cut out scenes and what was edited as well. It helps me answer questions like that. I think you can pay to get more--but I feel the 7 or 8 they provide for free is extremely helpful!
4 people like this
William Martell has the simple, easiest method, "Do what the couple of dozen screenplays that you read before attempting to write one did."
this formatting stuff is not rocket science. Even if you don't know, write it on the page consistently where Readers won't care.
1 person likes this
I agree with Dan. Readers will know what's happening. It's the director's question, when it comes to shooting... they'll need to then think specifically of how to block it, how to shoot it, what specific dialogue needs to be on the roof, which close ups happen in front of the mission. If you switch too much, it can break up the flow. Heck, I even do phone scenes like that. I set out where both characters are, and then just let the scene flow. We all know how films look in the end, and readers will definitely forgive if it's not strictly following the strictest of "Rules", as long as the whole of it makes sense.
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Just EXT. - SPANISH MISSION. anything else is needlessly complicated. However, if different things are happening in the different places (road level vs roof) then yeah separate them.
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It's simply a master scene, maybe with a couple of subs. Look at it like a Director and write accordantly.