In the new piece I am working on, I have a scene where I need a news broadcast, that is seen by many different viewers at a variety of places, ranging from inside their homes to on the streets of New York and in some storefronts. How would i write such a scene? Do I need a scene heading for every scenario?
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I would suggest writing it as a Series of Shots.
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read stacks of screenplays similar to your idea and choose/copy/steal a writing style you like.
Three screenplays, from different decades, from typewriting era to current, with news broadcasts scenes/sequences: Network, Broadcast News, Night Crawler.
You can read any Star Wars screenplay and study the last acts and see how writers do it on the page with sluglines of multiple locations at same screen time- parallel action.
Since visual communication technology has changed, it's perfectly acceptable to present a scene with multiple shots in different locations relating to the dialogue or narration (like a Zoom Meeting presentation). It's been done before in movies ie: teenage girls gossiping on the phone to each other in their respective bedrooms at home. I used it twice in my screenplay and no reader complained. (the subject was not gossiping teenage girls, though).
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One scene heading is probably all you need with a series of inserts - I've done a one four screen shot to remain static in time. Every time you write a new scene you add a lot of expense for set takedown, crew relocation, setup with new lighting. Try to avoid that.
Awesome, thatn k ypu for the input, it is much appreciated
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Sound like series of shots.
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Personally, I'd use one scene heading. Then use a series of shots to jump around.
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When I think of a series of shots as she's described I visualize change in location more along the lines of a Montage - which must include the action of going from one location to another. To avoid that, I suggest a single split screen shot - easy in post.