Screenwriting : Scene set up by Christine Capone

Split screen?

Are they all on-screen at the same time? If so, you have to identify each scene - what we SEE and HEAR - for your reader and for production/continuity reasons. I'd write:

TRIPLE SCREEN - LEFT, BILL'S DEN. MIDDLE, GRACE'S FRONT ROOM. RIGHT, CHRISTINE'S FAMILY ROOM.

Bill, Grace and Christine watch a NEWS ANNOUNCER on TV.

NEWS ANNOUNCER

I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!

Then identify the next scene when you make your transition, of course. If they are not on the screen at the same time, I'd identify each SCENE LOCATION separately as it appears on screen, followed by a line of description, and would label the continuing news dialogue as NEWS ANNOUNCER (CONT'D). It takes up a lot more page space, since it is three separate scenes, but it's the proper way to do it.

Best fortunes to you in your creative endeavors, Christine!

Maybe intercut with.

INT. Location 1/Location 2/Location 3

Frankie's suggestion of using Intercut With is pretty typical. Here's a quick example (just for mechanics - don't expect artistry.

INT. JEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

JEN watches TV NEWS ANCHOR on the screen in her living room.

NEWS ANCHOR

In other news, a Clarke County Prosecutor has been indicted by a Federal Grand Jury.

Jen sits forward.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. JACK'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

JACK is watching the same program.

NEWS ANCHOR

Bob Bradley, who just last month oversaw the conviction of reputed mob boss Carlo Lanza is facing sixteen counts of prosecutorial misconduct.

A FILE PHOTO OF BOB appears on screen.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. BOB'S OFFICE - NIGHT

BOB looks at his file photo on the screen and drains scotch from his glass. He pours another.

NEWS ANCHOR

Bradley has been unavailable for comment, but our Reporter Kevin Collins is standing by outside the apartment of his daughter, Jen Bradley.

Back in her apartment, Jen reacts and rushes to the window pulls back a curtain and sees bright lights and a NEWS CREW with Cameras aimed at her front door. She looks between her yard where reporter KEVIN COLLINS is talking into the camera and her TV where she can see him reporting LIVE.

KEVIN COLLINS

That's right, Walter. And our understanding is that at any minute, the Clarke County Sheriff will be arriving here to serve Ms. Bradley a formal subpoena to testify against her father.

In Jack's living room, Jack grabs his cell phone and dials.

Jen's phone rings. She picks up.

JEN

Oh, my God. Are you seeing this?

Jack moves around the living room, on the phone grabbing his keys, wallet and coat.

JACK

Stay inside. Don't answer the door. I'm going to your father's office..

Back in his office. Bob takes another swallow of scotch. He watches his picture reappear on the screen.

KEVIN COLLINS

Bradley's indictment spells the possible end of his career and the political ambitions of his daughter who just recently announced her candidacy for State Senate. We'll be standing by outside Ms. Bradley's house for a reaction.

Bob opens a drawer on his desk. Pulls out a gun. Puts it to his head.

Jen sinks to her knees in front of the TV.

Jack's door slams. He's gone. On the TV the NEWS ANCHOR finishes the report.

NEWS ANCHOR

Thank you Kevin. I'm sure we'll all be curious to see how this turns out.

INTERCUT won’t save paper. Split Screen will:

`THREEWAY SPLIT SCREEN:

INT. BOB’S BEDROOM/EXT. THE PARK/INT. KATHY’S BATHROOM

Bob’s Bedroom is dominated by a king sized bed where Bob watches TV/The Park is filled with people while Jim watches a handheld TV as he jogs/Kathy’s bathroom is in disarray as Kathy lies in the tub watching TV.

But there is a difference between using the words "INTERCUTTING" and "SPLIT SCREEN" in a script. INTERCUTTING cuts between different locations so that the story flows back and forth between them as part of a sequence.. SPLIT SCREEN literally means you're dividing the screen into halves or thirds or whatever like when Doris Day and Rock Hudson would make phone calls in comedies in the early sixties and you see both sides of the call at the same time or when the Brady Bunch family is divided into nine squares in the opening credits.

"I want to write a scene where three characters are watching the same news at the same time but in different locations."

Thx everyone! I’m not a fan of split screens. I think they’re dated. But I like the other ideas. I’m going to see how I can work them into the script.

What you mean 'dated'? I recently used it as an opening for a short film and it worked very well. You do have to be careful with your blocking and image scale. Use what works best for your story (and find a Director who has vision and knows what he/she is doing). All the Best.

The thing is, it doesn't matter how you write it because it's a directorial decision. The only difference is in how much space it takes up and how it looks. Never use two pages to say what can be said in half a page.

Remember, you're not writing a shooting script. You're writing a reader that's likely going to be read by some kid first. And the first thing readers do is check how long the script is. And the longer it is, the harder they look for a reason to put it down and move on to the next one.

Hi Christine, you might try setting up the TV news footage with your primary character for the sequence then go to a SERIES OF SHOTS with your other characters and reaction shots. Details can be found in Dave Trottier's book, The Screenwriter's Bible and I'm sure on line as well. Good Luck!

Hi Doug, maybe dated is the correct word. I have to figure out what will work best. Thanks!

On the transition side, use INTERCUT. That will allow the reader to see that there are three people talking or looking at the same thing, but in different locations. You also can keep the scene on the same page.

Could you set it up like a phone conversation, only setting up each location once, then flipping between with simply the character name, no new action line?