I'm writing a script and I want to intro the characters by having text on the screen as the characters are in action. If anyone has seen the horror movie Feast, it would be similar to that. As the character is in action, somewhere on the screen flashes their info, almost like a baseball card stat. Would I just write the action out and stick a superimpose in there and continue the action? For example (excuse the formatting for the moment):
EXT. SCHOOL LAWN - NIGHT
CAL (18, female) slowly crawls through the grass. Dressed all in black, she eyes the passing security with grim determination. Then turns and winks at the woman crawling next to her, breaking the moment. Freeze on Cal.
SUPER: Name: Callan Kader
Clique: Star Athlete
Career Aspirations: Scarlett Johansson's personal trainer
Yearbook Quote: "Cal stole my girl. - Everyone"
Or is there a better/more readable way to do it? Thanks everyone!
Thanks Kay! Appreciate the help!
You can put whatever you want to superimpose on the screen but you still want the character introduction to appear in the action line when the character first appears on film.
If it's a spec script, watch out that your supers and description don't look like you're directing on the page. As Kay says, keep it lean, so the reader stays focused on the story.
If I were directing it - I'd be pretty much okay with the way you wrote it. I would block the shot in such a way as to incorporate her face as freeze frame close up in either the left or right third with the text overlaying a non busy background - talk with the Director, Cinematographer and the Editor.
Works for me.
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PS: real answer is: read the script for FEAST.
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Feast- looks like the writers just bolded text on page