Writers & Artists (@writersartistsyearbook) wrote this writing prompt on Substack about changing the temperature and/or weather of a scene dramatically. It’s a great idea! I’ll have to try it.
Have you done this or something else to make a scene in your script different?
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Maurice, I like the way you think!
When I'm writing a script, I try my best to think about the weather in whatever city that script takes place in...especially a city where atmospheric conditions go to extremes within a calendar year.
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Thanks, Jim Boston. That's great. I haven't thought about the weather a lot when I outlined scripts. I'll have to. Something I've done is change the location of a scene. It makes a difference.
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You're so very welcome!
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How's your projects going, Jim Boston?
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I was watching an old Twin Peaks last night. In a scene where a murder suspect was brought in to the police station for questioning, they chose to set the scene during a thunderstorm. Lightning through the station windows, dark and thundery outside. A little on the nose, but effective.
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With my background in no-budget filming, I can see problems. With extreme weather, the actors can feel uncomfortable, possibly even become sick. Equipment may also stop working. So filming may be problematical. Unless one writes in such a way that everything can be filmed in front of a chromakey background.
And if one decides to write that the weather is extreme for that particular place, the problem is that the weather will rarely fit. One example. Late 1944, the battle of the bulge. Plenty of snow in northeastern France. Big problem. Some war movies have deleted the snow from the screenplay, others have filmed in some place were the trees definitily don't seem to belong in northeastern France.
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Maurice, I've just completed (I mean found the "FADE OUT" page for) "Ready to Make Nice," a dramedy about a couple of preteen musicians who live next door to each other in modern-day Nashville who want to form an act...but their four parents don't get along with each other. (One parent's a record producer...another is a singer-turned-photographer the producer rejected.)
Just trying to kick some more script ideas around...despite losing ground due to otherwise-successful prostate surgery on 5-26-2026.
Always great to hear from you!
Lightning and thunder during a police station questioning/any questioning could have a big impact on the characters and scene, Mike Boas, like how a character reacts while answering a question. Thanks for sharing that.
Thanks for the insights, Göran Johansson. What about a film crew using practical effect weather, snow, etc.?
Congratulations on finishing "Ready to Make Nice," Jim Boston! Unique concept and catchy title. I like the "their four parents don't get along with each other" obstacle. Glad the prostate surgery was successful! I'll keep you in prayers.
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Using practical effects. Well, what is the budget? Every problem can be fixed, but it will cost time and money. When something takes time, participants become tired, so they make more errors. When it comes to digital effects. Well, the audience has seen them often, so they will probably not notice.
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Great points, Göran Johansson. Thanks for sharing them. Maybe a writer could write just one scene where a little practical effect snow/etc. is used in a micro-budget script so it doesn't take a lot of time and money.
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Or check what stock footage is available. Perhaps something which can be used with chromakeying.
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That's a great idea, Göran Johansson! Thanks for sharing it.
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Maurice, due to you posting this, I couldn't starting to think about one thing. March 1888, the worst snow chaos ever in New York. A freak event. Absolutely horrible for those who were lucky enough to survice. What a great place for a horror story.
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I don't think I've heard of that event, Göran Johansson. I can see it being a great place for a Survival, Action, Mystery, or Drama story.
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Making real, practical rain is so much better than a visual effect.
We used homemade rain towers for rain in a zombie scene. They looked wet and gross, just like a classic Italian horror movie! Actors ate it up, it was a hot summer night. Had a garbage bag around the camera, kept the lights clear of the rain.
https://youtu.be/H0uY3IGOXKk?is=6KI0uopRf_0hcOjS
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Hey, Mike Boas. I agree. Making real, practical rain is so much better. The homemade rain towers and bag are great ideas!