description

[brianluce]

How would you describe a person resting in this position on a bed?

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[HerzogisGod]

He lies straight out on his right side with his head propped up by his right hand.

 

[brianluce]

He lies straight out on his right side with his head propped up by his right hand.

I tried that and a million other versions and for some reason they all sound imprecise and weird .

 

[HerzogisGod]

You tried that exact wording? how else would you describe it?

why are you stressing over something so minor. Leave it like I wrote it, your actor will understand.

 

[brianluce]

You tried that exact wording? how else would you describe it?

why are you stressing over something so minor. Leave it like I wrote it, your actor will understand.

I tried it the way you have it and without the right/left cues. Without the left/right cues it sounds worse. But then you realize specifying right/left isn't necessary because if you're on your right side it's almost impossible to prop your head up with your left hand.
Maybe I'm over thinking this.

 

[RallyMonkey]

Yes, you are.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

Perhaps it is more important to describe what the actor is doing while lying on her side, why is she on her side? E.g. Suppose he just had sex with his girlriend:
Ryan lies on his side in bed, gazes at Jane. His eyes follow her every move as she puts her clothes on.
The above two lines of action let the actor do what they do best. Don't get so specific on describing the position in bed, let the actor deal with it. Sort of like over-analysis of dialogue by adding in all sorts of parentheticals (not a good idea, a bit insulting to actors and their talent to know what to do with dialogue and their character, etc).

 

[alex whitmer]

That position, as concerns the Buddha is referred to as reclining.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...v=/images?q=reclining+buddha&gbv=2&hl=en&sa=G

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[brianluce]

That position, as concerns the Buddha is referred to as reclining.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...v=/images?q=reclining+buddha&gbv=2&hl=en&sa=G

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Are you sure Alex? "Reclining" seems like something you'd do in Barco-lounger in front of a 19" TV. I've got to nail it just right because it's a shooting script.

"Head propped up on her elbow" would also be wrong? Sound like a Yoga position. Or a contortionist's move.

 

[nitrofour]

ahh, the "seck stime" position. i've read it labeled as such within many mainstream screenplays. seck is ancient greek for "laying on one's back" and stime is (also ancient greek) for "with bent elbow."

 

[brianluce]

ahh, the "seck stime" position. i've read it labeled as such within many mainstream screenplays. seck is ancient greek for "laying on one's back" and stime is (also ancient greek) for "with bent elbow."

Obviously I could go that route, but I want my script to come across as fresh and original. Using some 50 year old Hollywood convention won't get me an agent.

 

[Yeddi]

I would have gone for reclining myself.

 

[UnknownScreenwriter]

If this is going into a screenplay, I wouldn't get too specific... Just enough to give us the VISUAL and don't stress about right or left because getting that specific isn't necessary -- and the eventual actor may not even play it that way.

He lies on his side -- hand propping his head.

Something like that would be all you need...

Unk