hi everone,i'm forced into a situation of doing a phone scene with only one person and a voice over of the other party.my question is,how common is this and what would you sugest doing to keep it from bein boring?there is about 10 lines of dialogue between the two people.
phone scene help.(please)
- Thread starter ennfurno
- Start date
yagfxg33k
Well-known member
IMHO aq phone conversation can be a VERY weak point in a film. If you can split screen it or use some other device so that we see the reactions of each party - that might help depending on the situation. Understanding how weak a phne call is to make a plot point in and of itself puts you on the right road though 
stan harrington
Well-known member
In my opinion, you are thinking about it only in visual terms...there is a content aspect that needs to be considered too...if the dialogue is not interesting, it will be boring regardless...to be more specific with answering your question....determine firstly how imortant all the dialogue is. If it is all important, determine the style...is it suspensful...is there a secret...what is the sub-text...once you have determined what you want to communicate thematically then your shots will become more evident....maybe a variety of shots...maybe jump cuts...perhaps panning...or even hand held and moving...or even a slow close on the actor...there are various shots and methods you can use once you determine what you are really looking for, and what you are trying to illicit from the scene...
Good luck,
Stan Harrington
www.xristosproductions.com
www.igfdb.com
Good luck,
Stan Harrington
www.xristosproductions.com
www.igfdb.com
the scene will involve intigue and mystery around a little girl.the scene isn't meant realy to focus on the parties on the phone though it helps the transition to the next scene but it sets up an interuption of the little girl and the dialogue between them is whats most inportant for the whole movie.so i guess i would say that the phone scene is just a pond to the overall scene.any more insight would be appreciated.thanks.
GenJerDan
Veteran
The little girl will interrupt the phone call?
Like above, phone conversations are boring, visually.
If the scene allows it, have the little girl in the background, hesitating, then approaching, hesitating, then interrupting. Or suchlike. Anything to give the audience something to look at besides a talking head.
Like above, phone conversations are boring, visually.
If the scene allows it, have the little girl in the background, hesitating, then approaching, hesitating, then interrupting. Or suchlike. Anything to give the audience something to look at besides a talking head.
David W. Richardson
Chapelgrove Films
Phone conversations don't have to be boring. But treat them like any other scene with extended dialogue.
First, make the dialogue as interesting as you possibly can. Keep in mind that less is more.
Second, get plenty of coverage for each side of the conversation. Master shots, medium shots, closeups, extreme closeups, over-the-shoulder, behind-the-back, XCU's of a person's mouth, XCU's of their eyes, cutaways, the whole nine yards.
And, if possible, give at least one of your characters something to do while he/she is talking. Fumbling in the freezer looking, taking something out to thaw for dinner. Or gathering up dirty clothes to start a load of laundry. Or putting away groceries they just carried in when the phone rang. Anything like that will add more interest and action to the scene.
Oh.....and don't forget camera movement. Static shots are a bore, especially when strung together.
Then with all that coverage, your editor will have everything he or she needs to cut the scene together to make it as interesting as possible.
Good luck!
First, make the dialogue as interesting as you possibly can. Keep in mind that less is more.
Second, get plenty of coverage for each side of the conversation. Master shots, medium shots, closeups, extreme closeups, over-the-shoulder, behind-the-back, XCU's of a person's mouth, XCU's of their eyes, cutaways, the whole nine yards.
And, if possible, give at least one of your characters something to do while he/she is talking. Fumbling in the freezer looking, taking something out to thaw for dinner. Or gathering up dirty clothes to start a load of laundry. Or putting away groceries they just carried in when the phone rang. Anything like that will add more interest and action to the scene.
Oh.....and don't forget camera movement. Static shots are a bore, especially when strung together.
Then with all that coverage, your editor will have everything he or she needs to cut the scene together to make it as interesting as possible.
Good luck!
David W. Richardson
Chapelgrove Films
BTW, I'd avoid doing the split-screen thing -- that just screams 'VIDEO!' I assume you want your movie to be a movie and not a video. But if 'video' is what you're after, then by all means do the split.
stan harrington
Well-known member
Without reading the script it is extremely difficult to give a specific solution...some of the above comments offer good suggestions ...only you know the entirety of the story and the way that the call fits into the puzzle...you must find, as I said, what you reallly want to communicate, particularily what is beneath the dialogue...the message of the scene...and also ask youself how important it really is to actually show the actor on the phone ...think of what else you might show or even cutaways of body language...as I meantioned, too difficult to be specific, but I believe some people here have offered some nice options...the scene doesn't become boring unless the visual doesn't support the story and vice versa...
Stan Harrington
www.xristosproductions.com
www.igfdb.com
Stan Harrington
www.xristosproductions.com
www.igfdb.com
Michael Carter
Veteran
Rent season 5 of "24" to see some very effective and cinema-like splitscreen for phone calls.
Phone calls are a big part of daily life; many of us have gotten life-changing news, for good or bad, that way. Many of us have dealt with the parlyzing feeling of "I'm not there to help or respond" that makes you want to throw the phone at the wall. Phone scenes can be dramatic in cinema, simply because they can be so in real life. Figure out the emotions first, and build your scene to support, amplify, & illustrate the feelings.
Rent William Friedkin's "The Conversation" to see how effectively off-camera dialogue can be done. (And to see what a wicked badass talent Gene Hackman can be. When he's on, lord, he's on). (Anyone remember him in "Young Frankenstien"?)
Phone calls are a big part of daily life; many of us have gotten life-changing news, for good or bad, that way. Many of us have dealt with the parlyzing feeling of "I'm not there to help or respond" that makes you want to throw the phone at the wall. Phone scenes can be dramatic in cinema, simply because they can be so in real life. Figure out the emotions first, and build your scene to support, amplify, & illustrate the feelings.
Rent William Friedkin's "The Conversation" to see how effectively off-camera dialogue can be done. (And to see what a wicked badass talent Gene Hackman can be. When he's on, lord, he's on). (Anyone remember him in "Young Frankenstien"?)
David W. Richardson
Chapelgrove Films
Split screen is fine for TV, but every time I've ever seen it used in a movie, it took me out of the 'reality' that the director was trying to create. My 2 cents, for what it's worth.
