Write establishing shots?

D

David W. Richardson

Chapelgrove Films
When you write a script, do you write in the establishing shots? For instance...

EXT. MOVIE THEATER - NIGHT

[A description of the setting.]

INT. MOVIE THEATER - CONTINUOUS

[A description of the setting, followed by the scene itself.]


I don't do this. I figure establishing shots are the domain of the director, DP and editor. However, I'm working on a script for the Zoetrope Screenplay Contest, and wondered whether this is the way 'real' screenwriters write.

What are your thoughts???

.
 
That's not really an establishing shot, it's more setting the location isn't it? Scene headings...So people know that we're now in a movie theatre - and it's night. Otherwise what would you put when you move locations or whatnot? I'm no expert on screenplays yet, but from all the ones I've read, I always see this on them, and I always write them into my own scripts. I suppose there are other ways to write the scene headings but the above seems to make the most sense to me...

Chris
 
Last edited:
Write them down. You want to have all of your bases covered. Every Professional script of successful movies that I have read have all had this information on them.
 
filthrich said:
Write them down. You want to have all of your bases covered. Every Professional script of successful movies that I have read have all had this information on them.
Click to expand...

This brings up an interesting point I've wanted to see addressed for awhile.

When you say you've read scripts from successful movies, I have to wonder -- did you read actual scripts, or did you read transcripts? A lot of what passes for 'scripts' out there is actually someone's transcript -- written in script format, but transcribed from the actual movie itself. Pretty easy to spot because there's nothing in the script that wasn't in the finished movie itself -- no deviation at all.

Transcripts of successful movies are far easier to find than actual scripts -- particularly pre-production scripts, like those the producers first read, the ones that sold them on the idea of producing those projects. A pre-production script would include deleted scenes and material that was reworked prior to production, which the transcript usually wouldn't.

I would expect a transcript to include establishing shots, since they're literally written from the movie itself. If you're seeing these written into pre-production scripts, that's useful information.

.
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
This brings up an interesting point I've wanted to see addressed for awhile.

When you say you've read scripts from successful movies, I have to wonder -- did you read actual scripts, or did you read transcripts? A lot of what passes for 'scripts' out there is actually someone's transcript -- written in script format, but transcribed from the actual movie itself. Pretty easy to spot because there's nothing in the script that wasn't in the finished movie itself -- no deviation at all.

Transcripts of successful movies are far easier to find than actual scripts -- particularly pre-production scripts, like those the producers first read, the ones that sold them on the idea of producing those projects. A pre-production script would include deleted scenes and material that was reworked prior to production, which the transcript usually wouldn't.

I would expect a transcript to include establishing shots, since they're literally written from the movie itself. If you're seeing these written into pre-production scripts, that's useful information.

.
Click to expand...

Very good question, Not really sure. I read the Sixth sense, The Village, and a few others and they were almost spot on with the films.
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
When you write a script, do you write in the establishing shots? For instance...

EXT. MOVIE THEATER - NIGHT

[A description of the setting.]

INT. MOVIE THEATER - CONTINUOUS

.
Click to expand...


I think scene headings exist in order to help the reader (be it the producers, director, cast, a 'reader',...) instantly understand the exact location or setting of a scene, which is especially helpful for the breakdown, shotlist and schedule (not to mention scene flow). Could you imagine reading a screenplay that didn't include these for every scene? We wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a character sitting, for example, in his work office or his home office, until reading the action block. This doesn't seem like a big deal, but it will probably annoy many producers and ADs when they try to break the script down.

Also, I think by 'establishing shot' you mean the director's/DP's choice to possibly include a shot (usually external) of the current scene's setting (e.g. every shot of the outside of a house/edifice which precedes said structure's internal space can usually be called an establishing shot). It's mainly used to create a spatial relationship between two settings, and doesn't really describe anything in the script. Maybe a writer-director (like J. August, K. Smith, C. Nolan...) would make a note of it in the shooting script.

On an unrelated, but relevant, note: http://www.imsdb.com/ has feature screenplays free to read/download and they usually list the version/draft of them.

Just my 2c.
 
To set the time and place is also important to the reader, to better understand the scene. You have your theater somewhere, at sometime during the day. If you have a character that is a vampire inside during the day, in a seedy theater, it would make sense- he is hiding from the Sun, in a seedy theater, because he would less likely be noticed. Come Sundown, he'll be free to roam.

Just my take on it. But, once it gets into the Producer's and Director's hands, anything is possible to happen, whether it makes sense or not.
 
i always do it like so:

EXT - MOVIE THEATRE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING

An old theatre, blah blah blah.

INT - MOVIE THEATRE - NIGHT

blah blah blah
 
I understand the concept of scene headings. That's not what I'm talking about. EVERY scene has a heading that identifies location and time, followed by a brief description of the setting and characters.

What I'm talking about is what Rubbersquare says he does -- writing a separate scene for just the ESTABLISHING SHOT for the scene which follows.

In the example I used, I NORMALLY would just write:

INT. MOVIE THEATER - NIGHT

This would be followed by a brief description of the interior of the movie theater, and which of our characters is seated in it. Then it would proceed to the dialogue and action for that scene. This is what I consider to be the critical information necessary for the reader to understand where we are and what is happening.

But what I'm wondering is should I precede that scene with this:

EXT. MOVIE THEATER - NIGHT

Followed by a brief description of the setting -- "A downtown movie theater, lighted marquees ablaze. Patrons queue to buy tickets, while others enter through the double glass doors."

Now I know when they go to SHOOT the interior scene, they're going to want to GET the exterior establishing shot -- but I've never seen the need to actually WRITE one in.

But maybe that's what the pros do, I don't know. That's what I'm asking.

.
 
the reason i write it is the same reason a director would film it, it lets the script flow the way a script would. maybe it's a director's decision to show it or not, but, it's like breaking lines a certain way to change the pace of reading the script. and, most likely, the exterior and interior are different places, one a location the other a set, etc., so putting it in there suggests there may be more locations that anticipated.

is it right? is it professional? i don't know. but i consider it part of the writing, part of the style. i could be wrong. and probably am.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top