OFF SCREEN

OFF SCREEN (O.S.) is a screenwriting tool used in dialogue. It’s applied in a situation where a character is physically in the scene, we hear the character’s voice, but we don’t see the character.

Example:

INT. DEN – NIGHT

Hanna’s sitting at her desk immersed in a pile paperwork.

JOEL (O.S.)

                                                         Working late again?

Startled, Hanna turns to the window behind her. Joel is standing there, looking right at her.

                                                                     HANNA

                                                        I thought you were in Rio.

                                                                       JOEL

                                                       I’m back. And we need to talk. 

When using OFF SCREEN always abbreviate it “O.S.,” put it in parentheses, and place it to the right of the character’s name.

What if the character is not in the scene, but we hear the character’s voice? That’s called VOICE OVER. I’ll discuss that next week.

To be continued . . .  

                                                         

Never Enough Time . . .

Never enough time to write.

Reward

Even if you haven’t reached the top of the mountain, it’s a good idea to reward yourself at each milepost along the way.

Themes

One of the strong themes in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is the illusion that wealth brings happiness. It’s portrayed in everything from the glitter of the descriptive passages to the shallowness of the characters’ lives. This and other themes in The Great Gatsby are what make it such a timeless classic.

Ever tried putting a theme into your writing?       

 
While themes shouldn’t be pushy or in your face, an underlying theme woven into your characters and scenes can enhance the power of your story. It’s best to try and think of your theme as you outline your plot. Keep it broad enough so it can pop up in different ways throughout your tale (“people are jealous of the rich,” is too narrow; “education sows the seeds of revolution,” is better). Forging a good theme can be a challenge. But if you’re successful, you might just create something truly amazing.

Happy 2013

May it be the best year ever!

Santa Claus Convention

Santa Claus Convention

 

I'll be taking a break for a couple of weeks.

 

Next post: Thursday, January 3rd, 2013.

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

 

 





Match Cut

MATCH CUT is a screenwriting device that uses an inanimate object as a bridge between two scenes.

For example:


EXT. STREET CORNER – DAY

Doyle approaches a mailbox.

THE SEALED LETTER
 
--is slipped into the slot.

                                                                                                                        MATCH CUT: THE SEALED LETTER

--is in the hands of Sasha.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY – NIGHT

 
Sasha begins to open the letter.


MATCH CUTS can also be used to indicate the passage of time:

 

EXT. HOUSE - DAY

Drake closes and securely locks the front door. He walks away, not looking back.

 
The house, now empty, looks new: freshly painted with clean windows.

                                                                                                                    MATCH CUT:

EXT. HOUSE – DAY- MANY YEARS LATER

 
The house is now rundown: paint-peeled with broken windows.

By the way, MATCH CUTS can be used in fiction, too:

 

 . . . Nick leaned back as he gazed out over the window-lit neighborhood from his balcony. Traffic droned below, when suddenly he heard a distant crack, crack. A sound he knew only too well.

***

 

Amber heard the crack, crack and the bullets whizzing by her as she dove behind a dumpster and out of the line of fire . . . 

 

Add the MATCH CUT to your writing toolbox. While it shouldn’t be overused, keep it in mind for those times when you need an especially intense transition.