Phone Conversation

Golden Ticket for Script Frenzy Donors
BrettRox

101 pages

Posted
April 9, 2008 - 4:51am

Phone Conversation

If you have two characters having a phone conversation, say one in a building and one in a car in a parking lot across town, and you want to show each of them while they talk, what's the correct way to handle this? Do you need to bounce back and forth like so?

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

KACEY
Hello?

EXT. RETIREMENT HOME PARKING LOT - DAY

JAKE
Hey, it's me?

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

KACEY
Where are you?

Etc.

This can't be the way to do it, right? It seems too cumbersome. So any advice on how to handle it?

Thanks!

Golden Ticket for Script Frenzy Donors
DMac

Posted
April 9, 2008 - 8:19am

RE: Phone Conversation

When you want to show both people at different locations engaged in a conversation, set up each scene locale once and then INTERCUT without repeating the slug lines for those scene locations, until you get to the location where the conversation ends:

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

The phone rings and Kacey answers.

KACEY
Hello?

EXT. RETIREMENT HOME PARKING LOT - DAY

Jake fumbles for his car keys while talking on his cell phone.

JAKE
Hey, it's me.

INTERCUT

KACEY
Where are you?

JAKE
I'm at the retirement home.

KACEY
You're supposed to be here!

JAKE
I'm on my way, take it easy...

KACEY
Take it easy! I'm here all alone and
all you can say is take it easy? You
are impossible!

Kacey slams down the phone.

EXT. RETIREMENT HOME PARKING LOT - DAY

Jake hears the line go dead. He puts away his phone and climbs into his car.

(etc.)

INTERCUT isn't just for phone conversations -- you can also use it when you want to show a several actions going on at the same time and you cut back and forth between each bit of action, e.g.

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

The Thief skulks in the shadows...

INT. MANSION BEDROOM - NIGHT

Clutching a cocktail, the Socialite stumbles to her bed.

INT. CAR - NIGHT

In his Mustang, P.I. peers through the windows, looking for an address.

INTERCUT:

Collapsed on her bed, Socialite reaches to turn off the bedside lamp and spills what's left of her cocktail.

Outside, Thief watches until he sees the LIGHT in the upstairs window go dark.

PI guns the engine of the Mustang, and SCREECHES around the corner to the gates of the Mansion.

Inside the Mansion, Thief slowly climbs the stairs....

BEDROOM

Socialite is passed out on the bed, oblivious to the danger.

[like that]

Golden Ticket for Script Frenzy Donors
BrettRox

101 pages

Posted
April 9, 2008 - 8:44am

RE: Phone Conversation

Excellent advice. Thanks much for that!

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"You're pretty good with words, but words won't save your life."

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