Hello Tim,

Welcome. I'm also new to the group. You can do break scenes the way
describe, but don't use [Bold] or [Italic] in your script.

Regards,

Dan


--- In screenwritingstructure@yahoogroups.com, "Ryan Stockstad"
<hollywoodpsychic@h...> wrote:
> Hey Tim,
>
> I'd like to tackle the character issue. If I understand correctly,
you're
> concerned about introducing unlikeable elements of your character
too early
> for fear it may turn off a script reader.
>
> What I hear time and time again, is that most
producers/actors/readers are
> looking for characters that are, above all else, interesting. You
certainly
> wouldn't want a character that has absolutely NO redeeming
qualities (unless
> of course you do:) ), but a flawed character is interesting.
That's
> important.
>
> I wouldn't worry about it killing a reader's interest. If
anything, assuming
> the rest of the elements in your script are good, the flawed
character
> traits will probably keep your reader turning the pages.
>
> One question though: Is this your lead character?
>
> The issue regarding your apartment room scenes is one I've heard
many times
> before. There seem to be various accepted ways to handle this. I
often see
> this issue when a character in one of my scripts moves from
indoors, to the
> driveway/parkinglot and finally to the interior of a vehicle. (In
this
> instance, I think int's important to break with new scene
headings.) How you
> handle it can depend on how you want the scene to flow. In your
case, I
> definitely think it's a mistake to break the scene up with
multiple scene
> headings.
>
> I think the way you're suggesting is acceptable. The bottom line
is that you
> don't want to make things hard to understand or clunky because
this will
> definitely alienate your reader and annoy the hell out of them!
>
> I may suggest mentioning in the scene description that your
character moves
> throughout the apartment, as a heads up to whoever may be reading.
>
> Good luck! I hope this is helpful. ~Ryan
>
>
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WriteItRight/
> http://www.epinions.com/user-officer
>
> ----------
>
>
> Hello. I'm new to the group so let me first say my name's Tim.
I've
> been writing for about 3 1/2 years now. Yet to finish one but
> they're getting better.
>
> A couple of questions.
>
> First, about changing scenes. I have a couple of scenes in an
> apartment where the characters are going from the living room to
the
> bathroom, bedroom and so forth. I don't want to create a new scene
> heading so I've been doing it like this example.
>
> INT. APARTMENT -- DAY
>
> He gets up off the couch and goes into the
>
> BATHROOM [in bold]
>
> where he takes his medications.
>
> He then goes back into the
>
> LIVING ROOM [in bold]
>
> and sees her standing at the doorway.
>
> FADE OUT.
>
> I shortened it just to demonstrate but I'm curious as if this is
> acceptable when it comes time to submit or am I going to have to
> create new scenese for each room. In the script, it is essential
to
> have the different rooms in there. There's a lot of moving around
> back and forth and such. Does that make sense?
>
> The other thing, I built about ten pages demonstrating the strong,
> loving relationship of this couple. The thing is, the main
character
> is suicidal and I really need to demonstrate that within the first
> act. Is this a suicidal move on my part? I know throughout the
> second act I can overcome this. But, it doesn't do my any good if
> the person reading (agent/producer, whoever) doesn't like the
> character well enough to continue reading.
>
> Usually I can find my answers in books or through a writing class
but
> this seems to be absent of anyone's "honest guess". Thanks to
anyone
> who can help.
>
> cul8r
> tim
>
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