Comments on: Handling a character’s POV shot

By: Paula Puryear

Paula Puryear — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:11:42 +0000

@ Mike, In Donovan’s example “see” does not need to be in caps. You can feel comfortable using caps sparingly. It’s rarely needed, though it is an option.

By: LHOOQtius ov Borg

LHOOQtius ov Borg — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:51:41 +0000

My approach is similar to Donovan's. I would write:

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Evan is three spoonfuls into his muesli.

An EXPLOSION rocks the building.

He knocks over his tiny kitchen table as he races to the window to see:

EXT. FRONT YARD - DAY

His Toyota Yaris is flipped over on the front lawn, engulfed in flames.

OR this:

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Evan is three spoonfuls into his muesli.

An EXPLOSION rocks the building.

He knocks over his tiny kitchen table as he races to the window.

EVAN'S POV:

Out he window, his Toyota Yaris is flipped over on the FRONT LAWN, engulfed in flames.

BACK TO SCENE:

Shaking with fear, Evan backs away from the window.

It would depend on, as John mentioned, whether or not it was truly important that the shot be POV because it is important that the audience know that only Evan is seeing this happen. Most likely I'd do option 1, unless I needed option 2.

My $0.02.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:53:14 +0000

In the example, would the word “see” need to be in all caps?

By: Donovan

Donovan — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:52:00 +0000

@Anna: You’re right. John’s version does suggest (clearly) 2 different camera setups - it’s even in the slugline “KITCHEN WINDOW/FRONT YARD”: shot/reverse shot. To stay closer to Ryan’s authorial intention - and without mentioning the camera or the word “POV” - you could write it like this:

Evan is three spoonfuls into his muesli when he hears an EXPLOSION outside. He races to the window to see…

EXT. FRONT YARD - DAY

…his Toyota Yaris flipped over on the front lawn, engulfed in flames.

Either way, you do need to use a new EXT slugline for what happens outside - regardless of whether the camera will be placed INT or EXT.

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:41:13 +0000

@Johnny:

I agree. It’s sometimes hard to avoid resorting to “POV” or “WHAT BILL SEES” or other things like that, but it’s worth the effort to find a different way to describe what you mean. Most of us on this blog are firmly entrenched in the spec world, which means that it’s far more important that our script read well than be easily translated into a shot list by a director and DP. To me, the less a screenplay sounds like a screenplay, the better it reads. So, less focus on film grammar and more focus on writing clear, clever prose and dialogue.

By: Anna

Anna — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:32:23 +0000

A new EXT. scene suggests that the camera is outside.

To me the scene basically reads like two setups: Evan leaning out (facing us/the camera) and then his pov of the Yaris.

By: Johnny

Johnny — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:54:54 +0000

POVs only matter when they describe HOW a character percieves his environment (as in NIGHT VISION, TERMINATOR, PREDATOR, etc.). The ONLY truly important POV in a script is the writer’s.

By: Scott from Australia

Scott from Australia — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 05:20:09 +0000

Sarah, just watch FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS and see how to turn your Kiwisms into gold. Except dont make as much fun of my country.

By: Ayz

Ayz — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:04:04 +0000

@Sarah — my wife’s a kiwi. I’m constantly trying to borrow her kiwi-ism’s and make them work in my dialogue. Doesn’t always pan out, because for some reason only kiwi’s can say that stuff and pull it off. It’s one of life’s mysteries to me.

ON TOPIC: POV is a way to make a moment more subjective too, but for me it’s more a director’s tool than a writer’s, because it doesn’t play as well on page I find.

By: Anonymous Production Assistant

Anonymous Production Assistant — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:47:10 +0000

Wow, product placement in a screenwriting blog. I’m impressed.

Sarah, just do a find and replace, changing “mate” to “dude.” “Good on ya, dude.” Perfectly natural.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:31:11 +0000

Wow - you used the word muesli. And I drive a Yaris. Is this some coded message or should I keep taking my meds?

Seriously, though, a new arrival in the US I have been trying to purge my writing of all New Zealand/English-isms. So I have been busy gifting people my homemade ‘granola’. You’ve thrown me for a loop. Yes, you have.