Thread: Undetermined Time (screen writing)

Hey,

I am writing a screenplay that takes place completely in a basement where there are no windows. How would I go about writing the screen heading for these scenes if the audience never has to know what time it is?

Could I write it like this "INT. BASEMENT- INDETERMINABLE" or could I leave it simply "INT. BASEMENT" with no time?

I would definitely not use 'indeterminable'. You could indicate time instead. I have seen that done. Otherwise leave it blank.

Scene headings are for the benefit of the director and the actors not the audience, you should identify the time lapse between scenes.

One Hour later.
Two days later.

Let me see if I’ve got this right.

Screenplay scenes can be, generally are, filmed out of sequence then cobbled together later in the correct order, right?

This particular effort is to be portrayed as taking place entirely in a windowless basement.

What does it matter to anyone – crew, actors, the tea-lady, whoever – if a particular scene takes place at the dark of the moon or on Pancake Tuesday? I mean, what possible effect can it have on the finished product, as seen by the audience, for this (timing) to be known by those concerned with its production? The answer can only be that it doesn’t matter, that it has no effect.

With respect, it seems to this little black duck that to blindly follow this convention “because that’s the way it’s done” is no more than a means of keeping a typist out of the unemployment statistics or, if that's too obscure, of checking that the CAPS LOCK key on your keyboard is still functional.

I would suggest leaving those time-related headings off altogether, and seeing for yourself what difference it makes when it comes to doing the work. It will make no difference.

People in the entertainment industry need to get over themselves.

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

I would suggest leaving those time-related headings off altogether, and seeing for yourself what difference it makes when it comes to doing the work. It will make no difference.

Ox, if the writer has decided that Scene one is a man is being interrogated in a cellar and Scene two is the same man being interrogated in the same cellar but two days later. The director needs to know the actors need to know the make-up and continuity people need to know...need I go on?

Off Topic:

Still having that same old difficulty with the if/then rule, I see.

I might write the scene heading this way:

INT. BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

Then, in the scene description, I'd note that the basement is windowless.

Edit: Is this a short film or is it feature-length?

It is a short film.

For a short film I was writing for my college acting class I used

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - TIME UNKNOWN

If you are writing this short film for yourself, or your friends to work on I wouldn't get too worried about the "correct" way to write it - just write. Pick a way to write it and stick to it and it'll be fine.

Good luck!

Hey Sock -

It's been my experience when writing - DAY / NIGHT / CONTINUOUS etc that there is only one rule you need to adhere to in order to keep your script reader from being confused.

1) ONLY use DAY or NIGHT. Don't use DAWN, SUNSET, TWO HOURS LATER, or CONTINUOUS in your slug line.

The primary reason is a bit wonky and silly, and there are many who will disagree, but it's this:

When reading and breaking down your script for production, the production departments I've worked with have found it problematic trying to force DAWN, SUNSET, TWO HOURS LATER, etc. into either DAY or NIGHT production strips, which are the two categories their scheduling software has to deal with.

The solution: Give the reader the idea that it's dawn, sunset, or two hours later in the action text right below the slugline.
*********************************

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Dawn. Rob and Lisa sharpen their swords.

or

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Two hours later. Rob and Lisa mount up with their swords and ride off.

*********************************

And regarding CONTINUOUS. If your reader can't tell that the scene following the previous scene is not set in the same time of day, you probably need to go back and make sure your writing in both scenes is as clear as it can be.

Brian
Screenplay Readers

Originally Posted by Screenplay Readers

the production departments I've worked with have found it problematic trying to force DAWN, SUNSET, TWO HOURS LATER, etc. into either DAY or NIGHT production strips,

JEEZIZ!!! Tell me about it!!!

Wah! Wah! Wah! Our software doesn't make it seem like dawn....oh boo-hoo!!!

Honestly, I say screw the production department and write what you want.

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

it seems to this little black duck

Ahhh.....

ABSOLUTELY don't "identify" the time in slugs. There is NO POINT in putting anything in a script that the audience can't see of hear.

This whole INT/EXT DAY/NIGHT thing is an artifact from shooting scripts and often useless or counterproductive.

Many would say that DAY and NIGHT are the only legitimate slugs. Maybe true. What is true is that if you start getting cute, you look like an amateur.

I would say either slug it all as NIGHT or just omit the tag altogether.

And definitely lose CONTINUOUS or CONTINUED or CON'T.

Ox, if the writer has decided that Scene one is a man is being interrogated in a cellar and Scene two is the same man being interrogated in the same cellar but two days later. The director needs to know the actors need to know the make-up and continuity people need to know...need I go on?

Not when you're that wrong. They don't FILM it two days later. If the time lag is important you SHOW IT some way. Do NOT try to commicate to the reader what you can't communicate to the viewer.

Read that paragraph again, it's very important.

Now, how to get across the two days. Not brain surgery.

Tom now has a two day growth of beard.

GUTTMAN
You've held out two days, Tom. But what's the point.

Okay.
Seriously, absoliutely. Forget trying to dial in time or anything other thing that you can't put on the screen.