I would just like to state for the record

[rm]

That screenplay format may kill me.

This shit is hard.

Granted, I entered this contest to force myself to acquire this skill, and plan is working, but UGH.

Because you know what is not useful to Google? "How do I indicate a swoopy tracking shot?"


ETA: First draft is DONE. Too ambitious and too weird for five pages. Probably TOTALLY student work, and you know what, I don't even care. I'm trying to get used to thinking in a text-based way about what is a storyboarding exercise. Hence doing this competition. So, successful on that front if nothing else. Also, I suspect, like with fiction, "short" is not my form.

I'm really proud of myself for doing this, as it's actually pushing a lot of my buttons and is sort of confronting.

Comments

[yamx]

This may help: http://www.mediacollege.com/video/shots/

Camera movements are at the bottom.

[beckyh2112.livejournal.com]

Heh. My screenplay teacher would go "it is not your job to tell the cameraman what to do" whenever I started getting fancy with camera-shots in a screenplay.

[intenselee.livejournal.com]

'Crane tracking shot' might be what You are looking for? In my experience, "swoopy tracking shot" might be perfectly acceptable. :-) Sure, swoopy could use some refining, but I bet they are more concerned with the story, and You are a consummate story teller. Maybe I'm wrong though and they want more.

Just on the off chance that it helps, this is a small but fairly complete glossary of terms with a good set of camera shot terms: http://www.dur.ac.uk/m.p.thompson/filmterms.htm

Again, You've probably found answers to Your questions by now, but AMC has an exhaustive film terms one here: http://www.filmsite.org/filmterms.html It has more of the business terms than just the terms You might need for the screenplay though.

Good luck. I think You'll write some excellent screenplays.

[loveslashangst.livejournal.com]

*sticks nose in*

What kind of format are they calling for?

If it's a spec script (you're just telling the story), then no camera directions of any kind. Barely even stage directions, if you can avoid them.

If it's a shooting script, that's another animal.

[heeroluva.livejournal.com]

Ugh, I hate screenplays. Hope it works out for you.

[miep.livejournal.com]

you rock. so there.

[bitsyrant.livejournal.com]

I have competed in NYC Midnight many times and came in first in the preliminary round on a few occasions. Let me know if you wind up beta-ing your draft and are looking for thoughts.

[imaginarycircus.livejournal.com]

Are you using Final Draft? It makes everything much easier if you are writing a script. I was also taught that you do not indicate camera shots in your script. Those are directorial decisions. YMMV.

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

My script consultant discourages me from getting too precise with shots... He say's "that's up to the Director"...

[lookingaround17.livejournal.com]

I think it's great to just do something hard and gain the skills. They come along much more easily next time, and then you'll be so glad.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

I wonder a little how hard I'm going to get dinged for most of mine being action with little audible dialogue. I can see it all very clearly in my head, but I've no idea how much of that came through in the written version.

Behold, my total lack of skill and experience in this arena.