Metafilm

February 11, 2008 9:09 AM

How does one, in scriptwriting, correctly describe sequences in which a movie is shown (at length)? In other words - a movie inside of a movie.
posted by matkline to Writing & Language (6 answers total)

INT. THEATRE - DAY

Matt and Jessamyn sit in a deserted theatre; Matt puts his feet up. Jessamyn dumps Junior Mints in the popcorn. They both shift slightly in greeting when CORTEX arrives.

     CORTEX
   Did I miss the previews?

     JESSAMYN
   Don't you always?

They turn their attention to the screen, as do we.

ANGLE ON

The screen, filled with the opening frames of OUR INTERNAL MOVIE

MERGE WITH

The inset until it becomes the shot.

INSET:

OUR INTERNAL MOVIE

               DISSOLVE TO:

LATER

EXT. THEATRE - DAY

Walking into the sunlight, Matt puts on sunglasses.

     MATT
   Well, that kinda sucked.

     CORTEX
   I just noticed. You really do look like Sylar.
posted by headspace at 9:17 AM on February 11, 2008 [2 favorites]

And if you're the director, or you have the inset movie finished, you can put in a nice time code like so:

INSET:

OUR INTERNAL MOVIE (0:00 - 4:55)
posted by headspace at 9:19 AM on February 11, 2008

Don't be overly concerned with the 'proper' structure for a screenplay nested in a screenplay: there isn't one. The form is super-duper plastic. As long as you are clear with the intention and vision of the screen, and treat repeated instances (other movies-in-movies) in a similar and comprehensible way, you will be doing the right thing. Headspace's suggestions are great, you might also try

INT - MOVIE THEATER – DAY –

X and Y sit arm-linked as on-screen

DESERT – NIGHT

coyotes howl, rasping flesh from the bones of a DESSICATED COWBOY CORPSE. The COWBOY's hand stirs.

BACK TO:

X finishes a long sloppy kiss with Y

X
Zombie movies get me so horny.

Y arches an eyebrow

DESERT – CONTINUOUS

DESSICATED COWBOY
You can tell a true cowboy by the type of horse he eats.
posted by mr. remy at 9:33 AM on February 11, 2008

Okay, so mr. remy- you do have the rest of that on spec so I can read it, right? Go go, Dessicated Cowboy! He's my sinewy hero!
posted by headspace at 9:35 AM on February 11, 2008

nthing mr. remy - so long as you make it clear when you're transitioning your visuals from the scene to what's on the "in-movie" screen and back again, and do it consistently throughout, you'll be ok.

(adding, "Desiccated Cowboy" = awesome band name)
posted by angry.polymath at 9:49 AM on February 11, 2008

If it's not for production, you can be a little less formal. When you do the slug line, you can make it clear there:

EXT: BLAH BLAH - NIGHT - MOVIE

or a little clearer:

ON SCREEN:

EXT: BLAH BLAH - NIGHT

In addition, you can add parentheticals alongside the characters as they speak:

CHARACTER (ON SCREEN)
I am saying something very important!

OTHER CHARACTER (ON SCREEN)
I can tell! The music keeps swelling as you speak!

Just use a few simple tricks, and read it back to see if it's clear. A little scene-setting in the action lines ahead of time can go a long way, too.
posted by Doctor Suarez at 3:13 PM on February 11, 2008