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Question about introducing a character over the phone.

H

harmonica44

I couldn't find an online screenplay where this happens, to research from. But when a character is introduced in his first appearance over the phone where you only hear him and not see him, such as in mine, should I recapitalize his name later, when he makes his first on screen appearance? Or should I just keep his name lower cased letters? Thanks for the input :).
 
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Okay thanks. But in the Scream script, the caller is written as "MAN'S VOICE". If I put man's voice in the script, what do I put in the later scene when the man is in person. Should I actually write it like "This is the same man on the phone in the third sequence"?

They don't explain it that way in scream cause the way he is revealed later is obvious to the same man on the phone. But the villain in scream was speaking into a device that disguised his voice. In my script, the man is not hiding his voice at all, from the friend he is talking to, so the viewer will realize it's the same person later. In Scream, all they say is Man's Voice, but they describe the villain by giving him a different name later, instead of using his name in the first scene. What if I want to use the name in the first scene, but then introduce that same person later? Do I still put the letters in lower case, for his name when he appears in person?
 
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harmonica44 said:
If I put man's voice in the script, what do I put in the later scene when the man is in person. Should I actually write it like "This is the same man on the phone in the third sequence"
Click to expand...

Yes, except I would use different wording than "third sequence" so it doesn't sound so stiff. For instance over the phone he could be RASPY VOICE and when you introduce BOB he has the same raspy voice from his earlier phone call with Sue. OR you can make it clear in the dialogue. Say Raspy Voice mentions over the phone that he's gotta go, his aunt's on the other line from freaking Brazil or somewhere and when Sue sees him in person, Sue asks how his aunt is, how's Brazil?

There's no rule other than to write what we see and hear. So therefore, don't name him in the phone conversation if we don't know his name. It's your job to make it clear later that it's the same person or else it won't be clear onscreen. In making this clear, just be crafty and not so stiff as "this is the man from the third sequence" because third sequence means nothing to a reader who is actually interested in the story and not thinking about sequences & act breaks.
 
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Code: 
INT.  TYLER'S OFFICE - DAY

Tyler, hunched at his desk, pores over open files with mug
shot photos.  He turns another page until

one of the faces jumps out, Manning's.

The phone rings and his hand grasps it and draws it to
his ear.

                      TYLER
               (to phone)
         Officer Prescott. ...  Oh, hi
         Dan.  I think I have a lead.

                      DAN (O.C.)
                (on phone)
         Well don't forget that you and
         Janet are coming to the cookout
         Saturday.

                       TYLER
         You kidding?  It's all I've heard
         about.

                       DAN (O.C.)
                 (on phone)
         Remember, you're bringing that
         bacon dip.  Don't make me put
         an A.P.B.

Tyler cracks a smile and leans back.

                      TYLER
         Didn't know I was so popular.

                       DAN (O.C.)
                  (on phone)
         Not for you.  Your wife's dip.

Knock at the door.  Tyler glances up to see the
Lieutenant and nods.

                      TYLER
         Look gotta go.  Will see you there.

Tyler hangs up the phone.
When we actually see him, introduce his character with all caps and a physical description. In this case, since Tyler mentions him by name, we just continue with the convention. Since we see Tyler talking to the phone, we don't need to repeat that. Since Dan could theoretically walk into the room, it's best to continue saying "(on phone)". A director could decide to cut back and forth with an intercut if there is a visually interesting reason to do so.

There is another convention that seems to be out there but isn't fully approved which is to write "DAN (PHONE)". I've seen it a few times now. Not sure how well that flies. My hang-up with it is it can lead to lists of parentheses: DAN (PHONE)(CONT'D). I suppose you could do DAN (O.C., PHONE). Generally the only items after a character in parentheses are V.O., O.C., O.S. and CONT'D. I tend to opt for and recommend more conventional options.
 
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