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How to format recurring scenes?

M

Mr.

Hi everyone!

I'm currently writing a screenplay where a few scenes recur throughout the story. It's not just for the sake of it, they place an important part in the story and structure of the screenplay. Some people I've spoken to say it's a matter of editing, but I disagree, since each time we revisit the scene that recur, more and more information is laid out. Please note, they do NOT show up as flashbacks or flash forwards.

Example:

First occurrence (1)
EXT. LAKE IN AFRICA - DAY

Little George stands on the shore, looking out over the vast lake infront of him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Second occurrence (2)
EXT. LAKE IN AFRICA - DAY

Little George stands on the shore, looking out over the vast lake infront of him. He picks up a small rock, and throws it into the lake.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Third occurrence (3)
EXT. LAKE IN AFRICA - DAY

Little George stands on the shore, looking out over the vast lake infront of him. He picks up a small rock, and throws it into the lake, but no sound of the rock hitting the water can be heard. Then,

a LOUD SPLASH.

He runs up towards the bank. Behind him, a

10 FEET CROCODILE rushing out of the lake, straight towards him.

(Ignore the sloppy writing, just an example) So, every time we revisit the scene, we add some piece of information, but as I said, it's not a flashback or flash forward (at least not a characters flashback), just the style of how I'd like to tell this story. Also, I don't plan on reusing all parts of the scene all three time, but the reader has to understand that this is the same scene / moment revisited three times.

Any ideas?

/Mr.
 
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Movies with repeating scenes

Groundhog Day
Source Code
Edge of Tomorrow
Triangle
Windchill

I would check out those screenplays for ideas. I hope it helps.
 
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sfoster said:
Movies with repeating scenes

Groundhog Day
Source Code
Edge of Tomorrow
Triangle
Windchill

I would check out those screenplays for ideas. I hope it helps.
Click to expand...

That's not a bad idea! However, I feel in those cases, each repeating scene is a new scene in it's own, it's essentially a new version of a previous scene, not the same scene repeating over and over again (maybe Triangle is different, haven't seen it). It just came to my mind the Inception deals with this issue (sort of). They treat them as flashbacks. For example, the scene where Cobb enters their anniversary suite repeats several times. They write "INSERT CUT: Blabla...". However that's not exactly what I'm trying to accomplish here either.

Maybe I should just write the slug line the same every time? And it'll be up to the reader to figure out that it's a reocurring scene...
 
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"Arq" did this as well because the day kept resetting (like in "Groundhog Day").

Edge of Tomorrow script example after first reset:

INT. C-COMPANY BARRACKS - DAY

Cage walks back to his bunk in a daze, staring at the faces
of the SOLDIERS he just watched get killed; some playing
video games, some looking at porn, some working out, some
asleep, half-dangling out of Mylar hammocks.

- there's DAVIS, who didn't make it out of the DROPSHIP -

- there's ROKER, who took a JAVELIN in the chest -

- and YONABURU, hunkering over a map that looks like football
strategy. PALKA, a short Norwegian, tosses him WIRE CLIPPERS.
Click to expand...

But this is different than you explained above in that yours is quite the equivalent of the "REWIND/REPLAY" and I can't remember the films but I remember in at least one or more we'd cut to the same scene and it would literally REWIND on screen to the same starting point and then roll forward, and each time reveal a little bit more but they were also done as flashbacks.

I think also Memento had something similar but told in reverse.

I'm curious how you are using this and when the events in your "replayed scene" happen in relation to the rest of your script from start to end.

Good Luck! Would be interested in seeing how you pull it off.
 
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UneducatedFan said:
"Arq" did this as well because the day kept resetting (like in "Groundhog Day").

Edge of Tomorrow script example after first reset:



But this is different than you explained above in that yours is quite the equivalent of the "REWIND/REPLAY" and I can't remember the films but I remember in at least one or more we'd cut to the same scene and it would literally REWIND on screen to the same starting point and then roll forward, and each time reveal a little bit more but they were also done as flashbacks.

I think also Memento had something similar but told in reverse.

I'm curious how you are using this and when the events in your "replayed scene" happen in relation to the rest of your script from start to end.

Good Luck! Would be interested in seeing how you pull it off.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input! The structure of this story mimics the order in which the protagonist uncovers more and more data related to a new scientific discovery. It's as confusing to the reader / audience in the beginning as it is to the protagonist trying to put the pieces together. As the story unfolds, more and more information is given to us. Don't know if that makes any sense to you, but this is my vision of this story and I'll stick to it this first draft just to see how it plays out.

Thanks!
 
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Yeah, just write the slug line the same each time. Only write what the reader can see on screen at that particular moment.

Presumably, in the context of the entire script, the reader will understand that each time they are reading an extended version of a previous scene. If not, there may be a more serious issue within the story itself.
 
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mad_hatter said:
Yeah, just write the slug line the same each time. Only write what the reader can see on screen at that particular moment.

Presumably, in the context of the entire script, the reader will understand that each time they are reading an extended version of a previous scene. If not, there may be a more serious issue within the story itself.
Click to expand...

Thank you mad_hatter! Absolutely, I completely agree
 
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