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FORMATTING QUESTION

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Zero11 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 15 Aug 2022 at 6:39pm
Hey guys. I have a screenwriting formatting question. I want to show a scene in which there are multiple security cameras showing different perspectives of a house. I don't want to zoom in on a particular screen, but just show them all. Yet what is seen on each screen is important.

How do I write this?  I feel if I break up each screen into a separate action line, then it will seem more as though I am zooming in on each screen. I want them all shown simultaneously. I know with dialogue, some have done like a 4x4 quadrant for voices that occur at  the same time. Would I do something similar here? (and if so, how do I do this on Final Draft?)

Or do I do some sort of intro statement... and then just describe each one?
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Debby1979 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Debby1979 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2022 at 7:26pm
It sounds like you want to add tension/action to what's seen on the screens. If so, you could write a slugline, and then follow it with short action lines, like so: 


ON SCREENS

top left shows burglar at the door -- right shows burglar two breaking through the basement window -- bottom left, another manages to force the gate -- burglar four slinks passed the gate on bottom right screen. 

Even if "nothing" is happening on these screens (for instance, our main character is intently staring at them in anticipation of something appearing), I think the above could still create eeriness and/or tension. The double dashes above typically indicate faster paced action, so it could read better then with just regular punctuation. 

Alternatively, you could use dual dialogue (in Final Draft) to visualize 4 screens, but i think that'll be more confusing, since, as a reader, you'd still need to read each block. I would still proceed these blocks with the slugline "ON SCREENS", so it's clear the focus is on what's happening there. 

Hope that helps! 
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Zero11 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zero11 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2022 at 8:20pm
Thanks. I’ll try it. I do want to show them changing too, but not in sync. Maybe I can leave those details up to a director though. 
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