Format question - cut to black
Printed From: NYC Midnight : Creative Writing & Screenwriting
Category: GENERAL DISCUSSION
Forum Name: Screenwriting Bar & Lounge
Forum Description: Discuss NYC Midnight Screenwriting Competitions or Screenwriting in general.
URL: https://forums.nycmidnight.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=20670
Printed Date: 26 Mar 2026 at 10:44pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Format question - cut to black
Posted By: manifestlynot
Subject: Format question - cut to black
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2019 at 8:01pm
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I want my screenplay to end abruptly. Should I have my final line of action, then CUT TO BLACK, and then FADE OUT. on the right side? It seems redundant. ------------- Rhyming R1: https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic51185_post541412.html#541412" rel="nofollow - Lionheart (Hist fic) |
Replies:
Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2019 at 8:28pm
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just cut to black to the right side ------------- http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SC/Winners/EdHicks.htm" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Challenge 2017 winner |
Posted By: NilesPerry
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2019 at 8:35pm
| Don't put anything. There's nothing more abrupt that it just simply ending. |
Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 9:43am
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I hate resurrecting a dead topic (which usually signifies the beginning of a bad movie), but if I want a scene to end abruptly is it still CUT TO BLACK? The current plan is to have a short scene after the cut, but this scene needs to end hard. ------------- This sig intentionally blank |
Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 12:17pm
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if you're cutting to another scene in a hard way, this is one of those rare times to actually use CUT TO: ------------- http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SC/Winners/EdHicks.htm" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Challenge 2017 winner |
Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 12:49pm
I was envisioning a moment of black screen; maybe as much as a second. It's an alternate way of indicating something you really don't want to see. After the second is over just fade into another scene. ------------- This sig intentionally blank |
cheezopath wrote:Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 1:09pm
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oh right! yeah CUT TO BLACK. maybe put a line of action (or not) then FADE TO: ------------- http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SC/Winners/EdHicks.htm" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Challenge 2017 winner |
Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 1:10pm
Awesome! Thanks Cheezo! ------------- This sig intentionally blank |
Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 1:11pm
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Sorry, but this is not a shooting script. The director/producer will make these decisions. ------------- https://shorturl.at/BYBEf" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Magic and Mayhem https://shorturl.at/FwVkk" rel="nofollow - 500 RomCom/ Making Music FB |
Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 1:25pm
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if it specifically matters to the story you should do it, but yeah, generally territory to avoid unless there's a good reason ------------- http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SC/Winners/EdHicks.htm" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Challenge 2017 winner |
Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 1:29pm
It's action cleverly disguised as camera direction. The only question I still have is whether or not that ends the story, and I'm thinking more and more the FADE OUT becomes CUT TO BLACK. If they don't like it they should have given me different prompts.  <edit> s/E TO BLACK/E OUT/g </edit> ------------- This sig intentionally blank |
Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 1:39pm
I was just having some fun, take nothing from me seriously, though I had picked that from you during an earlier contest, lol. ------------- https://shorturl.at/BYBEf" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Magic and Mayhem https://shorturl.at/FwVkk" rel="nofollow - 500 RomCom/ Making Music FB |
Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 1:48pm
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oh lol sorry missed that one :) brain isn't working 100% I'll be back to my sharp self again once i write....uh....anything! ------------- http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SC/Winners/EdHicks.htm" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Challenge 2017 winner |
Posted By: stephenmatlock
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 9:19pm
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Agree with the idea of leaving all these directions out unless it's super critical to your 12 page story where you sweat over every single line to make your story as economically told as possible. You lose quite a bit of space (3 lines, I think), with each of these. FADE IN: and FADE OUT are the only two transitional/connections I use for these contests. AFAICT, the transitions aren't going to be part of shooting but of post production / editing.
------------- This is not the signature you are looking for. |
Posted By: JeffreyHowe
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2019 at 3:59am
NilesPerry almost has me convinced we don't even need those -- here. Almost. It's a damn hard habit to break.  ------------- https://bit.ly/38KfLIN" rel="nofollow - R1 G33 Honed https://bit.ly/3tclE8H" rel="nofollow - R2 G6 The Price of Kohlrabi |
Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2019 at 4:52am
I am using both this time because drama only takes 4 pages to write and I have lots of space to use up. ------------- https://shorturl.at/BYBEf" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Magic and Mayhem https://shorturl.at/FwVkk" rel="nofollow - 500 RomCom/ Making Music FB |
Posted By: stephenmatlock
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2019 at 11:38am
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF NYCM HAD A SAMPLE SCRIPT THAT SHOWED WHAT THEY WANTED? I get dinged on "THE END" no matter if it's there or not. Judges aren't told, it seems, what is needed or not wanted. Put it in, take it out. Like, just say For this contest, don't use CUT TO or DISSOLVE TO and so on. Just use FADE IN: at the first page top, left justified, and FADE OUT at last page bottom, right justified. Time can be DAY/NIGHT/CONTINUOUS/DAWN/DUSK. Don't put THE END at the end. Avoid emphasis using bold/italic/underline unless it's vital that the actor know how to interpret/read back the line. And honestly, if they don't need FADE IN/OUT for these contests, then just tell us! "This is not a shooting script. This is only a spec script. Leave out things that would be useful for shooting. ------------- This is not the signature you are looking for. |
Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2019 at 11:41am
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you got dinged for not writing THE END? ------------- http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SC/Winners/EdHicks.htm" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Challenge 2017 winner |