Format question

[trellicktower]

Hi all,

Let's say you have a bunch of people sitting around in a room. They are talking. There is a TV on in the room as well, and everyone is waiting for the evening news to begin. Every now and then you want the action on the TV (particularly the newscaster) to be the focal point of the scene. You want the people sitting around to be paying attention to what's on the TV, but also want them to be making comments throughout. How would you write this?

Would it be as simple as saying something like:

The evening news comes on the TV. Everyone stops talking to see what the news has to say about the day's events.

NEWSCASTER
Welcome...

PERSON 1
Blah...

PERSON 2
etc

NEWSCASTER
and so on

Anyone have experience with this? I thought West Wing scripts might have examples, but also thought I'd check with you all.

Thanks in advance for any help
TT

[scottmyers]

When in doubt, go to the experts. Here is how Paddy Chayefsky handles it in the movie Network:

84. INT. MAX'S OFFICE

MAX behind his desk on his phone, chin cupped in his
right hand, staring glumly at HOWARD on his CONSOLE --

MAX
(on phone)
Nothing --

HOWARD (ON CONSOLE)
And the Voice said to me: "We're
not talking about eternal truth
or absolute truth or ultimate
truth! We're talking about
impermanent, transient, human
truth! I don't expect you people
to be capable of truth! But,
goddamit, you're at least capable
of self-preservation! That's
good enough! I want you to go
out and tell the people to
preserve themselves -- "

MAX
(mutters on phone)
Right now, I'm trying to remember
the name of that psychiatrist
that took care of him when his
wife died --

And this:

ANOTHER ANGLE showing the rapt attention of the PEOPLE
in the control room, especially of DIANA --

HOWARD
I don't want you to riot. I
don't want you to protest. I
don't want you to write your
congressmen. Because I wouldn't
know what to tell you to write.
I don't know what to do about the
depression and the inflation and
the defense budget and the Russians
and crime in the street. All
I know is first you got to get
mad. You've got to say: "I'm
mad as hell and I'm not going
to take this any more. I'm a
human being, goddammit. My life
has value." So I want you to
get up now. I want you to get
out of your chairs and go to
the window. Right now. I want
you to go to the window, open
it, and stick your head out
and yell. I want you to yell:
"I'm mad as hell and I'm not
going to take this any more!"

DIANA
(grabs HUNTER's
shoulder)
How many stations does this
go out live to?

HUNTER
Sixty-seven. I know it goes out
to Atlanta and Louisville,
I think --

HOWARD (ON MONITOR)
-- Get up from your chairs.
Go to the window. Open it.
Stick your head out and yell
and keep yelling --

But DIANA has already left the control room and is
scurrying down --

Technically, I suppose, you would establish the TV newsperson on the TV, then follow the character name with the (V.O.) extension. But you see there's a bit of 'play' in that the reader assumes the newsperson continues to talk while conversation happens among characters in the room.

[zampana]

Yeah, I'd just add a (on Monitor) in parenthesis or something so it doesn't look like the newscaster is sitting in the room with the other people...

j

[outofcontext]

I'm just jazzed to see Chayefsky put action in parentheticals--it's a habit I've been trying to break but maybe I can let it go now.
We find comfort where we can.
FWIW, I like the one establishing indication and V.O. after.
Anyone have any rules on O.S. and V.O.? I've heard a lot of different opinons. I use O.S. when someone is present, even on the other side of a door or outside a window and V.O. most other times.