Exercise 3: Part 2, Script Writing (First Attempt)

EXT. NANCY THOMPSON LIBRARY - DAY

ALEX walks slowly towards the library’s entrance doors. It’s early in the morning and no more than four people can be seen milling around outside. There’s a chill in the air. Music blasts loudly in Alex’s ears as he grabs the doors.

INT. NANCY THOMPSON LIBRARY (FIRST FLOOR) - DAY

Making his way inside, Alex is greeted by JASON.

JASON
What’s up?

ALEX

Hey man.

JASON
You checking out books?

ALEX
Nah. I study here.

Alex and Jason walk into the entrance area of the library. It’s a far different scene than outside. Students mill about the first floor, filling up the Starbucks and occupying all the computers and booth seating. There’s a constant buzz in the air made up of the collective chatter.

ALEX (CONT’D)
It’s a zoo in here.

JASON
Yeah. You study down here?

ALEX
No way. I go upstairs. Never anywhere to sit down here anyway.

Alex makes his way to the stairs.

JASON
You going up?

ALEX
Yeah.

Jason follows as the two head up the stairs.

INT. NANCY THOMPSON LIBRARY (SECOND FLOOR) - DAY

The noise dulls and the second floor comes into view. Far less people inhabit this floor, but all the seating is still taken.

INT. NANCY THOMPSON LIBRARY (SECOND FLOOR STUDY AREA) - DAY

Alex and Jason enter into the study area, a place of relative silence.

JASON
I hate being up here.

ALEX
Why?

JASON
Too quiet.

The two sit down at the first available empty table. The bright white light from above beams down on them. The rows of books stand tall throughout the room, making many narrow corridors. Alex and Jason open books and begin studying separate subjects.

INT. NANCY THOMPSON LIBRARY (SECOND FLOOR STUDY AREA) - SEVERAL HOURS LATER

JASON
Alright, I’m gonna go.

ALEX
Yeah, I’m leaving too.

They both pack up their books and head for the study area’s exit. The doors swing open and a rush of life greets them.

INT. NANCY THOMPSON LIBRARY (SECOND FLOOR) - DAY

The bright lights are left behind and warm colors return to view. Alex and Jason walk back down to the first floor where a low roar of chatter can be once again heard.

INT. NANCY THOMPSON LIBRARY (FIRST FLOOR) - DAY

Alex and Jason walk to the exit where they say their good-byes.

EXT. NANCY THOMPSON LIBRARY - DAY

ALEX
Alright, peace.

JASON
Yeah, see ya.

Nancy Thompson Library – Kean University

This is a place I’ve spent a lot of time in during my brief time here at Kean. There’s plenty of seating for quiet studying and reading. The first floor fills up quickly, I’m assuming with students who live on campus. It’s the only way I can explain all the prime seats behind the in-house Starbucks being taken not even an hour after the library has opened at eight. The first floor always looks busy, no matter how early it might be. The Starbucks is of course a centerpiece of the first floor, crowded with the addicts, and almost every seat surrounding it is occupied. There are computers available to students, but those are always taken. It looks like no one is moving, but close your eyes long enough, and you’ll see new bodies in the seats. The place is just a blur of noise and movements. And the brightness of the lighting and all the colors that hit you at once can’t help but to wake you up some which is ideal since I come here to study. And it’s because of this that pretty much every time I enter the library I immediately head for the stairs. I know I’ll find some seating on the higher, quieter levels.

Once you leave the buzz of the first floor, the second floor seems like you’re in a different setting entirely. There are just a few seats to your left and right before you head in the study area. This is where all noise seems to stop completely. A totally different environment from downstairs. The study area also houses half the books you can check out, the other half being on the third floor. The study area is even brighter than downstairs, and you can assume it’s for the studying. Here, there are large tables placed in between the large racks and shelves of books. And again, it’s very quiet. Whereas downstairs, you’re lost in a swirl of chatter and movement, here you can hear a pin drop or a page turn. For me, I have to listen to music if only for the need for white noise. Here you can walk down rows and rows of books, four of which I’ve checked out recently. The rows are long and slightly daunting if you have to search for a specific book by some odd-looking call number.

When you leave a study area, you feel like you’re reentering the world again. The noise comes back; the lighting changes and the warm colors greet you as you leave the sanitized feel of the study area behind. It’s refreshing if you spend a lot of time in the study area, which I tend to do to kill time. So there is a big contrast between areas of the library separated only by big double-doors. 

Missed Assignments, Second Chance

I have submitted all my assignments to Blackboard and should be all caught up now.

All my assignments, itemized, submitted Monday, 11/7/11:

1. Web Site (Blogger) (Due September 22)
http://www.alexsladder.blogspot.com/

2. Reaction to The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Due September 22)
http://alexsladder.blogspot.com/2011/09/diving-bell-and-butterfly-reaction.html

3. Chapter 2 Review Group Assignment (Due September 26)
http://alexsladder.blogspot.com/2011/10/chapter-2-review-group-assignment.html

4. Image Bank Assignment (Due September 29)
http://alexsladder.blogspot.com/2011/10/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

5. Exercise I, Part I (Due October 6)
http://alexsladder.blogspot.com/2011/10/exercise-1-part-1-capas-photos.html

6. Exercise I, Part II (Due October 6)
http://alexsladder.blogspot.com/2011/10/exercise-1-part-2-my-images.html

7. A Hard Day's Night Response (Due October 24)
http://alexsladder.blogspot.com/2011/10/hard-days-night-response.html

8. Take-Home Question: Chapter 3: Lighting Director (Due October 20)
http://alexsladder.blogspot.com/2011/10/take-home-question-chapter-3-lighting.html

9. Extra Credit Group Assignment, Question 1 (No Set Due Date)
http://alexsladder.blogspot.com/2011/11/extra-credit-group-assignment-question.html

Extra Credit Group Assignment - Chapter 6: Review Exercise Question 1

 

In this scene from National Security (2003) we witness the way a movie or scene is opened regularly with the use of an establishing shot which gives the audiences the location of the scene. This establishing shot moves into a medium shot which shows viewers who is physically in the scene. Finally, we get a close up shot(s) which is usually employed to show characters exchanging dialogue.

In this scene from Heat (1995),  we get a different approach to the start of a scene. The director uses a series of close ups to set up the scene and the actors rather than use an establishing shot. By doing this, we do not get a clear view of where the characters are in regards to setting. But it does give the scene an element of tension because of its use of back-and-forth close up shots to show the intensity of the character interaction.

These two scenes show different approaches to opening a scene and how it's set up for the audience. Most scenes open with an establishing shot because it gives the audience a better understanding of where the story is currently taking place.