Does a Mystery Script Need an Interrogation?

[Zaco32]

Hi everyone. I have a few questions regarding my first screenplay. I'm having trouble writing
an entertaining interrogation scene and having the script come full circle. As of right now I am using flashbacks
but I'm not sure if I want to go that way. I'm not much of a
mystery writer but I wanted to try something different for a film project.
Keep in mind that I don't really have any type of budget
and that I want to be able to make this short under 10 minutes.
Sorry in advance if this post is kinda all over the place.

Here i had two screen shots of my screenplay to give you all some of the background information.

So I gave the killer, Edwards, what I feel as a strong background and in the story
I want the moment he kills Bell as a release of his angers. Thus, a serial killer is born.
I want to have his past with women come full circle as he realizes a way from him to vent his anger, murder.
Now, I am unsure of how to do this in my script. So please any thoughts would be very helpful.

Also, does a mystery short need an interrogation scene? Is there a more interesting way to give
all the same information without having to have your characters sit around a table? I can't think of any
other way to do it but I'd like a way to show it more visibly than verbally. But I feel as that might be a better way to do it.

I'm also having trouble with clues. I have Edwards rip a bracelet off of Bell's wrist to keep as a memento and as a visual clue
as to Edwards has crossed the path to becoming a serial killer but that's about it.

I feel as I am getting stuck with this screenplay. I have written out a interrogation scene in it but it is not good
enough for me to want to be able to move forward with it. So any helpful advice, tips, constructive criticism is very appreciated.

 

[Jack Lynt]

I'm no expert on mystery, but I can't imagine why a mystery would be required to have an interrogation scene. An interrogation scene is probably par for the course in crime dramas or police procedurals. But in mystery, per se, I doubt it's a requirement.

Looking over your excerpts, I would mention that you want to be careful about trying to write history or back story in a screenplay. Unlike when writing short stories or novels, everything in a screenplay ought to be present tense, happening right now. It all happens on the surface. And filmmakers need a screenplay that allows them to do that.

Same goes for psychoanalysis. If it's important to the story, you need to find a way to show it, not explicate it in back story or a written psychological profile.

You're not writing a shooting script. Nonetheless, I think that those of us who attempt to write a screenplay always need to be thinking as though we are, sort of. That is, almost everything we write needs to be a shot. We need to think in terms of shots and dialogue...also being very careful with exposition. Not camera directions, etc, of course. But in terms of shootable action.

So for example, "The murder shocks the small rural town and now has its community on edge." is not a shot. Similarly, "Edwards is a man boiling with pent up with anger..." is not a shot. Understandably, you're trying to tell a potential producer or director what Edwards is all about, what motivates him. But for film, that's superfluous. A producer or a director wants to see everything as a collection of shots, unless I'm very mistaken.

So those things I've mentioned, if they're important to the story, you need to find a way to show them in real time, happening now, even if in flashbacks, in active tense, not passive.

This is something that makes writing for film quite different than writing a novel or a short story. In that regard, writing a screenplay can be much more difficult; you need to distill everything down into a series of actions that which are also shootable content.

 

[CireWire]

For mystery I think (I'm not a pro) that keeping it at a subtle visual pace can be enough. Like you mentioned the visual clue of Bell's bracelet--that in itself be enough to drive an interesting scene without having an interrogation, in my opinion.

 

[Zaco32]

Hey, thank you Richy & CireWire for taking the time to check out my thread.

I'm no expert on mystery, but I can't imagine why a mystery would be required to have an interrogation scene. An interrogation scene is probably par for the course in crime dramas or police procedurals. But in mystery, per se, I doubt it's a requirement.

I haven't really found another way to reveal the same information an interrogation would but in a more entertaining way. I want something that hasn't been done before.

Looking over your excerpts, I would mention that you want to be careful about trying to write history or back story in a screenplay. Unlike when writing short stories or novels, everything in a screenplay ought to be present tense, happening right now. It all happens on the surface. And filmmakers need a screenplay that allows them to do that. Same goes for psychoanalysis. If it's important to the story, you need to find a way to show it, not explicate it in back story or a written psychological profile. You're not writing a shooting script. Nonetheless, I think that those of us who attempt to write a screenplay always need to be thinking as though we are, sort of. That is, almost everything we write needs to be a shot. We need to think in terms of shots and dialogue...also being very careful with exposition. Not camera directions, etc, of course. But in terms of shootable action.

Thank you for the note. I am currently changing that in my screenplay. Showing vs telling is helping me to get out of the past tense writing. I think I will be going a different route with my story now. I haven't had much time to work on it as late but once I can I will post it back up.

So for example, "The murder shocks the small rural town and now has its community on edge." is not a shot. Similarly, "Edwards is a man boiling with pent up with anger..." is not a shot. Understandably, you're trying to tell a potential producer or director what Edwards is all about, what motivates him. But for film, that's superfluous. A producer or a director wants to see everything as a collection of shots, unless I'm very mistaken. So those things I've mentioned, if they're important to the story, you need to find a way to show them in real time, happening now, even if in flashbacks, in active tense, not passive. This is something that makes writing for film quite different than writing a novel or a short story. In that regard, writing a screenplay can be much more difficult; you need to distill everything down into a series of actions that which are also shootable content.

Yes! I really appreciate this critique. Only write what is being shot in the film. Again, show vs tell! Always need to be active/present tense, gotcha! Thank you for your post, it was very helpful, Richy!

For mystery I think (I'm not a pro) that keeping it at a subtle visual pace can be enough. Like you mentioned the visual clue of Bell's bracelet--that in itself be enough to drive an interesting scene without having an interrogation, in my opinion.

Although I really like this scene I think in my next rewrite it will be taken out. I think I'm gonna go more of the route of just before the murder, the act itself and some challenges Edwards will face.

I want to keep it simple with only a few actors but what I have in mind might make that more complicated which I really do not want to happen. It's already hard enough to find actors. I want a better story but I liked the simple shots I had planned in my head for the first screenplay because they were more simple. I'm kind of just ranting now haha.

 

[joelhall]

I'm no expert on mystery, but I can't imagine why a mystery would be required to have an interrogation scene. An interrogation scene is probably par for the course in crime dramas or police procedurals. But in mystery, per se, I doubt it's a requirement.

Looking over your excerpts, I would mention that you want to be careful about trying to write history or back story in a screenplay. Unlike when writing short stories or novels, everything in a screenplay ought to be present tense, happening right now. It all happens on the surface. And filmmakers need a screenplay that allows them to do that.

Same goes for psychoanalysis. If it's important to the story, you need to find a way to show it, not explicate it in back story or a written psychological profile.

You're not writing a shooting script. Nonetheless, I think that those of us who attempt to write a screenplay always need to be thinking as though we are, sort of. That is, almost everything we write needs to be a shot. We need to think in terms of shots and dialogue...also being very careful with exposition. Not camera directions, etc, of course. But in terms of shootable action.

So for example, "The murder shocks the small rural town and now has its community on edge." is not a shot. Similarly, "Edwards is a man boiling with pent up with anger..." is not a shot. Understandably, you're trying to tell a potential producer or director what Edwards is all about, what motivates him. But for film, that's superfluous. A producer or a director wants to see everything as a collection of shots, unless I'm very mistaken.

So those things I've mentioned, if they're important to the story, you need to find a way to show them in real time, happening now, even if in flashbacks, in active tense, not passive.

This is something that makes writing for film quite different than writing a novel or a short story. In that regard, writing a screenplay can be much more difficult; you need to distill everything down into a series of actions that which are also shootable content.

This is exactly what I thought when I read over your excerpts. Keep it concise and allow room for direction and the actors to indulge their roles. I've never felt the need to go into detail for a screenplay, and have to admit when directing I prefer to have the 'wiggle room' to move with the action as I see it.

Here is an example of how I would have written the same scene as a screenplay:

FADE IN:

INT. JULIA BELL'S HOME - LIVING ROOM. NIGHT

A taped-off crime scene. JULIA's body lies on the floor. MICHAEL CONNOR and JAMES MAYFIELD are examining her body (neck).

CUT TO:
EXT. ALEX EDWARD'S HOME - CONTINUOUS.

There is a 'SOLD' sign outside the home. ALEX is hidden in the garage watching events. Police officers approach. ALEX sees them and retreats into the garage. The police officers see the 'SOLD' sign and continue to the next house.

FADE OUT/FADE TO:

As you can see, it's very brief. You need to retain the vital elements of the scene and dialogue. Any extra information isn't necessary unless there are important elements which must be included in the scene. Obviously different writers will decide to include or exclude different things, but this is the general rule.

Anything detailed I would write in my directional notes, storyboard occasional scene descriptions (when have a exact idea of what I want included). Character 'bios' I write as a separate sheet attached to the script where necessary. As Richy says, you aren't writing a book, simply placing the scenes and writing the dialogue.

I will add one thing about the scene - if police are examining evidence, they will not do so by the light of police cars outside. In fact they would do anything to avoid those lights disrupting the scene (just something to think about for realism). They will have bright lights to illuminate all surfaces so that they can properly view the scene and photographs can be taken and small evidence located and collected.

As for the interrogation scene... does your story require it? Would the fact he is interrogated, or anything he says in it, progress the story? As a tool for simply allowing the audience to discover motives, etc., then yes, it will work (and does in numerous films and TV series). However, if you want it to be said but subtle, a better way might be through use of directing the actor in his responses to his own actions. By that I mean it could be made obvious that the killing calms him, and the next time he is angry and searching for victims, attention could be drawn to his signs and symptoms of rage (hand shaking, facial expressions, etc).