Having trouble with dream sequences

[thedangle1]

I have some scenes that are dreams, but not just one scene. It's a series of headings. One online guide showed me if I had a dream sequence, to do it like this:

FADE IN:

BEGIN DREAM SEQUENCE:

INT. SMALL BEDROOM - NIGHT

A YOUNG BOY, 8, sits in a corner, crying.

A YOUNG MAN, 20's, enters, wielding a lead pipe.

YOUNG MAN
You little son of bitch!

YOUNG BOY
I'm sorry, daddy...

The boys hands fly up. The lead pipe crashes down. WHAM!

It strikes the boy's head. The blood flows. The crashing of the pipe continues.

INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT/BEDROOM - NIGHT
Chris jolts awake, covered in sweat...

It continues from there.

Any suggestions? Is this right?

 

[Unknown Screenwriter]

It'll work...

I have some scenes that are dreams, but not just one scene. It's a series of headings. One online guide showed me if I had a dream sequence, to do it like this:

FADE IN:

BEGIN DREAM SEQUENCE:

INT. SMALL BEDROOM - NIGHT

A YOUNG BOY, 8, sits in a corner, crying.

A YOUNG MAN, 20's, enters, wielding a lead pipe.

YOUNG MAN
You little son of bitch!

YOUNG BOY
I'm sorry, daddy...

The boys hands fly up. The lead pipe crashes down. WHAM!

It strikes the boy's head. The blood flows. The crashing of the pipe continues.

INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT/BEDROOM - NIGHT
Chris jolts awake, covered in sweat...

It continues from there.

Any suggestions? Is this right?

FADE IN:

INT. SMALL BEDROOM - NIGHT (DREAM SEQUENCE)

A YOUNG BOY, 8, sits in a corner, crying.

A YOUNG MAN, 20's, enters, wielding a lead pipe.

          YOUNG MAN
     You little son of bitch!

          YOUNG BOY
     I'm sorry, daddy...

The boys hands fly up. The lead pipe crashes down. WHAM!

It strikes the boy's head. The blood flows. The crashing of
the pipe continues.

INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT/BEDROOM - NIGHT

Chris jolts awake, covered in sweat...

                                        [U]END DREAM SEQUENCE.[/U]

OR

FADE IN:

INT. SMALL BEDROOM - NIGHT (DREAM SEQUENCE)

A YOUNG BOY, 8, sits in a corner, crying.

A YOUNG MAN, 20's, enters, wielding a lead pipe.

          YOUNG MAN
     You little son of bitch!

          YOUNG BOY
     I'm sorry, daddy...

The boys hands fly up. The lead pipe crashes down. WHAM!

It strikes the boy's head. The blood flows. The crashing of
the pipe continues.

INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT/BEDROOM - NIGHT

Chris jolts awake, covered in sweat...

OR

FADE IN:

[U]DREAM SEQUENCE[/U] - INT. SMALL BEDROOM - NIGHT

A YOUNG BOY, 8, sits in a corner, crying.

A YOUNG MAN, 20's, enters, wielding a lead pipe.

          YOUNG MAN
     You little son of bitch!

          YOUNG BOY
     I'm sorry, daddy...

The boys hands fly up. The lead pipe crashes down. WHAM!

It strikes the boy's head. The blood flows. The crashing of
the pipe continues.

INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT/BEDROOM - NIGHT

Chris jolts awake, covered in sweat...

                                        [U]END DREAM SEQUENCE.[/U]

These are the traditional ways of writing them...

filmy

 

[caseyhein]

Do you have to note that its a dream sequence? I had one in a recent feature, I didn't say it was a dream sequence in the slugline, but I had Him waking up in bed. Should I put it in the slug line even though it should be appearant that its a dream?


Sorry to hijack the thread.

 

[Unknown Screenwriter]

Do you have to note that its a dream sequence? I had one in a recent feature, I didn't say it was a dream sequence in the slugline, but I had Him waking up in bed. Should I put it in the slug line even though it should be appearant that its a dream?


Sorry to hijack the thread.

caseyhein,

No it's fine the way you did it ESPECIALLY if you're trying to surprise the reader. In fact, that is HOW I do it. It's just not the traditional way.

Bottom line... As long as the reader can easily understand what you're doing, it works.

filmy