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In a film where one character writes to another character, how should it be presented?

#EvanPoll #poll

  • Text on screen only (16%, 51 votes)
  • Recipient reads aloud (8%, 28 votes)
  • Voice over by sender (69%, 221 votes)
  • Other (please specify) (5%, 18 votes)
318 voters. Poll end: 2 months ago

Evan Prodromou reshared this.

in reply to Evan Prodromou

Sherlock got it right with speech bubbles appearing in the air.
in reply to Evan Prodromou

usually VOBS, but I can imagine other creative ways to do it. Accessibility somehow is important too.
in reply to Evan Prodromou

I like in older movies where they just show the whole letter on screen and pause for whatever they think is a reasonable amount of time for the average person to read it.

I mean I like it because it's funny, but it's bad UX. Anything but that, really.

in reply to whence and wherefore

@squinky and they highlight the relevant facts with a brighter light? "I shall arrive by train [next Thursday]..." Classic.
in reply to Evan Prodromou

I'm fine with either of the middle two choices, slightly favor sender so voted that way.
in reply to Evan Prodromou

@stufromoz noting there should *always* be text for accessibility reasons, I'm a fan of the conceit where the piece starts in the writer's voice and from their perspective and then fades across to the perspective and voice of the reader.

Not in every case, but where it works, it's effective. I've seen it again recently, but can't remember what I was watching.

in reply to Evan Prodromou

@caity

it must be shown on screen (by some device) for people who are readers, and it should also be read aloud for people who are listeners. whether it is read by the sender or receiver (or both) depends on the dramatic purpose of the scene. so, “all of the above”

in reply to Evan Prodromou

@purplepadma Remember a comedy scene. In Victorian times, two people were writing a letter to be rescued from a kidnapper. It used both on screen and voice over. There was an increasing argument over who had the pen and if the voiceover would match up. The villains hand and voice occasionally pop in with writing and V.O. Of “Mwahaha”.
Goes on for ages. Eventually a new hand appears on screen and says/writes “No need for this letter. I’m already here to rescue you”.
in reply to Evan Prodromou

text on screen if the text is (really) short. Sender voice otherwise
in reply to Evan Prodromou

WORST CASE:

Show the text.
Start reading in recipient's voice.
Overlap with sender's voice (they're talking over each other, *slightly* out of sync).
Finish up with recipient again.

"Persuasion" (1995)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114117/

(Wow, there are SO many productions of this story!)

in reply to Evan Prodromou

I feel like there.iant one right answer for how this should always be done. I think the presentation is telling the audience the perspective the film's writer director intended. Are we supposed to be relating the author or the reader? Or neither? Or both?
in reply to Evan Prodromou

My least favourite mode is exposition by dialogue, where the recipient explains the letter to a third party.

"Whatchya got there?"

"A letter! From Jim!"

"Jim, you say? Why, we haven't seen him around here for ages."

"Well, prepare yourself, because he's coming here next Thursday."

"Thursday? On the express train?"

"The very same."

"Well, I'll be."

in reply to Evan Prodromou

😂😂😂 that sounds like every TV dialog from the 50s
Unknown parent

so you want me to dance for you?

*dance, monkey. DANCE!*

There is no should - no one way to present that information. There is only options, and it is entirely subjective. It depends on what the director is trying to achieve and the subtext of the material. I've seen (and used) every one (even combinations) of the listed methods. Some have been done effectively, others poorly.

I don't have a preference as a director, writer, producer, or consumer.

So, it depends...