Best way to show time has past?

[Zooby]

Hi, I'm a freshman in college and I wrote a script about a college student who gets addicted to coffee like it's crack cocaine. In the script I have a scene where I'd like to show that he's been studying for a long time and that we've moved ahead several hours. Now my question is, what's the best way to show this on camera with out the obvious shot of the clock? If there's no other way I'll just go with that but I'd like it to be a little more creative. Thanks for the help. Also sorry if this is the wrong forum.

 

[cybersarge]

Fading and quick cuts are usually an easy way I think. Though probably amaturish, montages are also a good way of showing time passing. Just a quick idea.

 

[filmsforever]

Time Passing

Time Passing

Well, think about things that happen when time passes. Cut to those things or fade in and fade out. You might do some tricky stuff with editing software.

1. Clocks ( both digital and clocks with hands moving forward faster or cjumping forward using fade in and fade out)
2. Ashtrays getting full and cups getting empty, hair getting more and more messy with each fade id nor cut to
3. lighting, getting dark or getting light.
4. Shadows moving in the window or moving against the walls. maybe put a pot plant in the window and show the shadow moving as if the sun or the sun is really moving accross the sky
5. fade out and empty cups and move things a bit and then use software to fade in a cut
6. trash piles up...

 

[Zooby]

Thanks for the ideas guys, it's a big help.

 

[thebeatsuite]

If in any way you can shoot the student in the foreground and somehow have people in the background moving faster it would show time passing without his awareness...?

 

[Zooby]

If in any way you can shoot the student in the foreground and somehow have people in the background moving faster it would show time passing without his awareness...?

I like that idea but that scene takes place in a small dorm room. Maybe I'll write something in for that though

 

[filmsforever]

you could supper impose the clock

you could supper impose the clock

Maybe you could supper impose a clock moving in slow motion and really emphasize time is moving buy cutting it or fading it ahead ten minutes at a timed supper imposing it over the entire frame. Did you see the movie Ground Hog Day? There is an extreme close up shot of the clock in some shoots.

 

[filmsforever]

Keep me updated - I would like to see the final version

Keep me updated - I would like to see the final version

Keep me updated - I would like to see the final version

 

[Zooby]

Keep me updated - I would like to see the final version

Ya definitely, we start shooting this saturday and I'm really excited cause it's the first thing I've ever really written or directed.

I've decided that I might do this to show time has passed: In my script when the main character gets addicted to coffee and energy drinks I'm going to do something like from Requiem for a Dream where the mom is having her lunch and you don't see her eat it but you just hear the sound and the food/coffee is gone. And so i'm going to use the slurping sound or a can opening sound and everytime that happens a new cup of coffee or energy drink will be on the table and i'm going to have them stack up and say "10 PM" and the character will look at it like wtf? and then look again and it'll just be littered all over his table and floor. What do you guys think about that?

 

[Zooby]

Bad news, I'm unfortunately gonna have to postpone shooting till next fall. Last week the media department at my school told me I could check out their equipment, but yesterday they said I couldn't check out the equipment till I complete the production class that I'm taking this quarter. But I guess it's not all bad, I'll use this summer to both write another script and refine this one.

Anyways, thanks for all the help guys. Hopefully I'll be able to post my film up here next fall.

 

[cybersarge]

Bad news, I'm unfortunately gonna have to postpone shooting till next fall. Last week the media department at my school told me I could check out their equipment, but yesterday they said I couldn't check out the equipment till I complete the production class that I'm taking this quarter. But I guess it's not all bad, I'll use this summer to both write another script and refine this one.

Anyways, thanks for all the help guys. Hopefully I'll be able to post my film up here next fall.

If you ever need a bit of help, look us up dude. I'm sure those of us that are here are going to be more then willing to help