Need help with opening scene

[Readingruffini]

I want to write an opening scene where the first scene opens to the city of Miami. Then I want the camera have a series of shots showing several characteristics of Miami, such as buildings, Miami Beach, the people, etc.. Finally I want to go from that to a camera zoom on a car driving down a highway near Miami.

I'm fairly new to writing scripts. Right now, I have most of my trouble with opening scenes. How would I go about writing the scene I described above, using camera angles and anything else necessary? Thanks.

 

[Digigenic]

It depends...
If you're directing the picture, then the camera angles can be implemented above, below, or within the general action/description of what's taking place, separate of course from the location. Describing Ariel/bird’s eye WS (wide shot) of city, gradually progressing inward to follow into an effects shot/transition that rapidly closes onto the car, and pulls the viewer inside of the car for a CU (close up) of the driver, whichever way you visualize it.
:arrow: HOWEVER, if you aren’t directing the picture yourself, having camera angles in the script is a big no no. Because, other directors will think that you’re trying to tell them how to do their jobs, and any other general reader will become distracted by all the angles, and we all know how complex they can get, it’ll totally take away from the story.

 

[MarkG]

Indeed. Unless you're writing a script for yourself, just describe what the audience will see, not how it's shot. Reading a script with a lot of camera directions can be difficult and tiresome, and if you write it properly the directions are obvious.

 

[Readingruffini]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I think I understand now.