Showing Time Passage
I was thinking about how to show the passage of time in screenplays so I put on my ”thinking cap”. The first idea I had was to show a watch or a clock but that “tool” is so overused I would stay away from it if at all possible.
First thing to know is “how much time” is going to pass? Are we talking a half hour or a half century?
Short amounts of time passage might include night changing to dusk or a a full coffee cup that becomes empty.
Longer time passages… A baby is born and in the next scene the baby is seven years old. A brand new car morphs into an old car. A child enters grade school and, in the next scene, he/she graduates high school.
Here’s a short list of what I come up with while brainstorming for just a few minutes…
Changing seasons: heat of summer to colorful falls leaves … snow to spring tulips.
A progression of holidays … Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, July 4th.
A clean kitchen. The spotless cook, now covered with flour.
Climbing a ladder … falling off a roof.
Entering a club (sober). Leaving a club (drunk).
Hair is black … hair is gray.
Boarding a plane. The plane in the sky. Departing the plane.
Building a fire. The fire, almost out, a few embers glow.
Put on your thinking cap. Think about how to SHOW the passing of time. Make a list!
