: Re: Is it okay to use “Off This—“ in a spec script? I feel like it’s a great tool for transitioning scenes. Off the Sargent’s grimacing face— Off the dead cheerleader’s tramp stamp—

@Holmes449

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I think it is some kind of directorial or camera direction, and I don't recognize it as a standard one. If it is what I think it means, you are directing, and wasting a line (which counts as time in a script, and costs you a line of dialogue for example). I say "wasting" because what else could happen? How is this different than what the director will imagine anyway? And if it is different, the director will go with their visual imagination over yours, anyway.

Are you talking about a Graphic Match Cut? (Or Action Match Cut.)

That would still be a directorial prerogative, but you could mention it to note to the director such a match exists. Panning away or focusing on something else or some standard camera direction should be left to the director, none of them should be mentioned.

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