MOS

Question

Is it still current USA practice to use "MOS" in a script to denote that a scene is seen (if you, er, see what I mean) but not heard?
If not, what's the acceptable alternative to indicate that though characters are seen to be talking to each other, we don't hear what they say?
Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Is it still current USA practice to use "MOS" in a script to denote that a scene is seen (if you, er, see what I mean) but not heard?[/nq]
I've never seen it in a script written in the last 20 or so years,
[nq:1]If not, what's the acceptable alternative to indicate that though characters are seen to be talking to each other, we don't hear what they say?[/nq]
INT. PUB - DAY
Brad looks into Angelina's eyes.
BRAD
I love you.
Bert says something to MC and they laugh.
ANGELINA
I love me too.

Every country gets the circus it deserves. Spain gets bullfights. Italy gets the Catholic Church. America gets Hollywood. Erica Jong

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I've never seen it in a script written in the last 20 or so years,[/nq]
I've come across it more recently than that, but it certainly doesn't seem to be widespread: something like your example appears to be more common, though I once had an interesting (and somewhat one-sided) discussion on the subject with a moderately obsessed producer who loathed the use of "we hear", "we see" and so on, for no particularly clear reason that I could discern.

Incidentally, there's an interesting page on the MOS subject here: http://www.filmsound.org/terminology/mos.htm .

Thanks for the reply.
Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

Usenet · Answer

MC,
Here's the bit that should have been in my previous reply but somehow mysteriously vanished:
[nq:1]I've come across it more recently than that, but it certainly doesn't seem to be widespread. Something like your example ... chat earnestly but we don't hear what they say" - though I once had an interesting (and somewhat one-sided) discussion...[/nq]
Sorry about that.
Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I once had an interesting (and somewhat one-sided) discussion on the subject with a moderately obsessed producer who loathed the use of "we hear", "we see" and so on, for no particularly clear reason that I could discern.[/nq]
I'm with the producer. You see it in older scripts, but I find it breaks the fourth wall, and it's redundant.
The following is from a bible I wrote for an animation show. Some of it is animation-specific, but the rest I would want to see in any TV script I was writing or story editing. (Part of the purpose of the document is to get different writers with different styles to approach som ekind of "House Style" without encumbering them too much).

Be careful with Number 7 that is Animation-specific. For live action I would reverse the guideline.
+++
SCRIPT FORMAT
There are always personal variations in script format and style and we don't want to stifle you with a lot of restrictions. But we will be handling a lot of scripts on a demanding schedule, so it's necessary to aim for maximum intelligibility in the content and uniformity in the format.
The Storyboard Artists and the Director need scripts that leave no room for confusion as to what's happening in every Scene. If they have to ask, or worse, if they have to guess what's going on, then the scripts aren't doing their job. We therefore need to pay attention to the details-not through any slavish devotion to The Rules but to impose clarity and coherence.
You probably don't need to be told most of what follows. It is very basic and you will recognize it as standard screenplay format boilerplate, with a few familiar animation-specific additions and omissions, but please take the time to read it and apply it to your scripts.
1. SCENE HEADINGS

Always use standard slug lines and punctuate them in the standard way. Keep the slugs as simple and concise as possible-they are intended solely to identify the location of the Action.
Don't use MORNING (it's visually indistinguishable from DAY), LATER, CONTINUOUS or any time of day other than DAY, NIGHT or EVENING-unless there's an absolutely necessary reason to do it. All descriptive information about the Scene, including the weather, the position of the sun etc. should go in the Action element immediately following the slug line. For example:
WRONG:
EXT COURTYARD ON A WINDY, DUSTY MORNING AT SUNRISE

Blah-blah-blah.
RIGHT:
EXT. COURTYARD - DAY
The sun is rising. The wind is blowing. Dust is swirling around the statues and trees. Blah-blah-blah.
2. MOREs and CONTINUEDs

Do not include any MOREs or CONTINUEDs, either in continuing dialogue or in Scenes that flow across a page break. If you're using dedicated screenwriting software such as Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter (aka ScriptThing) that includes this as an option, switch off all MOREs and CONTINUEDs.
3. TRANSITIONALS

Use CUT TO and DISSOLVE TO between Scenes very sparingly. You may also want to use MATCH DISSOLVE TO, RIPPLE DISSOLVE TO and WIPE TO from time to time. Transitionals get you from one Scene to the next Scene. Don't use Transitionals within a Scene to indicate a new Angle or a new Shot, unless there is some truly exceptional and necessary reason to do it.

Specify the type of transition only when it's absolutely crucial that the type of transition should be the one specified, for reasons that may not be obvious to Production. Otherwise, just go directly from the end of one Scene to the subsequent slug line and leave the choice of transition to the director.
4. WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' CAMERAS!

Omit all references to "The camera" and what it does. Just describe the Action.
Sole Exception: If a character speaks directly to camera, put it in a parenthetical, like this:
56. MICKEY MOUSE(to camera)
Blah-blah-blah blah.
5. SHOTS

Simply describe the Action and leave the choice of Shot to the director. Use one of the following Shots only when it's absolutely crucial that the type of shot should be specified:
o ESTABLISHING SHOT:
o ANGLE ON:
o ANOTHER ANGLE:
o CU:
o ECU:
o MCU:
o FOLLOW:
o HIGH ANGLE:
o LOW ANGLE:
o PAN TO:
o SWISH PAN TO:
o TILT DOWN TO:
o TILT UP TO:
o POV:
o PULL BACK TO REVEAL:
o REVERSE:
o TRUCK IN TO:
o TWO SHOT:
If you are going to use TILT or PAN please be sure you know the difference between them.
6. NAMING NAMES

Always identify ALL characters by NAME; don't identify them by an imprecise, ambiguous, non-specific or collective description (i.e. don't force the Storyboard artists to guess who you're talking about).

WRONG:
Mickey and his friends cross the bridge.
Our heroes arrive too late.
Mickey and his girlfriend are smoking a joint.
The latter gets the munchies.
RIGHT:
Mickey, Minnie and Bambi cross the bridge.
Donald and Pluto arrive too late.
Mickey and Minnie are smoking a joint.
Minnie gets the munchies.
7. POV

Don't describe a character and what he sees at the same time if they are separate Shots.
WRONG:
Mickey peeks out the door and sees Walt Disney smoking a cigar.

RIGHT:
Mickey peeks out the door. His POV: Walt Disney is smoking a cigar.

But, if the character and what he sees are in the same shot, the above does not apply, and the "Wrong" version is Right.
8. NO "WE" DON'T

Omit the locution "We see." If it's Action, it's redundant to say that "we see" it. But, in cases where a character does NOT see something that the audience DOES see, go with something like:

Mickey doesn't notice that the anvil is falling off the cliff.

Omit the locution "We hear." If it's dialogue, it's redundant to say that "we hear" it.
If the dialogue is VOICE OVER or OFF SCREEN, indicate it on the same line as the Character Name:
57. MICKEY MOUSE (V.O.)Blah-blah-blah blah. Blah.
58. MICKEY MOUSE (O.S.)Blah-blah-blah blah. Blah.
If it's a Sound Effect, indicate it, and how the characters react to it, like this:
Mickey is minding his own business. (SFX: ANVIL HITS GROUND) Mickey looks up and out of frame in mild surprise.
Omit "we" when we FADE TO, DISSOLVE TO or FADE OUT.
9. PARENTHETICALS, AKA "WRYLIES"

Don't put any Action description in Parentheticals. Use Parentheticals only to indicate how a line should be delivered by the actor, and then only when it's absolutely necessary because the line reading is ambiguous without the Parenthetical. Put Parentheticals on the line below the Character Name slug, not on the same line.

WRONG:
21. MICKEY MOUSE(picking up a vase)
Blah-blah blah blah.
(putting the vase down)
Blah-blah.
RIGHT:
Mickey picks up a vase.
21. MICKEY MOUSE(wryly)
Blah-blah-blah blah.
He puts the vase down.
22. MICKEY MOUSE(more wryly)
Blah-blah-blah blah. Blah.
Blah-blah blah blah.
10. HOW DO WE DRAW THAT?

Describe only what can be shown on screen. Don't describe anything that can't be photographed or drawn, such as a character's internal dialogue, motivation, emotions, thoughts or recollections.
WRONG:
Mickey is melancholy because he's thinking about what happened to Bambi's mother and is reminded of his own mortality.

RIGHT:
Mickey looks sad.

Every country gets the circus it deserves. Spain gets bullfights. Italy gets the Catholic Church. America gets Hollywood. Erica Jong

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I've come across it more recently than that, but it ... though I once had an interesting (and somewhat one-sided) discussion...[/nq]
[nq:1]Sorry about that.[/nq]
I would advocate omitting "but we don't hear what they say"

If they don't get an actual line of dialogue, written in the script, "They chat earnestly." is all you need.

Every country gets the circus it deserves. Spain gets bullfights. Italy gets the Catholic Church. America gets Hollywood. Erica Jong

Usenet · Answer

@reader1.panix.com:
[nq:1]I've come across it more recently than that, but it certainly doesn't seem to be widespread: something like your example ... loathed the use of "we hear", "we see" and so on, for no particularly clear reason that I could discern.[/nq]
Well, it's a pet peeve of mine, although I've never rejected a script that I was covering for that reason alone.
I think I'm not the only one here. It just seems to me that the first- person narrative takes the reader out of the action. There are always better ways to express than "we see".
jaybee
0

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I'm with the producer. You see it in older scripts, but I find it breaks the fourth wall, and it's redundant.[/nq]
I can't say it bothers me (as a reader, I mean) that much, but of course you're right in saying it's easily avoided.
[nq:1]MICKEY MOUSE (to camera) Blah-blah-blah blah.[/nq]
Now why can't I write dialogue like that?
Excellent (and highly entertaining) notes. Thanks.

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]It just seems to me that the first-person narrative takes the reader out of the action.[/nq]
As I said in answer to MC, I don't find the effect particularly distracting; it clearly does alienate some people though, so I agree it's probably better avoided. Thanks for the thoughts.

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

Usenet · Answer

@reader1.panix.com:
[nq:1]Is it still current USA practice to use "MOS" in a script to denote that a scene is seen (if ... indicate that though characters are seen to be talking to each other, we don't hear what they say? Bert www.bertcoules.co.uk[/nq]
Two quick notes:
a) Technically, MOS means without any sound at all (musical score excepted), which may not necessarily be the same as "though characters are seen to be talking to each other, we don't hear what they say".
2) What's the story reason for the MOS? Is this, I dunno, a deafcharacter's POV or something?
Mark

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]What's the story reason for the MOS? Is this, I dunno, a deaf character's POV or something?[/nq]
No specific story reason, it was just a question which suddenly occurred to me. As NMS has already said, it's not at all unusual to have a scene where people converse but we don't hear what they say - and such a scene could indeed have nothing but music behind it, or it could well have natural sound.
Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

MOS

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