Guys I'd appreciate some help. I'm writing a screenplay voice over prologue that features the V.O. narrator but also has an active montage occurring that contains some background dialogue which is brought to the front 3 or 4 times during the prologue. Both characters are unseen which makes it more complicated. to format. Basically an image in the cubical next to off screen office assistant appears as she answers her own phone. The images continue as the V.O. narrator begins. The character answering the phone will initially be regular O.S. dialogue. After that the V.O. narrator will be prominent as the character who answered the phone voice fades somewhat but can still be made out at times. The only time CHARACTER A is the primary focus is a brief time at the beginning, middle, and end of the sequence. After that character A goes away and character B continues the prologue.
For example:
LOCATION 1
A phone rings. Office logo is seen.
CHARACTER A (O.S.)
bla bla bla
Images appear in character A's office but she is unseen . Character A continues understandable dialogue in the background at a low volume as character B begins the prologue.( This is the formatting in question) A hand reaches for a book.
CHARACTER B (V.O.)
bla bla bla
a coffee cup sits on a table.
CHARACTER B (V.O.) (CONTD)
bla bla bla
Hands turn pages of a book.
CHARACTER A (O.S.)
voice is brought to the front to reveal
important foreshadow information. This
cut into the main CHARACTER B (V.O.)
occurs 3 times. After this A goes away
and B continues to narrate.
A picture hangs on a wall.
CHARACTER B (V.O.) (CONTD)
bla bla bla
I appreciate any feedback
Thank You
I use a simple direction: SHOW MONTAGE OF (whatever's happening) OVER VOICEOVER, or "a pair of voices are heard, engaged in conversation while a montage appears.".
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Keep it simple - write the scene action just like you normally would and the dialog just like you normally would. I would use OC rather than VO.