INT. JACK'S LIVING ROOM - THAT MOMENT

[Trystero]

Hey guys,

I've noticed in a lot of PTA's earlier scripts that instead of the typical DAY/NIGHT/MORNING/EVENING in the scene header he'll write "THAT MOMENT" which I haven't seen any other writer do. Has he ever explained the significance of this/is it just a clever way of saying "I don't know, it happens when it happens"?

Sorry if this has already been asked and answered somewhere else, a search for "That Moment Paul Thomas Anderson" yielded a stupid amount of results.

Thanks

[modage]

I'm kinda a novice on this but believe that's the standard signifier when you're cross cutting between different scenes happening at the same time. And PTA does a lot of that. Xixax please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Trystero]

That would make sense. I've only known the transition "INTERCUT WITH" to be used for that. Just did a search of the There Will Be Blood shooting script and found no THAT MOMENT, but I don't remember much if any intercutting in that film either, soooo

[polkablues]

Standard nomenclature would be "CONTINUOUS". THAT MOMENT is just PTA's individualized way of saying the same thing. A little less formal, a little more evocative.

[Trystero]

Just checked out the Inherent Vice screenplay (looks like he's still doin' it), and I'd say you're on the money.