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HDTWI: EXTENSION #3
Her by Spike Jonze

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Compiled by Nathalie from mentorless.com

fn ctrl alt cmd alt hdtwi
 p. 2 About HDTWI: Extension #3
HDTWI: Extension #3 is the third extension of How Did They Write It, a free eBook that compiles over 400 examples from 25
screenplays providing screenwriters with possible formatting for specific scenes (montage, tracking shot, phone conversation, car
chase, family dinner etc.)

The screenplnays used in HDTWI are: About Schmidt, An Education, Anna Karenina, Annie Hall, Back to the Future, Butter, Children
of Men, Django Unchained, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Fight Club, Good Will Hunting, Hitchcock, In Bruges, Into The Wild,
L.A. Confidential, Little Miss Sunshine, Looper, Magnolia, Moon, Mother and Child, Please Give, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Runa-
ways, Tootsie, Twelve Monkey.

If you haven’t already, you can download How Did They Write It here: www.mentorless.com/HDTWI

RECOMMENDATION:
For an optimized learning experience, I strongly recommend reading the screenplay and watching the film selected below.

WARNING:
HDTWI and its extensions contain spoilers, including the closing line of the script. This eBook has been made for educational
purposes only. If you have not seen the film based on the screenplay listed below, I recommend you do so before reading more.

ABOUT THE SCRIPT SHEET

The script sheet contains:
1) basic information about the movie (screenwriter, director, year released, script pages, imdb logline)
2) the writer’s produced feature films
3) the opening and closing lines and main character’s first mention in the script.

© mentorless 2014 www.mentorless.com/HDTWI

 p. 3 About HDTWI: Extension #3
FORMATTING
The screenplay is reproduced as found online. A word in CAPITAL LETTERS, bold or italic , will be reproduced as such in HDTWI.

For easier reading, actual line jumps are replaced with the // symbol. In other words, the symbol // represents a line jump in the
actual screenplay.

A page number [XX] at the end of each extracts corresponds to the original screenplay page.

Please Note: Page numbering varies depending on the screenplay version you read. The version featured in HDTWI or its
extensions might no longer be available online.

LEARN MORE
When deemed fit, a Learn More section with links to interviews, making-ofs and master classes are available to read on
www.mentorless.com

SELECTION
The below selection is subjective. I might have skipped passages others would consider crucial. There is no right or wrong in the
process. My goal is to make it as interesting and useful as possible for screenwriters looking to learn from seasoned peers.

© mentorless 2014 www.mentorless.com/HDTWI

 p. 4 On LEARNING, SHARING & HELPING
ON LEARNING & SHARING

“How Did They Wite It” and its extensions are intentionally free and open to the public, and for educational purposes only.
The goal of the project is to help screenwriters.

HDTWI and its extensions are part of a global continuing education effort that started more than two years ago with
mentorless.com, a site where I share articles that I found useful and inspiring.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

- Share this link on Social Media and in your networks: http://wp.me/p1CMKa-3BO

- U se this content mindfully. If you want to use extracts from HDTWI or its extensions, credit @mentorless along with the
screenwriter(s) behind the selected screenplay(s).
- Foster healthy debates, reach out, and share with your community whatever you think might be helpful and inspiring.

Thank you for taking the time to explore the “How Did They Write It” universe.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at info@mentorless.com,
Nathalie.

© mentorless 2014 www.mentorless.com/HDTWI

 p. 5

HER
written by : IMDB pitch SPIKE JONZE PRODUCED
Spike Jonze A lonely writer develops an unlikely rela- FEATURE FILMS
genre : tionship with his newly purchased oper- 1. Being John Malkovich (1999)
drama ating system that’s designed to meet his
2. Adaptations (2002)
every need.
year released : 3. Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
2013 4. Her (2013)
directed by :
Spike Jonze
draft read :
2011
pages

105 pages

© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 HER
p. 6 written by Spike Jonze
year released 2013

OPENING LINE
INT. UNKNOWN SPACE
// Close on THEODORE (30s). We hold on him for a long time. He’s
looking at something off camera, deep in thought. He starts quietly
dictating a love letter into a small microphone.[p1]

COMPUTER SCREEN DESCRIPTION

As he says “Loretta”, we see “Loretta” being handwritten at the bottom
of the letter. He proofreads his letter. Also on the screen are photos
of a couple in their 80s. The couple is tagged “Chris” and “Me-Loretta”.
Underneath is a bullet point email from Loretta: anniversary letter to hus
band Chris. Married fifty years. Love of my life. Met him right after
college, have had the greatest life togetehr. [p1]

ENVIRONMENT
We track off Theodore, down a line of cubicles, hearing bits of letters being
written and seeing photos of who they’re being written to on the screens.
[p2]
other example

EXT. LOS ANGELES STREET - DUSK

// Slightly in the future, the city’s been developed even more with
massive office, apartment and mall complexes. It’s a city designed for
© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 HER
p. 7 written by Spike Jonze
year released 2013

comfort and ease. The LA basin is more crowded and dense, resembling
Shangai, with buildings as far as they can see. Construction cranes loom
overhead. Close on Theodore walking the commuter crowd. [p4]
other example

EXT. PUBLIC PLAZA/PARK-NIGHT (LATER)

// Theodore is sitting on a bench. Behind him is a giant, digital billboard
displaying an ad of an owl in slow motion swooping down and eating
it’s prey. [p80]

PROP DESCRIPTION
Theodore enters an oversized, corporate elevator. He puts a hands-free
device in his ear. There are a few others people in thie elevator with
the same device in their ears. [p3]

LOCATION TRANSITION
INT. MALL - NIGHT
// Theodore walks through a mall and enters an apartment lobby nestled
in between stores.
// INT. THEODORE’S APARTMENT BUILDING HALLWAY - NIGHT
// Theodore walks through the hallway.
// INT. THEODORE’S APARTMENT -NIGHT

© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 HER
p. 8 written by Spike Jonze
year released 2013

// Theodore enters his apartment. [p5]

DIALOGUE WITH O.S. Voice

FEMALE OS VOICE
(cheerful and casual)
Hello, I’m here
// THEODORE
(surprised)
Oh, hi.[p12]

INTERCUT
SAMANTHA
Oh, I love this first one from Roger
to his girlfriend. That’s so sweet.
// THEODORE
Yeah.
// As she reads, we intercut with close-ups of the handwritten words and
photos of the couple on Theodore’s computer screen. [p16]
other example

They walk through the sun-bathing crowd, looking for a place to sit. The
camera studies all the people we pass. Many close up details of arms,
shoulders, feet, butts, intercut with the lens on Theodore’s device,

© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 About Schmidt
p. 9 written by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor
year released 2002

protruding from his pocket. They’re photographed in a way that shows

how strange the human body is. [p47]

WATCHING A MONITOR
On the monitor we see:
// INT. AMY’S MOTHER’S BEDROOM
// Amy’s mother sleeps.
// INT. AMY’S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
// Theodore and Charles stare at the monitor, waiting for something to
happen. It doesn’t.[p26]

MONTAGE OVER CONVERSATION

Theodore seems lost in thought. We see the following images under the
rest of the conversation: Theodore and Catherine sitting at a table with
their attorneys; Theodore and Catherine sitting in their marriage
counselor’s office, heavy; Theodore and Catherine at her laboratory, he’s
sitting on a counter, and they’re talking and laughing as she works;
Theodore and Catherine standing in their kitchen in the middle of a
fight - he says something mean and we see how hurt she is.
// SAMANTHA
Are you okay?
// THEODORE
(preoccupied)
© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 HER
p. 10 written by Spike Jonze
year released 2013

Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.

// SAMANTHA
(worried)
Is there anything I can do?
// THEODORE
(still distracted)
No. I’m good. I’ll talk to you later.
// We cut back to Theodore, walking down the hall, lost in thought.
[p28/29]

TALKING SIMULTANEOUSLY
There’s a long moment of silence, then they both start to talk at once.
THEODORE (CONT’D) SAMANTHA
So I was thinking I wanted to say [p7]
// They both laughed, embarassed. [p44]

PROP PLACEMENT
Theodore’s on the subway. He’s got his device in his breast pocket, with
the lens facing out [p46]

BUILDING UP A SCENE WITh A SONG

A quiet, old sounding fold song starts. (I’m So Glad, by Entrance). He
© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS
p. 11 written by David Lowery
year released 2013

smiles, listening.
// SAMANTHA
Do you like this song?
// THEODORE
Mmm
// SAMANTHA
I heard it the other day and I can’t stop listening to it.
// The subway comes out of the tunnel and into the light. We are up in
the hills looking over the city as the morning light warms up
Theodore.
// INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
// The music now picks up tempo as he steps off the train. They walk
through the crowded subway station. As the song builds, Theodore
starts picking up his pace. Eventually he’s all out running, weaving LEARN MORE
through the people. Close on the lens of his device in his shirt pocket.
Samantha is laughing wildly. He’s smiling, happy. [p46] SPIKE JONZE AMA
on His Influenc-
es, Transitioning
MID-CONVERSATION FRom MUSIC VIDEO
to FILMs, Writing
They’re on an elevated train, high above the city, looking out over the Los ‘HER’ and MUCH
MORE.
Angeles grid of sparkling lights. We come in mid-conversation.
// SAMANTHA
And what was it like being married? [p49]

© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 HER
p. 12 written by Spike Jonze
year released 2013

PROCESSING THOUGHTS
INT. AMY’S OFFICE - NIGHT (LATER)
// Theodore lies on a couch in the back of Amy’s office, deep in thought.
Amy talks with Ellie as she works on the Perfect Mom video game.
Her device is standing on the table before her.
// AMY
I can’t believe that cracks you up every time!
Ellie, I thought you were a genius... Okay, you
litte perv, I’ll do it one more time for you... Calm
down, it takes a second! Calm down. Okey, here
we go.
// Amy makes the Perfect Mom hump the refrigerator. Amy laughs
at how much Ellie is laughing. Theo watches Amy closely, taking in
LEARN MORE
her joy.
// AMY (CONT’D)
Okay, there you go. Are you happy now...? Okay, good WATCH SPIKE
JONZE AND OLIVIA
good, that’s all I wanted. I’m gonna grab some coffee... LE-TAN
COLLABORATION
Alright, bye. ON ANIMATING
// Theodore, still heavy with thought, is touched by his friend’s happiness. BOOK COVERS

Amy stands to exit.

// AMY (CONT’D)
Theo, you want some?
// THEODORE
© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 HER
p. 13 written by Spike Jonze
year released 2013

No, that’s okay.

// He smiles at her and continues laying there, thinking, taking it all in.
[p83]

MONTAGE
Montage of Theodore and Samantha’s life together:
// -Theodore walking to work (Day)
// - At home, hanging out on the balcony (Dusk)
// - Viewing an outdoor art installation of a 747 balanced on its nose (Day)
// - Playing the video game
// - Grocery shopping
// - Sitting at the Kitchen counter, looking at a drawing (late afternoon)
// -Sitting on a bench, watching a dancer/busker (late afternoon)
// -with Amy and Ellie at a bar
// Montage ends with Theodore, Samantha, Paul and Tatiana on the boat
to Catalina: Paul making them laugh, Theodore at the front of the
boat by himself - laughing with Samantha, a shot of Theodore looking
out the front of the boat. [p85]

RACK FOCUS
Under Samantha’s words we slowly rack focus to dust particules in the
foreground. We keeps moving through them, pushing further and further
© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 HER
p. 14 written by Spike Jonze
year released 2013

throught the particles. Eventually we see snow particules and we

rack focus back out to Theodore, who is now in snowy woods at night.
[p102]

CLOSE UP
Close up on Theodore and what he sees and feels. His hand on the cold
metal hand rail. His bare feet and the sound they make on the unfinished
cement. Amy’s hair as she’s hit with wind when she opens the door to the
outisde. [p105]

CLOSING LINE
Eventually he sits down next to Amy and she puts her hand on his hand.
He puts his other hand on top of her hand. He looks at their hands
together and rubs her skin with his thumb. He looks out at the city and LEARN MORE

exhales. THe sun is just starting to break. She puts her head on his
shoulder. They watch as hundreds of birds fly aroudn the nearby rooftops SPIKE JONZE +
ARCADE FIRE =
and disperse off into the city. CONTROLLED
// FADE OUT

© mentorless 2014
www.mentorless.com/HDTWI
 p. 15

thank you !

written by Nathalie www.mentorless.com - twitter: @mentorless // designed by Christine Sejean www.christinesejean.com

© mentorless 2014 www.mentorless.com/HDTWI