<p>I like to think of alternate ways to do things, so here are a few.</p>

<ol>
<li>One variation of the split screen is a picture-in-picture layout, where Caller B is in a small (often rectangular) box overlaid on the main shot of Caller A.  </li>
<li>Another variation of the split screen is a "cloudy" picture-in-picture, where Caller B appears as a cloud-shaped image with fuzzy edges overlaid on the main shot of Caller A, usually floating above Caller A's head. This is sometimes used to make it look as though Person A is thinking of Person B, but I'm pretty sure I've seen it as a phone call too.</li>
<li>If the call occurs in present day, a video call on a computer screen can show Caller A and Caller B in a variety of layouts.  It could even include Callers C, D, E, etc.</li>
<li>Some scenes only show Caller A, and Caller B is heard without being seen.</li>
<li>In the movie The Player, there is a creepy scene in which Tim Robbins calls a woman he's attracted to / stalking.  He's on his cell phone, outside of her house, at night. She can't see him but he is looking in through her windows while they talk. So there are some 2-shots that show both of them on the phone simultaneously. (It's briefly included in <a href="http://youtu.be/JdnKpF9fq78?t=1m10s" rel="nofollow">the trailer</a> at 1:10.)</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-02T18:38:12.550Z
2015-03-02T18:38:12.550Z
BrettFromLA
<p>Suppose you have person A in one room, placing a phone call to person B in another room. How would you show the resulting phone conversation?</p>

<p>I can think of two ways: One is to split the screen, so person A is shown on the left side, and person B on the right side.</p>

<p>The other way, is to have alternating "full shots" switching back and forth between persons A and B.</p>

<p>What are these video techniques called? Are there other techniques that I've overlooked?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-02T20:36:36.917Z
The technique of intercutting two scenes in different locations is called 'Parallel Editing'. http://is.gd/C9x55l
stib
<video>
What are ways to show phone conversations?
Tom Au
# What are ways to show phone conversations?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-03-02)

Suppose you have person A in one room, placing a phone call to person B in another room. How would you show the resulting phone conversation?

I can think of two ways: One is to split the screen, so person A is shown on the left side, and person B on the right side.

The other way, is to have alternating "full shots" switching back and forth between persons A and B.

What are these video techniques called? Are there other techniques that I've overlooked?

**Tags:** video

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The technique of intercutting two scenes in different locations is called 'Parallel Editing'. http://is.gd/C9x55l  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-03-02. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I like to think of alternate ways to do things, so here are a few.

1. One variation of the split screen is a picture-in-picture layout, where Caller B is in a small (often rectangular) box overlaid on the main shot of Caller A.
2. Another variation of the split screen is a "cloudy" picture-in-picture, where Caller B appears as a cloud-shaped image with fuzzy edges overlaid on the main shot of Caller A, usually floating above Caller A's head. This is sometimes used to make it look as though Person A is thinking of Person B, but I'm pretty sure I've seen it as a phone call too.
3. If the call occurs in present day, a video call on a computer screen can show Caller A and Caller B in a variety of layouts. It could even include Callers C, D, E, etc.
4. Some scenes only show Caller A, and Caller B is heard without being seen.
5. In the movie The Player, there is a creepy scene in which Tim Robbins calls a woman he's attracted to / stalking. He's on his cell phone, outside of her house, at night. She can't see him but he is looking in through her windows while they talk. So there are some 2-shots that show both of them on the phone simultaneously. (It's briefly included in [the trailer](http://youtu.be/JdnKpF9fq78?t=1m10s) at 1:10.)


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