Manages/Managing

[Unregistered]

I'm attempting to write a sitcom teleplay. Here are two excerpts from my first draft:

'HE COLLAPSES UP AGAINST THE BROKEN, RED-BRICK WALL, WIPES AWAY THE RIVULETS OF ICY-WARM SWEAT THAT CLOAK HIS FOREHEAD, EVEN MANAGING A THIN SMILE AT THE OUTRAGEOUSNESS OF THE ORDEAL.'

'HE DIGS INTO HIS POCKET, PULLS OUT A FIVER, TOSSING IT TO LEE...BEFORE SEIZING HIS MAGAZINE FROM KAREN'S UNREADY GRASP AND DASHING THE HELL OUT OF THERE.'

Is there a difference between the sets of examples above and below? Both are written in present tense, so I'm curious to learn how and why 'managing/manages', 'pulls/pulling', and 'tossing/tosses' are interchangeable. If indeed they are. ??

'HE COLLAPSES UP AGAINST THE BROKEN, RED-BRICK WALL, WIPES AWAY THE RIVULETS OF ICY-WARM SWEAT THAT CLOAK HIS FOREHEAD, EVEN MANAGES A THIN SMILE AT THE OUTRAGEOUSNESS OF THE ORDEAL.'

'HE DIGS INTO HIS POCKET, PULLING OUT A FIVER, AND TOSSES IT TO LEE...BEFORE SEIZING HIS MAGAZINE FROM KAREN'S UNREADY GRASP AND DASHING THE HELL OUT OF THERE.'

Thanks in advance for replies.

[susiedqq]

Yes, you are writing in the present tense, but there has to be a sequence to all the action:


'HE COLLAPSES UP AGAINST THE BROKEN, RED-BRICK WALL, WIPES AWAY THE RIVULETS OF ICY-WARM SWEAT CLOAKING HIS FOREHEAD, THEN MANAGES TO GIVE A THIN SMILE IN SPITE OF THE OUTRAGEOUSNESS OF THE ORDEAL.'

'HE DIGS INTO HIS POCKET, PULLS OUT A FIVER, TOSSES IT TO LEE...BEFORE SEIZING HIS MAGAZINE FROM KAREN'S UNREADY GRASP AND THEN DASHES THE HELL OUT OF THERE.'