Modern screenwriting style typically breaks down thick paragraphs like the one above into single sentence lines. The DOWN ON THE BEACH heading is like a sub-slugline that immediately designates a master shot, whereas the other sentences of the paragraph suggest other possible sub-shots “he looks to his right,” for example, hints to the director that he could perhaps use either a straight cut to show the “clear crescent” of the bay, or perhaps even cut to a shot of Gittes’ POV, and pan first right to see the bay, then left to see the promontory. Gittes hesitates, then moves in that direction - but climbs along the promontory in order to be above Mulwray. He looks to his left - there's a promontory of sorts. Gittes looks to his right - where the bay is a long, clear crescent. Yet for a standard film script, it is usually best to suggest shots by simply describing a location, person or item, without the extensive use of such terms as ANGLE ON and TIGHT ON.Ī more accepted approach is to use capitalized headings to break up a scene, such as Robert Towne uses in the screenplay for Chinatown, in this scene in which detective Jake Gittes follows Hollis Mulwray: DOWN ON THE BEACH He takes the picture of Dallas out of his pocket.Īnimation scripts are often this shot specific. In the screenplay for Beavis and Butthead Do America, the shots are often clearly listed: ANDERSON'S CAMPER.ĪNGLE ON BEAVIS. Yet outright shot description can border on too much description. Some screenwriters like to clearly delineate shots by breaking them down line by line. ActionĪction lines can also be sculpted to your particular needs and style. Remember, your aim is communication of your ideas without interrupting the flow. Don’t be afraid to play with them, but don’t get carried away. The point in showing these differences is that sluglines, often thought of as having a rigid format, are actually completely flexible depending upon your needs. This next slugline, from Beavis and Butthead Do America, shows an unusual stylistic variation, in that it uses slashes instead of hyphens (or periods like Pleasantville) to break up the line. Part of the “gimmick” in this film is that part of the story is in color, part in black and white, and its slugline informs the reader of this fact. Here’s a slugline from Pleasantville: FULL SHOT. Effects shots often require creativity on the part of the writer, because often you are describing something unusual, which therefore often requires an unusual slugline. designation, or none at all, which is correct? Both, either - it’s up to you. Who’s to say that it’s incorrect format? And regarding SPACE as having an EXT. PURPLE is not your usual description for a location it refers in this script to the interior of a nebula cloud. An interesting variation is demonstrated in the script of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: EXT. In addition, scenes set in space no longer require DAY or NIGHT information. To set a story in space violates traditional ideas of interior or exterior, because it’s an effects shot. The opening sluglines of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home read: FADE IN: designation might confuse the reader, because it could be interpreted that either you have introduced another location (instead of a sub-location) and might also suggest that a certain amount of time has passed, which is not the case. By using a slugline fragment, you also keep it clear that you are still in the same location. Notice that when entering the KITCHEN, that another full slugline wasn’t necessary, because the rest of the scene has already been set. He tosses the mail on the counter, and opens his refrigerator to grab a beer. BOB'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAYīob walks through the living room, reading his mail. Or, you can move the action from one place to another: INT. For example, you can get more specific about a sub-location within a location. Yet there are several important variations that are possible for your sluglines. There are generally only three standard designations allowed in this position DAY, NIGHT, or GOLDEN HOUR (which refers to sunset - sometimes called MAGIC HOUR). This is the main area in which the scene takes place, such as DAVE’S OFFICE, or KITCHEN, or LAUNDROMAT. A heading designating whether the shot takes place inside (“interior,” shown as INT.) or outside (“exterior,” shown as EXT.).SluglinesĪ slugline is your scene heading. Learning when and how you can alter format to your needs will make your scripts distinctive, and will also allow you to break out of standard format in order to develop a real storytelling style. Script format evolves, mutates, and varies from writer to writer. Yet beginning screenwriters often assume that rules of format are set in stone, which is not true. Screenplay format is at times straightforward, at times confusing.
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