I do a lot of coverage of screenplays these days. I see a lot of common mistakes.
The following are a series of concise screenwriting tips.
#8 SYNTAX AND SPELLING
If there's one MAIN thing that separates the amateurs from the professionals it's spelling and syntax.
When I read a new script and I see spelling and syntax errors in the first paragraph I know right away that this writer hasn't put in the time and effort to spell-check their script.
It really seems like a no-brainer, but the amount of spelling and syntax errors I see in non-professional scripts is astounding.
The thing with spelling and syntax is that, unlike the creativity of writing, it's the one aspect of a screenplay that EVERYONE - no matter their creative abilities - should be able to do well.
Here're some tips to reduce the spelling and syntax errors in your script.
SPECIALISE YOUR PASSES.
What do I mean by that?
When you have 'finished' your script and you read it through looking for ‘errors’, you're not focusing on ONE particular aspect of your script.
If anything should pop up, be it a structure error, or a character error, or dialogue, or any of the myriad aspects that comprise a script, you make the change.
This means that you're focusing on EVERYTHING at once.
This is a sure-fire way to overlook many mistakes.
When your script is 'finished' and you're about ready to send it out to people, I highly recommend you do a series of about 10 passes of your script focusing on ONE ASPECT ONLY in each pass.
10 passes? That's a lot!
Actually - no - it's not. If you're really serious about screenwriting, I'd suggest you do a pass of your script focusing on EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL ASPECT you can think of.
One of those passes needs to be a spelling pass.
Read through your script and ONLY focus on spelling.
You'll find that it means reading your script in a very different way.
Read it slower.
Focus on each word. Did you spell each word correctly?
The spell-check in Final Draft is appallingly bad.
I recommend you copy and paste your script into WORD and use the spell check there.
It will pick up far more errors than Final Draft.
Next, once you have made those changes, copy and paste the document into grammarly.com
It's free to create an account - you don't need to register or pay anything.
You'll find that grammarly.com will pick up and point out a whole bunch of different errors.
But be careful - both these programs will suggest you make changes that are incorrect.
Ultimately you have to look at the errors Word and grammarly.com detect and decide if the changes fit your script.
There are some really common mistakes that you can go through and check yourself. Do a pass for each one of the following…
Their/They're/There
Its/It's
Your/You're
Use the find/replace function in WORD to search for these words.
Why use Word? Why not use Final Draft?
Because - for some strange reason - Final Draft likes to ignore some words.
It's just a bug in FD.
FD 10 may be better - but it still misses words.
WORD (or a similar word processing program) is far less likely to just randomly skip words.
Now that you've done these spelling passes, here's another tip for spelling...
START HALF WAY THROUGH and do a spelling pass.
Huh? Why do that?
Invariably, the first 50 pages of your script are read almost twice as much as the latter half.
Why?
Because the human attention span finds it hard to deal with a two/three-hour pass, which is what it should roughly take you to read a script.
How many times have you opened your script and started reading from page 1, only to find yourself running out of steam around page 50?
You get distracted, do something else, then you come back the next day, and just to get context you read from page 1 again.
Trust me - the majority of spelling mistakes I see come after page 50.
GIVE THE SECOND HALF OF YOUR SCRIPT AS MUCH LOVE AS THE FIRST HALF!
Another spelling check that I highly recommend is to go to fiverr.com and look for a highly rated copy-editor. You can find some reasonably priced ones on there.
Pay the fee, have your script copy-edited.
Now the great thing about this is you don't have to do this with every script.
If you do it just once or twice, then you will learn what your common mistakes are.
Perhaps you tend to over-use commas (like I do).
Perhaps you have a tendency to always write 'towards' - with an 's' - when you should be writing toward - without an 's'.
There's likely a dozen common mistakes that you're making without being aware of them.
Once you have these mistakes pointed out to you, you can improve your writing on a technical level manifold.
SYNTAX....
Syntax is the way you structure your sentence.
The word order of your sentence.
Foreign language writers struggle the most with this for obvious reasons, but I see a lot of native English speaking writers struggling with it.
Rather than go into ALL the syntax rules of the English language - of which there are many - here's a simple principle to apply to your script that will improve your syntax.
KEEP YOUR SENTENCES SHORT AND SIMPLE.
If you have multiple things going on in a sentence - break them up into smaller chunks.
Example...
John scrambles for the gun, picks it up, turns, aims, but Michelle already has the drop on him, she lunges at him, driving the knife deep into his stomach before he has the chance to pull the trigger.
There's a lot going on there.
Let's break it up...
John scrambles for the gun. Picks it up. Turns. Aims.
Michelle lunges. Drives the knife deep into his stomach.
John collapses. He hasn't even fired a bullet.
THE EXACT SAME THING has been described here - but the second one is much cleaner and simpler to read.
If you're not sure about all the syntax rules of the English language - break your long sentences up into smaller chunks - you're far less likely to make mistakes if each sentence is six words or less.
Wednesday, 9 November 2016
Tuesday, 8 November 2016
SCREENWRITING FUNDAMENTALS #8 POV
I do a lot of coverage of screenplays these days. I see a lot of common mistakes.
The following are a series of concise screenwriting tips.
#8 POV
This is a really important one today.
POV - point of view is something that a lot of screenwriters and directors know little about.
Let's start with the basics.
What is POV?
It's the character through which we experience the film.
Sounds simple enough right?
Let's look at WHY POV is important.
For a film to be successful there needs to be a vicarious connection made between the main character and the viewer.
Why just one main character? Why not several characters?
Simple, each person watching the film is ONE person.
Your job is to get your viewer to identify with the main character.
It is much harder to get your viewer to identify with multiple characters.
That said - it is possible to have multiple protagonists - watch Paul Haggis' CRASH. (2005). This is a film with multiple protagonists with whom we identify.
But here's the thing - Paul Haggis is an incredibly talented writer - so he's able to pull this multiple protagonist story off - the majority of multiple protagonist stories don't work simply because the viewer doesn't know who they're supposed to identify with.
UNTIL you're an uber-successful writer - stick with trying to create a connection between your viewer and your main character.
A key way of doing this is by telling your story through your main character's POV only.
What does it mean to write a scene from one character's POV?
Start by imagining the scene from an omnipotent POV.
You can see everywhere and everything.
Play the scene through in your mind.
Okay - good start.
NOW - imagine that very same scene - but as your main character would experience it.
There are certain things that your main character (MC) can see, and certain things they cannot. There are things they can know, and things they can't know.
You're already starting to create a POV.
You create a POV by EXCLUDING information and visual elements that your MC can't see or know about.
That's step one.
How to write the scene to create a sense of POV.
If you have three characters in a scene (or however many you want) - you start by introducing your MC.
EXAMPLE...
Let's say MICHELLE is our MC.
In this scene, Michelle meets DONNA and MIKE and argues about a party that went awry last night.
Here's how NOT to write it ...
EXT. PARK - PARK BENCH - DAY
Donna and Mike sit on a park bench. Donna has a black-eye that she holds an ice-pack on. Mike sips from a hip-flask of vodka, still drunk.
Donna and Mike watch Michelle approach, they whisper to each other.
DONNA
(whispers)
Shit, here comes the drama queen.
MIKE
(whispers)
I can't stand her, after what she did last night, I don't even want to talk to her.
Let's leave the scene there and look at what's wrong with it.
This scene is told from Donna and Mike's POV.
Why is that?
Because we introduce Donna and Mike first. The camera is with them to start with. It is Donna and Mike watching Michelle approach.
2) We can hear what Donna and Mike are whispering. If this scene were from Michelle's POV - we wouldn't be able to hear what they're saying.
3) Location - we're at the park bench in the park, where Donna and Mike are. Not Michelle.
NOW... let's write it from Michelle's POV.
EXT. PARK - DAY
Michelle walks through the park, toward a park bench where Donna and Mike sit.
Donna has an ice pack on her black-eye, while Mike sips from a hip-flask, still drunk.
As Michelle approaches, Donna and Mike whisper to each other, what they say is unheard.
Let's leave the scene there.
Here're the notable changes that make this scene told from Michelle's POV.
1) The change in location. We're now in the PARK with Michelle. The camera has changed position. We're following Michelle as she walks toward the park bench.
2) We DON'T hear what Donna and Mike whisper - (exclusion of information).
3) We introduce Michelle BEFORE Donna and Mike.
It is possible to write an entire film from your MC's POV.
The best film that does this is MY WEEK WITH MARILYN.
In this film we come to meet Marilyn Monroe through the eyes of a runner on a film set.
At first we see Marilyn across a crowded room.
Then later we move up to saying hello to her within the company of several others.
Then later we have a private audience with her in a public place.
Then later we end up having a private audience in a private place.
We then go skinny dipping with her. Just us and her.
We then fall in love with her.
We then have out heart broken by her.
This is a very general summary of the progression of that film - but the story is made all the more real because of the progression of the POV.
We - the audience - meet and experience Marilyn through the eyes of the MC.
There is NO SCENE in that film where the MC is not present.
Even when the MC is passive and it's other characters speaking, the MC is present, and we the audience HEAR the others speak from the MC’s POV.
So there's a lesson for you.
If your MC is passive in a scene - that's okay - just don't exclude them from the scene - include them and tell the scene from their POV - simply listening to what others are saying.
The more you maintain POV - the stronger your script will read.
It's not always possible for your MC to be present in a scene.
It's not always possible to tell a scene from your MC’s POV.
The only time you should switch POV is when you go to your SHADOW'S POV to see what they're up to.
Look at DIE HARD.
We often leave McClane's POV and go over to Hans Gruber's POV.
This is fine - as it would be logically impossible to show Gruber's scenes from McClane's POV.
As a rule of thumb - try to tell 80% of your film from your MC's POV.
ONLY ever switch POV when there is no logical way to tell the scene from your MC's POV.
THE TAKEAWAY
Go to the script you're working on now.
Go through scene by scene and make sure that you tell each scene from your MC's POV.
Secondly - go through the scenes where your MC is not present and ask yourself - can I re-write this scene with the MC present without it being illogical for the plot.
If you can get your MC into that scene - even if they're passive and just listening - do it.
Your script will read much stronger for it.
The following are a series of concise screenwriting tips.
#8 POV
This is a really important one today.
POV - point of view is something that a lot of screenwriters and directors know little about.
Let's start with the basics.
What is POV?
It's the character through which we experience the film.
Sounds simple enough right?
Let's look at WHY POV is important.
For a film to be successful there needs to be a vicarious connection made between the main character and the viewer.
Why just one main character? Why not several characters?
Simple, each person watching the film is ONE person.
Your job is to get your viewer to identify with the main character.
It is much harder to get your viewer to identify with multiple characters.
That said - it is possible to have multiple protagonists - watch Paul Haggis' CRASH. (2005). This is a film with multiple protagonists with whom we identify.
But here's the thing - Paul Haggis is an incredibly talented writer - so he's able to pull this multiple protagonist story off - the majority of multiple protagonist stories don't work simply because the viewer doesn't know who they're supposed to identify with.
UNTIL you're an uber-successful writer - stick with trying to create a connection between your viewer and your main character.
A key way of doing this is by telling your story through your main character's POV only.
What does it mean to write a scene from one character's POV?
Start by imagining the scene from an omnipotent POV.
You can see everywhere and everything.
Play the scene through in your mind.
Okay - good start.
NOW - imagine that very same scene - but as your main character would experience it.
There are certain things that your main character (MC) can see, and certain things they cannot. There are things they can know, and things they can't know.
You're already starting to create a POV.
You create a POV by EXCLUDING information and visual elements that your MC can't see or know about.
That's step one.
How to write the scene to create a sense of POV.
If you have three characters in a scene (or however many you want) - you start by introducing your MC.
EXAMPLE...
Let's say MICHELLE is our MC.
In this scene, Michelle meets DONNA and MIKE and argues about a party that went awry last night.
Here's how NOT to write it ...
EXT. PARK - PARK BENCH - DAY
Donna and Mike sit on a park bench. Donna has a black-eye that she holds an ice-pack on. Mike sips from a hip-flask of vodka, still drunk.
Donna and Mike watch Michelle approach, they whisper to each other.
DONNA
(whispers)
Shit, here comes the drama queen.
MIKE
(whispers)
I can't stand her, after what she did last night, I don't even want to talk to her.
Let's leave the scene there and look at what's wrong with it.
This scene is told from Donna and Mike's POV.
Why is that?
Because we introduce Donna and Mike first. The camera is with them to start with. It is Donna and Mike watching Michelle approach.
2) We can hear what Donna and Mike are whispering. If this scene were from Michelle's POV - we wouldn't be able to hear what they're saying.
3) Location - we're at the park bench in the park, where Donna and Mike are. Not Michelle.
NOW... let's write it from Michelle's POV.
EXT. PARK - DAY
Michelle walks through the park, toward a park bench where Donna and Mike sit.
Donna has an ice pack on her black-eye, while Mike sips from a hip-flask, still drunk.
As Michelle approaches, Donna and Mike whisper to each other, what they say is unheard.
Let's leave the scene there.
Here're the notable changes that make this scene told from Michelle's POV.
1) The change in location. We're now in the PARK with Michelle. The camera has changed position. We're following Michelle as she walks toward the park bench.
2) We DON'T hear what Donna and Mike whisper - (exclusion of information).
3) We introduce Michelle BEFORE Donna and Mike.
It is possible to write an entire film from your MC's POV.
The best film that does this is MY WEEK WITH MARILYN.
In this film we come to meet Marilyn Monroe through the eyes of a runner on a film set.
At first we see Marilyn across a crowded room.
Then later we move up to saying hello to her within the company of several others.
Then later we have a private audience with her in a public place.
Then later we end up having a private audience in a private place.
We then go skinny dipping with her. Just us and her.
We then fall in love with her.
We then have out heart broken by her.
This is a very general summary of the progression of that film - but the story is made all the more real because of the progression of the POV.
We - the audience - meet and experience Marilyn through the eyes of the MC.
There is NO SCENE in that film where the MC is not present.
Even when the MC is passive and it's other characters speaking, the MC is present, and we the audience HEAR the others speak from the MC’s POV.
So there's a lesson for you.
If your MC is passive in a scene - that's okay - just don't exclude them from the scene - include them and tell the scene from their POV - simply listening to what others are saying.
The more you maintain POV - the stronger your script will read.
It's not always possible for your MC to be present in a scene.
It's not always possible to tell a scene from your MC’s POV.
The only time you should switch POV is when you go to your SHADOW'S POV to see what they're up to.
Look at DIE HARD.
We often leave McClane's POV and go over to Hans Gruber's POV.
This is fine - as it would be logically impossible to show Gruber's scenes from McClane's POV.
As a rule of thumb - try to tell 80% of your film from your MC's POV.
ONLY ever switch POV when there is no logical way to tell the scene from your MC's POV.
THE TAKEAWAY
Go to the script you're working on now.
Go through scene by scene and make sure that you tell each scene from your MC's POV.
Secondly - go through the scenes where your MC is not present and ask yourself - can I re-write this scene with the MC present without it being illogical for the plot.
If you can get your MC into that scene - even if they're passive and just listening - do it.
Your script will read much stronger for it.
Monday, 7 November 2016
SCREENWRITING FUNDAMENTALS #7 STRUCTURING A SCENE & CLEAN WRITING
I do a lot of coverage of screenplays these days. I see a lot of common mistakes.
The following are a series of concise screenwriting tips.
#7 STRUCTURING A SCENE & CLEAN WRITING
One of the most common tells that differentiates an amateur script from a professional one is how well it is written.
The cleaner the sentences, the clearer the storytelling, the easier the read.
Writing well is not as hard as some think it is.
Before you start writing - stop and think about what each scene is trying to convey.
Ask yourself, WHY am I writing this scene?
If you don't have a really good reason why the scene exists, then cut the scene.
Only start writing the scene when you know what its core is, what the story-beat is that you're trying to convey.
As a reader, you can easily tell if a scene has been thought through before it was written, or if it evolved on the page.
When you know what your scene is about - don't start writing it in detailed form, do a rough structure for the scene.
Example...
SCENE OBJECTIVE: Convey that SUSAN is a strong character, that she thrives in the boys'-club of high-business.
Start the scene with ALEC (Susan's co-worker) taking control in a business meeting with Chinese clients. He marginalizes her.
Alec's brash ways end insult the Chinese businessmen.
They threaten to walk out on the important meeting.
Susan steps up and saves the business deal by offering to have Alec removed from her team within 12 hours.
The Chinese men are impressed with Susan and agree to wait 12 hours to re-open negotiations without Alec.
Alec is furious that Susan would make such a deal.
SCENE ENDS
Follow on goal - Susan now has 12 hours to convince her boss that cutting Alec from the negotiation team is the only way to save the deal with the Chinese businessmen.
Now I have a basic structure for my scene I begin writing.
Don't write the description in detail yet.
Just put holders for starters.
EXAMPLE.
Assuming this is the first scene in my script my description structure will look like this.
INT. SAATCHI HEADQUARTERS - BOARDROOM - DAY
(My POV character for the scene is Susan, so I start by describing her first.)
Description:
Describe Susan. Describe Alec & other Chinese businessmen. Describe setting.
(I want to start hard - I don't want to start the scene with polite greetings.)
Dialogue:
Start on Susan answering a question (unheard) from the Chinese businessmen.
Halfway through Susan's answer, Alec interrupts her.
Alec takes over the conversation.
Description:
SHOW Susan's irritation with Alec.
(Remember, it's important to show Susan being annoyed, don't just write - Susan is annoyed with Alec.)
Dialogue:
The Chinese businessmen try to renegotiate the price of the deal - a figure that's already been settled upon.
Alec isn't having any of this. He's angry with the Chinese businessmen for going back to a point they've already settled on.
Alec manages to insult the Chinese businessmen.
Description: The Chinese Businessmen pack up to walk out of the meeting. The deal is over.
Dialogue:
Susan makes her offer, if they'll continue to negotiate the deal, Susan will have Alec cut from the negotiation table.
Description:
Show Alec's response to this.
Dialogue:
The Chinese Businessmen confer, then agree. She has 12 hours to have her boss contact their boss with confirmation that Alec is cut from the negotiating table.
Description:
Finish on Susan.
END SCENE.
There, I have my scene structured.
The next step is to go through and write in the dialogue.
When I'm happy with the way the dialogue is flowing, I then go back and write in the descriptions.
I only write description that covers what is NOT conveyed through the dialogue.
Write your descriptions in short sentences, and keep them to the point.
Here's another quick tip for cleaning up your writing.
The single most common writing mistake I see is...
John is running on the beach.
Michelle is drying her hair.
Lucy is swimming in the pool.
Every time I see a sentence written like these I know I'm dealing with an amateur writer.
Where possible try not to use ING words.
John runs on the beach.
Michele dries her hair.
Lucy swims in the pool.
That's how each of those sentences should be written.
THE TAKEAWAY #1
Go to the script you're working on at the moment and do an ING pass.
Go through and look at every sentence that uses ING and see if you can write it cleaner without the ING word.
It's not always possible - there are many occasions you will need the ING word. In which case, leave it.
But where you have sentences that are similar to the above examples - please - do yourself a favor - re-write them.
THE TAKEAWAY #2
Remember that DRAMA IS CONFLICT.
If there is no conflict in your scene, your scene will fall flat.
Go through the script you're working on at the moment and isolate each and every scene.
If there is NO CONFLICT in that scene, either cut it or re-write it so there is conflict.
You can decide the degree of the conflict - it doesn't have to be that every scene is two arch-rivals going head-to-head.
It can be two best friends having a minor disagreement about something benign, but there needs to be a degree of conflict or your scene - no matter how well written it is - will be dull and lifeless.
The following are a series of concise screenwriting tips.
#7 STRUCTURING A SCENE & CLEAN WRITING
One of the most common tells that differentiates an amateur script from a professional one is how well it is written.
The cleaner the sentences, the clearer the storytelling, the easier the read.
Writing well is not as hard as some think it is.
Before you start writing - stop and think about what each scene is trying to convey.
Ask yourself, WHY am I writing this scene?
If you don't have a really good reason why the scene exists, then cut the scene.
Only start writing the scene when you know what its core is, what the story-beat is that you're trying to convey.
As a reader, you can easily tell if a scene has been thought through before it was written, or if it evolved on the page.
When you know what your scene is about - don't start writing it in detailed form, do a rough structure for the scene.
Example...
SCENE OBJECTIVE: Convey that SUSAN is a strong character, that she thrives in the boys'-club of high-business.
Start the scene with ALEC (Susan's co-worker) taking control in a business meeting with Chinese clients. He marginalizes her.
Alec's brash ways end insult the Chinese businessmen.
They threaten to walk out on the important meeting.
Susan steps up and saves the business deal by offering to have Alec removed from her team within 12 hours.
The Chinese men are impressed with Susan and agree to wait 12 hours to re-open negotiations without Alec.
Alec is furious that Susan would make such a deal.
SCENE ENDS
Follow on goal - Susan now has 12 hours to convince her boss that cutting Alec from the negotiation team is the only way to save the deal with the Chinese businessmen.
Now I have a basic structure for my scene I begin writing.
Don't write the description in detail yet.
Just put holders for starters.
EXAMPLE.
Assuming this is the first scene in my script my description structure will look like this.
INT. SAATCHI HEADQUARTERS - BOARDROOM - DAY
(My POV character for the scene is Susan, so I start by describing her first.)
Description:
Describe Susan. Describe Alec & other Chinese businessmen. Describe setting.
(I want to start hard - I don't want to start the scene with polite greetings.)
Dialogue:
Start on Susan answering a question (unheard) from the Chinese businessmen.
Halfway through Susan's answer, Alec interrupts her.
Alec takes over the conversation.
Description:
SHOW Susan's irritation with Alec.
(Remember, it's important to show Susan being annoyed, don't just write - Susan is annoyed with Alec.)
Dialogue:
The Chinese businessmen try to renegotiate the price of the deal - a figure that's already been settled upon.
Alec isn't having any of this. He's angry with the Chinese businessmen for going back to a point they've already settled on.
Alec manages to insult the Chinese businessmen.
Description: The Chinese Businessmen pack up to walk out of the meeting. The deal is over.
Dialogue:
Susan makes her offer, if they'll continue to negotiate the deal, Susan will have Alec cut from the negotiation table.
Description:
Show Alec's response to this.
Dialogue:
The Chinese Businessmen confer, then agree. She has 12 hours to have her boss contact their boss with confirmation that Alec is cut from the negotiating table.
Description:
Finish on Susan.
END SCENE.
There, I have my scene structured.
The next step is to go through and write in the dialogue.
When I'm happy with the way the dialogue is flowing, I then go back and write in the descriptions.
I only write description that covers what is NOT conveyed through the dialogue.
Write your descriptions in short sentences, and keep them to the point.
Here's another quick tip for cleaning up your writing.
The single most common writing mistake I see is...
John is running on the beach.
Michelle is drying her hair.
Lucy is swimming in the pool.
Every time I see a sentence written like these I know I'm dealing with an amateur writer.
Where possible try not to use ING words.
John runs on the beach.
Michele dries her hair.
Lucy swims in the pool.
That's how each of those sentences should be written.
THE TAKEAWAY #1
Go to the script you're working on at the moment and do an ING pass.
Go through and look at every sentence that uses ING and see if you can write it cleaner without the ING word.
It's not always possible - there are many occasions you will need the ING word. In which case, leave it.
But where you have sentences that are similar to the above examples - please - do yourself a favor - re-write them.
THE TAKEAWAY #2
Remember that DRAMA IS CONFLICT.
If there is no conflict in your scene, your scene will fall flat.
Go through the script you're working on at the moment and isolate each and every scene.
If there is NO CONFLICT in that scene, either cut it or re-write it so there is conflict.
You can decide the degree of the conflict - it doesn't have to be that every scene is two arch-rivals going head-to-head.
It can be two best friends having a minor disagreement about something benign, but there needs to be a degree of conflict or your scene - no matter how well written it is - will be dull and lifeless.
Saturday, 5 November 2016
SCREENWRITING FUNDAMENTALS #6 SLUGLINES
I do a lot of coverage of screenplays these days. I see a lot of common mistakes.
The following are a series of concise screenwriting tips.
#6 SLUGLINES
Quite a simple post today - but an area that evidently needs to be addressed as I see far too many amateur screen-writers getting these wrong.
The SLUGLINE is a simplified format for letting producers know the location of the scene.
The simplified formatting looks like this...
INT./EXT. MAJOR LOCATION - MINOR LOCATION - DAY/NIGHT
Here're some examples.
INT. JOHN'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
EXT. FOREST - STREAM - DAY
You get the idea.
INT. stands for interior. EXT. stands for exterior.
MAJOR LOCATION lets us know the general area, while the MINOR LOCATION gives us a more specific understanding of the immediate environs of the scene.
You don't have to have a major location and a minor location.
If, say, you have a character walking through the woods - it would be sufficient to write
EXT. WOODS - DAY
The purpose of the slug-line is to paint the scene in the most concise way possible.
But you don't want to be too concise with your slug-line.
For example - I often see INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
This slug-line lacks some necessary detail.
Whose house is it, and what part of the house are we in?
When your slug-line lacks detail, the reader goes into the scene searching for clues as to where the location is.
Until your reader KNOWS where the scene is set, they are unable to visualize the scene properly.
A good script consists of word pictures.
Everything you write should be visual. The easier it is to visualize the environment, characters, and the events that take place, the better your script will read.
Some scripts I come away from with a very clear sense of the world the writer intended to create.
Other scripts I come away from and it's like trying to remember a dream from a year ago. You can recall vague notions of what it was about, and sure you might recall an emotion - but all-in-all it's broken and dis-jointed.
The takeaway? - Be specific with your slug-lines - they set up the scene for the reader.
The clearer the setting - the less time the reader spends trying to orientate themselves in the scene.
Sometimes I see INT/EXT. written at the start of a slug-line - what's that all about?
Glad you asked.
It can also be written I/E. But it means the same thing.
This is used when your scene takes places INSIDE something, but it is also important to know that this INTERNAL location is OUTSIDE somewhere.
Confusing?
Here's an example to clarify.
INT./EXT. MARK'S CAR - PARKED/TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT
This slug-line says that the scene takes place INSIDE Mark's car and that Mark's car is parked in Times Square.
The slug-line written like this lets us know that we are INSIDE looking OUT - not OUTSIDE looking IN.
If this slug-line were written - EXT. TIMES SQUARE - MARK'S CAR - NIGHT
It says that we are OUTSIDE Mark's car that is parked in Times Square, looking in.
When writing a location for a vehicle that can move, such as a car, train, plane etc, it's important to let us know if it is MOVING or PARKED - you can also use STATIONARY for things like PLANES etc.
Example -
INT. TRAIN - PASSENGER CAR - MOVING - DAY
This lets us know that the train is in motion.
How to use DAY and NIGHT...
I often see - MORNING or EVENING or DUSK written in slug-lines.
I don't often write about RULES in screenwriting - mostly about principles - the difference obvious - but here's one of the few RULES of screenwriting.
Only ever use DAY or NIGHT.
Why?
It comes down to budget.
Dusk lasts about 1-hour max. So does Morning light.
It's called the magic-hour - it looks amazing when you shoot the sun either dipping behind or rising from the horizon - but to schedule a shoot to capture that sunlight requires dedicating almost an entire day to having everything ready to shoot within that one hour window.
Filmmaking is an unpredictable art form.
There are soooooo many variables that can and invariably do go wrong that your shooting schedule is almost ALWAYS completely out of whack with how you planned.
When shooting a film - you are always under the pump to get it done on budget.
Most shoots go over budget and over time causing the schedule to be reworked on the fly to better utilize the remaining shooting days.
When you write – DUSK - in your slug-line it means you have to dedicate almost an entire day to get that one scene that takes place at dusk.
Now if there's more than one setup that's supposed to take place at DUSK - you have to dedicate more than one day.
That's uneconomical shooting. No producer that's worth their salt will try to do this.
As a writer, you need to only use DAY or NIGHT, because there're roughly 11 hours of both during any one 24 hour period - depending on where on earth you're shooting.
NEVER USE BOLD IN SLUG-LINES
Another common mistake I see in amateur screenplays is the BOLD SLUG-LINE
I was guilty of this mistake when I started out.
At first, my rationale was that it broke the page up. You could see when a new scene was starting as it was clearly labeled in bold.
I slowly came to understand that when you have read enough screenplays - your eye becomes trained to look out for the INT. or EXT. that says that a new scene has begun.
I also came to learn that when you have bold on the page it becomes distracting to the eye.
As you try to read down the page - your eye is constantly drawn back up the page to this bold writing.
So here's another rule of screenwriting - never
ever
ever
use
bold
In your screenplay.
INTERCUT's explained...
Use INTERCUT when you have a scene that takes place between two locations simultaneously.
First, setup the first location.
INT. CAFE - CORNER BOOTH - DAY
John talks on his cell with Michelle.
JOHN
No way, I'm not going to turn myself in.
Then you write
INTERCUT
INT. MICHELLE'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY
Michelle talks on her home phone.
MICHELLE
It's the only way John, you have to.
From here on you write the dialogue between John and Michelle and you don't have to re-write any of the slug-lines. We know that the scene takes place in BOTH the cafe with John and at Michelle's home.
To let us know who the scene ends with - you simply finish the scene by writing about that person.
For example - say that the scene ends with John.
You would write the scene something like this...
John ends the call, looks out a window, sees a police cruiser driving slowly past.
This lets us know that we ended the conversation in the cafe with John, but there was no need to re-establish the location with a new slug-line.
The following are a series of concise screenwriting tips.
#6 SLUGLINES
Quite a simple post today - but an area that evidently needs to be addressed as I see far too many amateur screen-writers getting these wrong.
The SLUGLINE is a simplified format for letting producers know the location of the scene.
The simplified formatting looks like this...
INT./EXT. MAJOR LOCATION - MINOR LOCATION - DAY/NIGHT
Here're some examples.
INT. JOHN'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
EXT. FOREST - STREAM - DAY
You get the idea.
INT. stands for interior. EXT. stands for exterior.
MAJOR LOCATION lets us know the general area, while the MINOR LOCATION gives us a more specific understanding of the immediate environs of the scene.
You don't have to have a major location and a minor location.
If, say, you have a character walking through the woods - it would be sufficient to write
EXT. WOODS - DAY
The purpose of the slug-line is to paint the scene in the most concise way possible.
But you don't want to be too concise with your slug-line.
For example - I often see INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
This slug-line lacks some necessary detail.
Whose house is it, and what part of the house are we in?
When your slug-line lacks detail, the reader goes into the scene searching for clues as to where the location is.
Until your reader KNOWS where the scene is set, they are unable to visualize the scene properly.
A good script consists of word pictures.
Everything you write should be visual. The easier it is to visualize the environment, characters, and the events that take place, the better your script will read.
Some scripts I come away from with a very clear sense of the world the writer intended to create.
Other scripts I come away from and it's like trying to remember a dream from a year ago. You can recall vague notions of what it was about, and sure you might recall an emotion - but all-in-all it's broken and dis-jointed.
The takeaway? - Be specific with your slug-lines - they set up the scene for the reader.
The clearer the setting - the less time the reader spends trying to orientate themselves in the scene.
Sometimes I see INT/EXT. written at the start of a slug-line - what's that all about?
Glad you asked.
It can also be written I/E. But it means the same thing.
This is used when your scene takes places INSIDE something, but it is also important to know that this INTERNAL location is OUTSIDE somewhere.
Confusing?
Here's an example to clarify.
INT./EXT. MARK'S CAR - PARKED/TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT
This slug-line says that the scene takes place INSIDE Mark's car and that Mark's car is parked in Times Square.
The slug-line written like this lets us know that we are INSIDE looking OUT - not OUTSIDE looking IN.
If this slug-line were written - EXT. TIMES SQUARE - MARK'S CAR - NIGHT
It says that we are OUTSIDE Mark's car that is parked in Times Square, looking in.
When writing a location for a vehicle that can move, such as a car, train, plane etc, it's important to let us know if it is MOVING or PARKED - you can also use STATIONARY for things like PLANES etc.
Example -
INT. TRAIN - PASSENGER CAR - MOVING - DAY
This lets us know that the train is in motion.
How to use DAY and NIGHT...
I often see - MORNING or EVENING or DUSK written in slug-lines.
I don't often write about RULES in screenwriting - mostly about principles - the difference obvious - but here's one of the few RULES of screenwriting.
Only ever use DAY or NIGHT.
Why?
It comes down to budget.
Dusk lasts about 1-hour max. So does Morning light.
It's called the magic-hour - it looks amazing when you shoot the sun either dipping behind or rising from the horizon - but to schedule a shoot to capture that sunlight requires dedicating almost an entire day to having everything ready to shoot within that one hour window.
Filmmaking is an unpredictable art form.
There are soooooo many variables that can and invariably do go wrong that your shooting schedule is almost ALWAYS completely out of whack with how you planned.
When shooting a film - you are always under the pump to get it done on budget.
Most shoots go over budget and over time causing the schedule to be reworked on the fly to better utilize the remaining shooting days.
When you write – DUSK - in your slug-line it means you have to dedicate almost an entire day to get that one scene that takes place at dusk.
Now if there's more than one setup that's supposed to take place at DUSK - you have to dedicate more than one day.
That's uneconomical shooting. No producer that's worth their salt will try to do this.
As a writer, you need to only use DAY or NIGHT, because there're roughly 11 hours of both during any one 24 hour period - depending on where on earth you're shooting.
NEVER USE BOLD IN SLUG-LINES
Another common mistake I see in amateur screenplays is the BOLD SLUG-LINE
I was guilty of this mistake when I started out.
At first, my rationale was that it broke the page up. You could see when a new scene was starting as it was clearly labeled in bold.
I slowly came to understand that when you have read enough screenplays - your eye becomes trained to look out for the INT. or EXT. that says that a new scene has begun.
I also came to learn that when you have bold on the page it becomes distracting to the eye.
As you try to read down the page - your eye is constantly drawn back up the page to this bold writing.
So here's another rule of screenwriting - never
ever
ever
use
bold
In your screenplay.
INTERCUT's explained...
Use INTERCUT when you have a scene that takes place between two locations simultaneously.
First, setup the first location.
INT. CAFE - CORNER BOOTH - DAY
John talks on his cell with Michelle.
JOHN
No way, I'm not going to turn myself in.
Then you write
INTERCUT
INT. MICHELLE'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY
Michelle talks on her home phone.
MICHELLE
It's the only way John, you have to.
From here on you write the dialogue between John and Michelle and you don't have to re-write any of the slug-lines. We know that the scene takes place in BOTH the cafe with John and at Michelle's home.
To let us know who the scene ends with - you simply finish the scene by writing about that person.
For example - say that the scene ends with John.
You would write the scene something like this...
John ends the call, looks out a window, sees a police cruiser driving slowly past.
This lets us know that we ended the conversation in the cafe with John, but there was no need to re-establish the location with a new slug-line.
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