Hey gang, I just caught myself using a slugline APARTMENT and then having the characters move through a number of different rooms. Normally I would break it up and have a new slugline for each room (as they are new locations that have to be dressed/lit/etc). But as I went back and introducing new sluglines, I found it interrupted the flow of the read. Any problem with having a broad slugline location (like APARTMENT) and then moving through the different rooms in the action? E.g. Pushes open the door INTO THE BEDROOM-- Thoughts? How hard and fast are the "rules" these days?
Screenwriting : Craft/format question on locations and sluglines by Chas Franko Fisher
Craft/format question on locations and sluglines
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This format is completely acceptable: INT. APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY Chas turns off the tv, gets up and walks into the KITCHEN He makes himself a sandwich and feeds the cat. A phone rings OS. Chas runs down the -- HALLWAY --- and picks up the phone but there's no one on the other end. He shrugs, makes his way towards the -- BEDROOM -- where he eats his sandwich in bed.
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Yes, Monique is totally right. If you're continuously moving from one room to another in the same location, you don't need full scene headings, just capitalize the room like you would a scene heading as Monique has above. However, if you are going from EXT to INT of the same location, you DO need a new heading. And if you are jumping in time - like from DAY to NIGHT within that location, you need a new scene heading. otherwise, not so much. Hope that helps.
Damn, I knew this one but Monique and Danny beat me to it. :-D
Hey guys, thanks for confirming that I was on the right track. Relief to hear that formatting is not getting in the way of readability on this particular issue. Cheers.
What book are you using for formatting references? My favorite is The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier.
Everyone should start with the Screenwriters Bible :) I have a very old version so it doesn't cover the above format scenario. But you read enough screenplays and it becomes clear that most writers have different interpretations of the formatting "rules", ie: FADE IN or no FADE IN; FADE OUT or FADE TO BLACK; CUT TO versus no CUT TO; bold slugs and mini slugs; bold AND underlined slugs (seems like overkill); to cap or not to cap onomatopoeias, etc... At a certain point, once the basics are ingrained, it's up to the writer to decide how his/her script is going to look like, formatting wise.
I like that quick style. I like to use the subject of the shot too if we are going to start tight on an actor.