Bold slugs or not? Was just curious why some people use bold slugs and their reasoning for it. Do you think it helps peeps keep better track of where they are in your script?

Steve

Personally, I think people use it to differentiate, especially when you have people who, now, use nouns as slugs (a person's name or an object we're looking at), so someone who may be skimming the script would know that there's been a location change.

I use blog slugs because, as Blonde identified, I feel that they reduce the likelihood of a 'skim-reader' missing a location change.

I tend to use mini-slugs quite a lot in my writing as well, which are easily missed unless the reader is paying full attention. So I just feel they prevent this happening.

But, at the end of the day, I am still in the (cool) minority in regards to bolded slugs  

When I'm going back over a piece to proof, correct, and update changed story elements it GREATLY helps the (rapid) scanning process.

All I gotta do is look for what I'm looking for, not scour the whole blinkin' page trying to differentiate between slugs and action lines.

I got better things to do than waste my time.

Think of them as visual tabs.

Quoted from RayW When I'm going back over a piece to proof, correct, and update changed story elements it GREATLY helps the (rapid) scanning process. All I gotta do is look for what I'm looking for, not scour the whole blinkin' page trying to differentiate between slugs and action lines. I got better things to do than waste my time. Think of them as visual tabs.

Amen.

I'm now on the bold slug bandwagon myself.  I used to resist them as non-standard, but I've find all the positives listed above to be true.  It's easier to move through a script - both for you and a reader.  And it even breaks up the monotony of the page a little. Granted, it's your writing that has to do that primarily.  But every little edge helps.

I have ADD. Bold slugs help me BIG TIME.

I haven't yet...but I will

It just makes sense to me.

At the first writing course I went to I mentioned that a script I had just read, Animal Kingdom - amazing script by the way - had bold slugs. This was frowned upon. Why? The advice seems old fashioned now.

Clarity is king with scripts, this helps.

BUT do you on final draft have to bold each one, or is there a quick and easy way. Like those.

I don't feel the need to bold slugs because they're formatted with extra space and capped. But I also see that Marnie made the adjustment in her script, and got rid of the space between slugs. Maybe to compensate or save space, not too sure.

But like Bill says, if bold assists with overall clarity and referencing, then it's a no-brainer.

Quoted from oJOHNNYoNUTSo But I also see that Marnie made the adjustment in her script, and got rid of the space between slugs. Maybe to compensate or save space, not too sure.

Not to save space. I just think it looks better.  I think the bold headings with the extra "scene heading" space is too distracting. IMO it flows better this way. Losing that extra space doesn't gain much room anyway, especially in a short. In a feature you might chop off one page.  

Quoted from mmmarnie Not to save space. I just think it looks better.  I think the bold headings with the extra "scene heading" space is too distracting. IMO it flows better this way. Losing that extra space doesn't gain much room anyway, especially in a short. In a feature you might chop off one page.

That's exactly what I thought you were doing. It's an interesting way to compensate for the possibility of overpowering format. I guess the only thing it affects is if you auto numbered your scenes.(wait for it..)  

I used to have a problem with bold slugs. They were all over my washing up.

And the cooker.

Sometimes they would bring their friends - brave snails. They would party all night all over my kitchen.

And they hid the salt, thus leaving me powerless.

Eventually I left. But the memories still haunt.

R

Quoted from rendevous Sometimes they would bring their friends - brave snails. They would party all night all over my kitchen. R

Cracking me up with the 'brave snails.'

On topic - you can get away with almost anything as long as your screenplay story is one in a million. Trends come and go. This is just one of the latest.

Quoted from LC On topic - you can get away with almost anything as long as your screenplay story is one in a million. Trends come and go. This is just one of the latest.

I'll drink to that!

Thanks peeps.

Ren, I heard margarine works to ward off slugs as well. Talk to Johnny. He might still have some left over.

Steve

Quoted from SAC Ren, I heard margarine works to ward off slugs as well. Talk to Johnny. He might still have some left over.

If margarine is so wrong, why does it feel so right?