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Hey guys, just wondering what the standard is when it comes to using slug lines as action lines. The type of thing that was happening in the Angels and Demons script.
Example:
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Phil walks over to the bench. He picks up a glass, and smashes it on his head. Blood trickles down his face as he walks into the -
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
and picks up the remote from on top of the television. blah blah blah.
I'm against using the slug line in that way, but some people prefer it. Is there a right or wrong way? Or is it just a different style of writing?
To me, it's a matter of style. If YOU feel right doing it, then go ahead. I mean, if you've been inside the outside of the craft and you know it's right, then you just know it.
I like the idea of working "the craft" as much as possible so that we can get the most "bang for the buck" as far as words are concerned; so for me, it's VERY fitting.
But it depends upon the writer's style I think. In the end, don't do anything that doesn't feel right. You have to navigate through the territory of your script and it's a murky territory.
I just LOVE questions like this though. They really help me question every thing I put on the page. And that's what I want.
That and to be able to have a good night's sleep again. Will that EVER be possible? I'd like to write THAT into a movie that would manifest into REALITY.
Michael, when the character moves to the Living Room, is it counted as another scene?
Sandra, I see that you do it because it takes up less words, and yeah, it doesn't really feel right for me to do it, so I don't. I use very little words in the action lines anyway, my action is very simple, and (hopefully) easy to follow.
I suppose by including the slug line as action, it might flow better ... but on the other hand, it might be a bit hard to follow, and scenes become one murky mess.
I like the idea that you can start from any scene, and see what is happening at the start of it. By including slugs as action, you have to read the scenes before and after the one you want to read, to fully understand it. With me?
The general rule of thumb is to only include things that have changed in the scene heading, so if your first heading is;
INT. BILLY BOB'S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - DAY
and you have Billy Bob do something in the living room, walk through to the kitchen and do something else, that would all be one scene as far as I'm concerned. You wouldn't need the INT part as that's the same, same with the main location and the time of day is CONT which we don't need. So all you actually need for the SLUGLINE is the change of room, as Michael suggested.
Whether you include that as part of your action or not is totally upto you. For me, I just think it saves room and gives the script a better flow. If at the end of an action line you say that Billy Bob has walked into the kitchen, I don't think we really need to read that he's in the kitchen again.
I know people have differing views on this though so I don't think there is a definate right or wrong answer. Would be interesting to hear from any directors though, as to which way they prefer and what's easiest as far as set-up goes.
With spec scripts, you don't need all the sluglines. If a scene opens up in a kitchen, and the character moves into the dining room, you don't need a second one.
With shooting scripts, it's another matter entirely.
They're called secondary headings and they're a matter of opinion as to whether you need them in the example you give. You don't need to put the INT./EXT. part or the time of day because it's included in the original heading. You also never use them as the end of a sentence.
Your example should go something like this (I tweaked something else in there too):
Example:
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Phil walks over to the bench. Picks up a glass. Smashes it on his head. Blood trickles down his face as he walks
INTO THE LIVING ROOM
and picks up the remote from on top of the television. blah blah blah.
=====
It's totally opinion, and you don't have to do the secondary if you don't want to, but as it is technically a new location, it doesn't hurt to already have it there.
Where they are used just as often is when two or more sequences are occurring in basically the same location, but different parts of that location. This way you're not writing INT. HOUSE - FOYER and INT. HOUSE -STAIRS every few lines. It reads clearer if you just say (and this is an extreme example, obviously):
INT. HOUSE - FOYER - NIGHT
Bob tells Linda he is in love.
ON THE STAIRS
Harry tells Sally he isn't in love.
IN THE FOYER
Linda gushes over Bob's declaration.
IN THE KITCHEN
Jeff pops popcorn.
ON THE STAIRS
Sally pulls a gun on Harry.
IN THE FOYER
Bob reveals he's in love with Harry.
IN THE KICHEN
the popcorn goes crazy and pops everywhere.
IN THE FOYER
Linda opens the door and tells Bob to leave.
ON THE STAIRS
Sally shoots Harry. He tumbles downs the stairs and
INTO THE FOYER
where his body runs into Bob and thy both tumble the door. Linda closes the door behind them. Jeff runs out and asks for help with popcorn.
Anyway, I just wanted to add that when you use slug lines as part of the action you can give the script more dynamism, and even control the pace of the story. For example, I wouldn't do it if I'm writing a slow dramatic scene about someone preparing a bathroom for commiting suicide, but would certainly do it when writing an action scene.
jecastellon makes a good point. At least, that's how I certainly see things anyway. It's about the reading experience.
But I agree that's it down to personal preference whether to utilize full scene headings, secondary headings, or even skip the heading altogether and continue as action.
The general rule of thumb is to only include things that have changed in the scene heading, so if your first heading is;
INT. BILLY BOB'S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - DAY
and you have Billy Bob do something in the living room, walk through to the kitchen and do something else, that would all be one scene as far as I'm concerned. You wouldn't need the INT part as that's the same, same with the main location and the time of day is CONT which we don't need. So all you actually need for the SLUGLINE is the change of room, as Michael suggested.
Whether you include that as part of your action or not is totally upto you. For me, I just think it saves room and gives the script a better flow. If at the end of an action line you say that Billy Bob has walked into the kitchen, I don't think we really need to read that he's in the kitchen again.
I know people have differing views on this though so I don't think there is a definate right or wrong answer. Would be interesting to hear from any directors though, as to which way they prefer and what's easiest as far as set-up goes.
Ste
Were I a director, I would want to look at a page where location changes pop out for me to see them. I wouldn't want to have to go fishing in the action lines for scene changes. But that's just me... if I do otherwise in any of my scripts, it's because it's a mistake.
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Using slug lines as part of the action.
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