I never realized how irritating this is until just recently...

How do you approach having multiple locations with essentially the same slugline? For example, having hallways in different buildings? Do you have to name the building in each slugline or is it fine to just stick with INT. HALLWAY? I ask because I'm not sure if it's an issue if your script actually gets produced and production schedules have to be drawn up. Either way, it's somewhat disorienting to have some slugs have the building in them and others not to.

Further more, hallways in large buildings always seem to be an issue as there's always separate stretches of hallway but it seems awkward to have a slug like INT. HALLWAY NEAR... or something to that effect. Same goes for having two characters in separate stretches of hallway. I've seen slugs like INT. HALLWAY WITH [INSERT CHARACTER] or simply WITH [INSERT CHARACTER] but I'm not sure if that's quite how it's done.

Probably not a big deal but it's always better to ask, I figure. At least you learned something. Plus it's probably better not to sweat small stuff like this when writing features or generally more complex shorts.

Just a few things:


You should always descend from the greater location to the lesser. For example:

INT.  COURTHOUSE - JUDGE’S CHAMBERS - DAY


You can use abbreviated slugs in interior locations, but start with a main full slug. For example:

INT.  COURTHOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY

Prison guards escort Joe Main-Character in chains…

COURTROOM

Joe sits in the witness box.


Always use complete slugs with exterior shots.


Adjectives can be used sparingly, but you should avoid having a prepositional phrase in a slugline.



Breanne

Every location needs it's own distinct slugline.  Thinking of how confusing it would become in terms of intercutting.  Hank dialing his cell phone while running for his life down INT. HALLWAY and you cut to Bill answering his cell phone leaving work also in INT. HALLWAY but, you know, across town.

The name of the building might be the cleanest way to do it.  Most feature writers go from little to big with setting locations.  The issue is that you have to stay uniform with the look of the slugline.  INT. HALLWAY, HAMPTON TOWER and INT. ELEVATOR, HAMPTON TOWER and INT. JEAN'S OFFICE, HAMPTON TOWER.  If the script gets produced it saves time when they're pulling the location or scene report if you're consistent.  

In the case of the endless seventh floor hallway just remember you're the camera.  Every time you have to physically cut the scene to get to a character or a leaking water pipe or whatever then you should reset your slugline.

I'm in agreement with Bre, here.  I always give the same advice, to start with the bigger description of the locale, and narrow it down from there.

For instance, if you have 2 or more houses in your script, and have characters in each kitchen at times, you'd want your slugs to read, "INT.  JOE'S HOUSE - KITCHEN", vs. "INT. KITCHEN - JOE'S HOUSE".  Otherwise, when you're in the other kitchen, the slug would start out "INT. KITCHEN" again, and that can get confusing, IMO.

I think this makes it much easier if your script does get produced, because pulling a scene report is much easier this way, otherwise, you're going to have a bunch of scenes all reading kitchen, and you'd have to read further to figure out where each kitchen actually is.

I'm not talking about intercutting. That's a given. The rest kinda makes sense though. Although it seems strange to spend the majority of a script in one location and stick to basic descriptions for slugs except for one room because there was another one earlier in the script. Although it's equally confusing not to lable as such. I suppose the latter advice helps though.

Still, the hallway issue continues to elude me. Obviously, if a character turns a corner, you don't need a new slug. But when there's two characters in what's essentially the same hallway and yet they're not together, that's when things get fuzzy for me.

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I would go with the abbreviated slugs that Brea gave you.

If I understand your question correctly, once you have established:

INT. BUILDING

You have options like:

HALLWAY

A DIFFERENT HALLWAY

DOWN THE HALL

And do not forget that character names can also act as "mini slugs":


INT. HALLWAY

Tom and Joe are at opposite ends of the hallway

TOM

Does something.

JOE

Does something else.

Maybe some of these options will help you out.

Quoted from bert I would go with the abbreviated slugs that Brea gave you. If I understand your question correctly, once you have established: INT. BUILDING You have options like: HALLWAY A DIFFERENT HALLWAY DOWN THE HALL And do not forget that character names can also act as "mini slugs": INT. HALLWAY Tom and Joe are at opposite ends of the hallway TOM Does something. JOE Does something else. Maybe some of these options will help you out.

This right here is just about exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, sir.

Abbreviated slugs make sense, as Bert suggested.  I personally don't like them, though.  Maybe I'm a bit old fashioned in this regard, but, IMO, full slugs make for easier and clearer writing.

Without them, when you pull up a scene report, you could easily have several "KITCHEN" or "HALLWAY" scenes that aren't actually the same place, meaning someone has to actually read the scene to make sure whch kitchen it is, and then make corrections to the printed scene report by hand.

It may make the read quicker, and it may look more streamlined, but it doesn't take any extra lines to be exact and complete, and really doesn't add any difficulty to the read itself.

Quoted from Dreamscale Abbreviated slugs make sense, as Bert suggested.  I personally don't like them, though.  Maybe I'm a bit old fashioned in this regard, but, IMO, full slugs make for easier and clearer writing.

I agree, although I think you need to find a balance between the two. Slugs can be tedious to read if there's too many in one spot but you can sometimes miss them if they're abbreviated.

It's kinda hard to put my first issue into words although I think most of what I've heard points in the right direction.

Quoted from Dreamscale Abbreviated slugs make sense, as Bert suggested.  I personally don't like them, though.  Maybe I'm a bit old fashioned in this regard, but, IMO, full slugs make for easier and clearer writing. Without them, when you pull up a scene report, you could easily have several "KITCHEN" or "HALLWAY" scenes that aren't actually the same place, meaning someone has to actually read the scene to make sure whch kitchen it is, and then make corrections to the printed scene report by hand. It may make the read quicker, and it may look more streamlined, but it doesn't take any extra lines to be exact and complete, and really doesn't add any difficulty to the read itself.

I think partial slugs are okay (for interior shots) as long as they don’t go on too long. If the main slug for the scene can be found on the same page, or within a few pages, I think it’s okay. If the entire story takes place in one location, I would go ahead and use full slugs. But yeah, you’re right, the more full slugs, the better, and you can’t go wrong just having full slugs throughout.

Most writers don’t realize how important sluglines are. They are extremely important.


Breanne

Quoted from Dreamscale Abbreviated slugs make sense... I personally don't like them...when you pull up a scene report, you could easily have several "KITCHEN" or "HALLWAY" scenes...

I disagree with your logic, Jeff.

Save your "scene report" problems for those magical entities known as "shooting scripts" that everybody grumbles about.

Your spec should flow.  Worry about those other details down the road.

Right on Bre, I continually preach how important slugs are.  Most don't seem to agree.

They should always be exact and they should be extremely consistent.  It's so easy to write good slugs, IMO, and it goes so far in helping the reader to know and visualize exactly where we are, when the slugs are solid.

Glad I'm not alone on this topic.

Well, Bert, the scene report issues are just 1 of the issues I have with using anything other than full slugs.  Again, maybe it's old fashioned of me, but it's something that I do feel quite adament about.

I can easily see the logic of abbreviated slugs, but for me, I just don't like them or use them.  As I said, they don't save any space in the script, because they're still a line, and they just provide less information.

Difference of opinion, I guess, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Quoted from Dreamscale Right on Bre, I continually preach how important slugs are.  Most don't seem to agree. They should always be exact and they should be extremely consistent.  It's so easy to write good slugs, IMO, and it goes so far in helping the reader to know and visualize exactly where we are, when the slugs are solid. Glad I'm not alone on this topic.

The thing is that there are people who will have to sort out these locations, determine how many there will be, and how long those locations will be needed. Someone has to get permits, etc. If they can’t make heads or tails of your locations, or if they don’t schedule enough time for a location because of a technical error in your script, it’s your ass.


Breanne

Quoted from Dreamscale I'm in agreement with Bre, here.  I always give the same advice, to start with the bigger description of the locale, and narrow it down from there.

It really doesn't matter which way you do it as long you are consistent.  You can slug like David Koepp and I'll slug like Steve Zaillian.