I'm taking a screenwriting workshop class to try and improve my focus and discipline. Our only textbook is McKee's "Story", which should've told that she's a nutcase.

One of my gripes with this teacher is that she teaches her style of writing. I think my format is good. She wants me to copy hers.

I've been glancing through scripts here and it looks like the majority of people write their sluglines like this:

INT. BIG - SMALL - DAY

So, INT. HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY

This teacher insists we write it like this:

INT. BEDROOM - HOUSE - DAY

The rest of my class, from what I can tell, are new to writing. Y'all know I've been doing this for a couple of years and I don't need lessons on format. Yet, everything I've been doing isn't her way, so it's wrong.

What should I do?

Do it her way.   That's what classes are about (notice I didn't say that's what learning is about).

Michael is correct.  Also, even though I've been writing sluglines the opposite of hers, I see the sense behind her thinking.  INT. (in a) BEDROOM - (in a ) House - DAY, makes total sense.  Because the focus would be on the bedroom, which just happens to be in the house.  Convoluted, or sensible?

Hm, I see her point. I always tend to write it HOUSE - BEDROOM as well, but the way the Star Wars movies tended to have it was PLACE - PLANET, which is the same principle.

Perhaps there is something to it. Regardless, do it her way, and when the class is done, do it however you think works best for you.

Quoted from ABennettWriter This teacher insists we write it like this: INT. BEDROOM - HOUSE - DAY The rest of my class, from what I can tell, are new to writing. Y'all know I've been doing this for a couple of years and I don't need lessons on format. Yet, everything I've been doing isn't her way, so it's wrong. What should I do?

Run to the hills! Failing that you can always tell her she might be wrong.

For someone who's fond of "Story" it seems a little bizarre. Or, you could play the game, bite your tongue, pass the course then do it properly afterwards. Everybody wins.

our good buddy Jeff will love this thread. He espouses this method of slugs!!

Quoted from stevie our good buddy Jeff will love this thread. He espouses this method of slugs!!

I didn't think Jeff had an espouse.  I thought he had a girlfriend. . . . .

Quoted from ABennettWriter I've been glancing through scripts here and it looks like the majority of people write their sluglines like this: INT. BIG - SMALL - DAY So, INT. HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY This teacher insists we write it like this: INT. BEDROOM - HOUSE - DAY

Both are fine and, to put it bluntly, agent/managers/producers don't give a damn about these formating pet peeves.

Since you already know the formating basics, forget the issue and focus entirely on polishing your storytelling skills. Story is what matters most.  :)

I started writing slugs big-to-small because a development executive for a company I was working for told me to do it that way. She said that was how it was done in Hollywood. It didn’t really matter, I had to do it her way either way.

I think you should just treat the situation like your teacher is someone who’s commissioned you to write and just do it her way. When you write your personal scripts, do it your way. You’re going to end up making all kinds of concessions to assignment write. May as well get used to it. :)

But for the record, I personally think big-to-small is the clearest way and thus the best way.


Breanne

I agree with the Big to Small routine.  Do it her way then change it back afterwards.

Quoted from mcornetto Do it her way.   That's what classes are about (notice I didn't say that's what learning is about).

I agree with Michael, and that's what I tell my grown kids to do. Right now, you need to follow her instructions because you are inside of her classroom.

Like Michael has said, learning and being taught are sometimes different things. The real world is very different than a classroom. Cooking without recipes is very different than cooking with them. You learn flavors and combination by experience.

Outside her classroom, write the way you like. For her class, write her way.

Sandra

I'd say that - assuming you are paying for the privilege of attending this workshop - that you have every right to disagree with her.

Frankly, if she bases the entire class around one book (any one book), then she doing her students a disservice. It's a bit like doing an art class where the teacher only tells you about Impressionism and ignores every other art movement.

Yeah, I do love this thread!  And I could go on and on about this subject.

First of all, I do not think it's a problem to disagree with your instructor.  Maybe disagree isn't quite the right word, but I would imagine that you can question this issue and it could make for some good discussions in the class.

I most defintely agree that Slugs should go from big to small.  Here's the argument that no one can disagree with (well, no one should disagree with it, but some probably still will)...if you have several houses in your script, with scenes in the kitchen, going small to big just doesn't make sense.  You'll have 2 totally different settings that will look like this in your script..."INT. KITCHEN - BOB'S HOUSE", and "INT. KITCHEN - MIKE'S HOUSE".  Not only does it take more effort to read and understand exactly where we are, but also, a scene report will group all the "kitchen" scenes together, as apposed to all the "Bob's House" and "Mike's House" scenes.

OK, I feel better now.  Abs, I would recommend bringing this up in class and see what your instructer hsa to say to this argument.

Quoted from Dreamscale Yeah, I do love this thread!  And I could go on and on about this subject. First of all, I do not think it's a problem to disagree with your intstructor.  Maybe disagree isn't quite the right word, but I would imagine that you can question this issue and it could make for some good discussions in the class. I most defintely agree that Slugs should go from big to small.  Here's the argument that no one can disagree with (well, no one should disagree with it, but some probably still will)...if you have several houses in your script, with scenes in the kitchen, going small to big just doesn't make sense.  You'll have 2 totally different settings that will look like this in your script..."INT. KITCHEN - BOB'S HOUSE", and "INT. KITCHEN - MIKE'S HOUSE".  Not only does it take more effort to read and understand exactly where we are, but also, a scene report will group all the "kitchen" scenes together, as apposed to all the "Bob's House" and "Mike's House" scenes. OK, I feel better now.  Abs, I would recommend bringing this up in class and see what your instructer hsa to say to this argument.

What you just said clicked something directly into my head, like the turning of a key. LOL

You know, you always get those transition scenes and then a "move" to the next firm location. A lot of times, it's a firmly place exterior shot or "thing" like a flag pole, that helps ground the audience into the moment as well as the location. Now, I'm not sure, but my guess is that this isn't written in by writers always in the early stages so much as the way it's put together in the end, and perhaps some "aha moments" along the way, but for the read, it seems to make sense, at least in some scenarios if not most scenarios, to  go from big to small.

With that though, I'll betcha there are exceptions. It seems there are always exceptions.

Sandra

I say do it the way the instructor wants it done, it's her class after all, besides, she has the experience to verify that what she's teaching is 100% legit. I would try writing a script formatted the way she is instructing based on her teachings and see what type of feedback you receive. Kind of do a survey. If more are in favor of doing it your way, stick with it. If more are in favor of doing it her way, stick with that formatting.

Personally, I don't believe it matters either way. I have read scripts where the slug lines have had no INT or EXT designation. The only clue to for the reader was within the scene description itself.

As an example, it was something like this:

TUNNEL

The sun creates a glorious halo around the closed door as seen from within. WATER DRIPS through a myriad of overhead cracks above them as they make for the tunnel door.

Weird huh?!  

How do you know she has experience to back it up? AB doesn't state that. She appears to being using "Story" as her only text - if she was an experienced writer, would she do that, or would she use her own experience as the basis for her teaching?

In the UK we have a saying

Those who can...do
Those who can't...teach

(and those who can't teach...teach PE)

You have two issues going.

One, do you know more than your teacher about format? Two, is this class too fundamental for you?

Do you know more about format? Maybe. That becomes a matter of style within established boundaries, which have been beat, shot, drawn and quartered, and stabbed to death (the last two are probably redundent).

I'd would have started with INT. BEDROOM - (TIME OF DAY), or maybe if I had the windows blacked out, I would have left time-of-day out, and a mystery, depending on why I started in the bedroom.

Is this class too fundamental? You said you're among noobs. You're the best judge of whether this class is too fundamental, yet you took it because you want to improve your focus and discipline.

If by focus and discipline you mean getting out of bed, sitting down with your coffee, and powering up your favorite writing device, then you won't get that from this class. So I suspect that is not the focus and discipline you desire (if it is, then you have money to burn and I there's this house I've been looking at...).

If by focus and discipline you mean in actually writing your story, within the story, then maybe this class will help. Maybe, because you slam McKee so quickly. Not sure that's a positive statement. I have a McKee book, read it once. I have lots of books that I've read, once, and I'm not defending or detracting from McKee because he has some good things too say. I just tossed my Trottier book (oldy). Now-a-days I read scripts and study them for how they work, or not. Or watch a movie. Just watched Ping Pong (subtitled) and it was good. Very character driven and it was interesting how that was executed. You never know what avenue your writing epiphany will come.

A structured class may help you get focus and discipline on character or story, if that class addresses those issues. Character is conveyed in character action. Wrting good character's in a good story is what all those books hope to convey, as part of that screenwriting micro-industry. So if your class has you write examples and y'all get to analyze what works or not, then you could learn something.

I sense that there is some pride going on in that you don't think you need lessons on format. You're the best judge of that as well. To have that going on says maybe you're wasting your time and money here. This is not about the teacher, it's about you.

So, if you elected to take this class for learning's sake, then eat what meat you can and pick out the bones. It's her class...kind of like being in a judge's courtroom, and you really don't want to end up on the wrong side of the gavel.

Quoted from cloroxmartini You have two issues going. One, do you know more than your teacher about format? Two, is this class too fundamental for you? Do you know more about format? Maybe. That becomes a matter of style within established boundaries, which have been beat, shot, drawn and quartered, and stabbed to death (the last two are probably redundent). I'd would have started with INT. BEDROOM - (TIME OF DAY), or maybe if I had the windows blacked out, I would have left time-of-day out, and a mystery, depending on why I started in the bedroom. Is this class too fundamental? You said you're among noobs. You're the best judge of whether this class is too fundamental, yet you took it because you want to improve your focus and discipline. If by focus and discipline you mean getting out of bed, sitting down with your coffee, and powering up your favorite writing device, then you won't get that from this class. So I suspect that is not the focus and discipline you desire (if it is, then you have money to burn and I there's this house I've been looking at...). If by focus and discipline you mean in actually writing your story, within the story, then maybe this class will help. Maybe, because you slam McKee so quickly. Not sure that's a positive statement. I have a McKee book, read it once. I have lots of books that I've read, once, and I'm not defending or detracting from McKee because he has some good things too say. I just tossed my Trottier book (oldy). Now-a-days I read scripts and study them for how they work, or not. Or watch a movie. Just watched Ping Pong (subtitled) and it was good. Very character driven and it was interesting how that was executed. You never know what avenue your writing epiphany will come. A structured class may help you get focus and discipline on character or story, if that class addresses those issues. Character is conveyed in character action. Wrting good character's in a good story is what all those books hope to convey, as part of that screenwriting micro-industry. So if your class has you write examples and y'all get to analyze what works or not, then you could learn something. I sense that there is some pride going on in that you don't think you need lessons on format. You're the best judge of that as well. To have that going on says maybe you're wasting your time and money here. This is not about the teacher, it's about you. So, if you elected to take this class for learning's sake, then eat what meat you can and pick out the bones. It's her class...kind of like being in a judge's courtroom, and you really don't want to end up on the wrong side of the gavel.

Cloroxmartini,

I can honestly say that your post here is so beautifully well thought out and is a gift for the reader.

I always believe that it's the thought that counts. Well, here is a perfect example.

Thanks for taking your time here. I think you have just/ will help a lot of young people and old people and in between people too. To clarify a few things in their own minds.

Sandra

Thanks. I found type-o's, though! I hate type-o's!

Quoted from cloroxmartini Thanks. I found type-o's, though! I hate type-o's!

Me to too.  ;) But then again, there are no mistakes; just opportunities.

Sandra

Quoted from Sandra Elstree. Me to too.  ;) But then again, there are no mistakes; just opportunities. Sandra

Now there's optimism. Time for a Vulcan Mind Meld.