Forgive brings up a great point, and it's something I harp on alot.

Peeps continuously write Slugs like "INT. HOUSE", "INT. KITCHEN", etc...

What happens when you have more than 1 house or kitchen?  You have a problem, obviously.

This is why I always try to write Slugs that are detailed - I'm referring to Master Slugs, of course here.

Mini Slugs will not be differentiated from each other, meaning, you could have several Mini Slugs, which read as, "KITCHEN, BATHROOM, etc.

This is fine in a spec script, but understand  that when it becomes a shooting script, more work is required to make sure each bathroom and the like are detailed, so the shoot goes smoothly.

And this is really 1 big reason why some are against using Mini Slugs.  They may make the read easier and make the script more visually appealing, but they also lack the detail that a Full Slug gives.

Quoted from Dreamscale Forgive brings up a great point, and it's something I harp on alot. Peeps continuously write Slugs like "INT. HOUSE", "INT. KITCHEN", etc... What happens when you have more than 1 house or kitchen?  You have a problem, obviously. This is why I always try to write Slugs that are detailed - I'm referring to Master Slugs, of course here. Mini Slugs will not be differentiated from each other, meaning, you could have several Mini Slugs, which read as, "KITCHEN, BATHROOM, etc. This is fine in a spec script, but understand  that when it becomes a shooting script, more work is required to make sure each bathroom and the like are detailed, so the shoot goes smoothly. And this is really 1 big reason why some are against using Mini Slugs.  They may make the read easier and make the script more visually appealing, but they also lack the detail that a Full Slug gives.

If there's more than one house, I guess you just put...

Quoted Text INT. MIKE'S HOUSE - DAY Mike does this and that. KITCHEN More action.

And of course if you move to a different house...

Quoted Text INT. DAVID'S HOUSE - DAY David does this and that. KITCHEN More action.

And if you want to get back to them specific areas later in the script...

Quoted Text INT. DAVID'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

Or perhaps consider giving unique names to the locations...

Quoted Text EXT. THE ABODE - DAY A rather large house with a medieval style door. INT. THE ABODE - KITCHEN - DAY Dreamscale washes a pair of undies at the sink.

That's how I'd do it anyway, if you have multiple HOUSE locations.  The mini-slugs can stay the same tho, because they are underneath different MASTER SETTINGS.  People will obviously understand the difference if a "KITCHEN" mini-slug is beneath a different master.

So what I'm saying is, people will understand the difference between

Quoted Text INT. THE ABODE - DAY Dreamscale does something, moves to the -- KITCHEN -- where he ect.

and...

Quoted Text INT. CRYSTAL PALACE - DAY Dreamscale does something, moves to the -- KITCHEN -- where he ect.

Both use the kitchen mini-slug but in different master settings, and it can easily be changed to a full slug...

Quoted Text INT. CRYSTAL PALACE - KITCHEN - DAY

Am I right?

Yes, you are correct.

But, you should not start off with something like,

"INT. KITCHEN"

Max orders his bitch to make him a meal.

You first need to set the Master Scene, as you've been properly diong in your examples.

Quoted from Dreamscale Yes, you are correct. But, you should not start off with something like, "INT. KITCHEN" Max orders his bitch to make him a meal. You first need to set the Master Scene, as you've been properly diong in your examples.

Yah bro, I would never use a scene header like that because it's way too vague.  The only time I would consider using something like that is in a short, where perhaps there won't be another house in the script.

I've found that FULL SLUGS can't always cover descriptive elements.  When you say have a slug which says...

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

..people know outright what the setting may look like, so you won't need to describe as much.  When you're describing some ancient, underground alien facility though, things heat up, especially when you have a solid visual in your mind, but again, that might be a decision for the director.

Quoted from Dreamscale Max orders his bitch to make him a meal.

  

But Jeff refuses to cook, as it's his night off.

Quoted from Max Both use the kitchen mini-slug but in different master settings, and it can easily be changed to a full slug... Am I right?

...depends on your question... in a script break-down, all your INT. KITCHEN scenes will be filmed at the same time, so it's back to the clarification point-- are you being clear about what happens and when.

I do see the point you are making and it will matter more in a feature vs a short, but if you're breaking a feature down these things become less clear - do you get what I mean?

Quoted from Forgive ...depends on your question... in a script break-down, all your INT. KITCHEN scenes will be filmed at the same time, so it's back to the clarification point-- are you being clear about what happens and when. I do see the point you are making and it will matter more in a feature vs a short, but if you're breaking a feature down these things become less clear - do you get what I mean?

Yeah, I think I am being clear in my script.  I don't have INT. KITCHEN scenes, because I always have a MASTER SETTING.

Scenes like INT. DAVID'S HOUSE - KITCHEN and INT. MIKE'S HOUSE - KITCHEN will of course be filmed in different locations, to differentiate.

There is never a case in my script where INT. KITCHEN is used twice to describe two different locations, that would be insanity... because how would one differentiate?

There has to be a master location for locations like that, no doubt brother.

My script won't get filmed, but it's not about that.  I'm trying to achieve a standard for myself and others, just from a pure screenplay perspective.

To make myself clear, because I'm slightly tipsy right about now, few cans of beer and all that.

INT. KITCHEN = Would never be used as a full slug twice, or at all even, especially if there is multiple houses in a script.

INT. KITCHEN would always have to come with something before it, a master setting ect.

Quoted from Max INT. KITCHEN = Would never be used as a full slug twice, or at all even, especially if there is multiple houses in a script. INT. KITCHEN would always have to come with something before it, a master setting ect.

IMO, "INT. KITCHEN" should never, ever be used in any script, be it a short or a feature.  If for no otehr rason, it is lazy and gets the writer in a bad and lazy way of thinking it's OK.

It's not OK, whetehr or not you have multiple kitchens you're making your bitch make you a meal or if you're drilling her on the kitchen counter.

Consistency is something that can only be achieved through being consistent each and every time.

Quoted from Dreamscale IMO, "INT. KITCHEN" should never, ever be used in any script, be it a short or a feature.  If for no otehr rason, it is lazy and gets the writer in a bad and lazy way of thinking it's OK. It's not OK, whetehr or not you have multiple kitchens you're making your bitch make you a meal or if you're drilling her on the kitchen counter. Consistency is something that can only be achieved through being consistent each and every time.

lol bruh, what happens if you have three kitchens in one house tho?

Quoted Text INT. RANDOM HOUSE - DAY Max moves into the -- MASTER KITCHEN -- and then to the -- SMALL KITCHEN -- and then to the -- EVEN SMALLER KITCHEN

That's a fucked up house.

Trippin out.

Yeah...that would be a fucked up house.  

I don't use minis as standard any more. Non standard things can arise through pacing and the like... depends on a lot of things. Generally though I do full slugs, precisely because it can get confusing if you have two living rooms. As other people jump on board the script they will only have to figure it out later, which means you're making somebody else's job more difficult... or they may even expect you to do it which further delays the script development stage.

Thinking further about it, it was Forgive that first opened my eyes to this issue around a year or so ago. I ignored him, of course... then later found out through direct experience that he was correct. Ouch.

Hm... mini slugs vs. slugs.  Hot topic in the screenwriting world.

Okay, imagine a MAN making dinner in the KITCHEN.  He takes the tray out the oven, dishes it all up, carries two plates into the DINING ROOM.  Returns to the KITCHEN for two wine glasses.  Then he's sitting at the table with a WOMAN eating the food he made.

How would this function on-screen?  Well...

Quoted Text INT. KITCHEN - DAY MAN takes a lasagna tray out of the oven.  He dishes up two plates, carries them - DINING ROOM - and places them on the table.  Sets up cutlery - KITCHEN - Collects two wine glasses from the cupboard. INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT MAN sits with WOMAN at the table.

I think if the action follows what a character is doing in one scene to the next, then a mini slug functions alongside them.  So if they step from one room to the next on a phone call, for example, that's a mini slug.

If they're in the hallway/foyer of a house, and they step outside.  No mini slug is useful because they're going from INT. to EXT.

I could be wrong, but I think that's the best way to tackle mini slugs.  

Quoted from Leegion Hm... mini slugs vs. slugs.  Hot topic in the screenwriting world. Okay, imagine a MAN making dinner in the KITCHEN.  He takes the tray out the oven, dishes it all up, carries two plates into the DINING ROOM.  Returns to the KITCHEN for two wine glasses.  Then he's sitting at the table with a WOMAN eating the food he made. How would this function on-screen?  Well... I think if the action follows what a character is doing in one scene to the next, then a mini slug functions alongside them.  So if they step from one room to the next on a phone call, for example, that's a mini slug. If they're in the hallway/foyer of a house, and they step outside.  No mini slug is useful because they're going from INT. to EXT. I could be wrong, but I think that's the best way to tackle mini slugs.

Pretty much my approach as well - same location-same time (like a man walking thru a house) I think they work quite well.

A caveat though - I have often found that my own use of  mini-slugs can be a warning flare of over writing. Specifically, I have often found when re-editing something that I really only needed the last room in the house for the script. i.e., not only were the mini slugs not needed, neither were the scenes.

Quoted from eldave1 A caveat though - I have often found that my own use of  mini-slugs can be a warning flare of over writing. Specifically, I have often found when re-editing something that I really only needed the last room in the house for the script. i.e., not only were the mini slugs not needed, neither were the scenes.

Great point, Dave.  Writing with "tracking shots" and/or continuous action doesn't work for every situation and can be quite tedious and even completely unnecessary.