Once a master location has been set by writing a basic master scene heading, you want to write a proper secondary scene heading if the character is still within that master location, but has moved into a particular room within that location. Within those master locations are secondary locations that characters may move to, including places like kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms. Master scene headings offer the core location that any given scene is in, be it a house, bar, stadium, car, train, plane, or office building. Not every scene or script utilizes the latter, but it's good to know the purpose that secondary headings serve to use them correctly. There are generally two kinds of scene headings - master scene headings and secondary scene headings. Master Scene Headings and Secondary Scene Headings There's a much more straightforward way to communicate these elements. Some even use the word ESTABLISHING to make sure that we know this is the first time we've seen this important location (we know already). Some writers use this to specify secondary locations within the primary location. Some also use commas to establish secondary locations.īelow are examples of elements that should not be in scene headings.Īll dates and times need to be communicated within the scene description, preferably in the opening line after the heading.Ĭommas should never be used within the scene heading format either. But so many screenwriters seem to want to push that content even further by adding dates and times. We've established that scene headings consist of three elements - interior or exterior, location, and day or night. Working on a new feature, pilot, or short? Use our helpful eCourses and get it done faster! What Elements Should NOT Be in Scene Headings? They are two different screenplay format elements altogether. Sluglines are instances within the scene description where you use CAPS to identify information that you want to call attention to. We'll discuss further possible additions below. or INT.) and at which LOCATION - and whether or not the reader is to envision daylight or darkness (DAY or NIGHT). Scene headings are the general location headings that detail where we are in the script - outside or inside (EXT. These two terms are often intertwined and incorrectly referenced. Read More: Formatting Flubs: 10 Script Formatting Mistakes to Avoid Sluglines Are Not Scene Headings So let's go back to the basics once again and clear up the scene heading issue once and for all. Others are written by auteurs that are going to be directing their own work (Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, etc.).Īmidst this formatting divide lies one of the most commonly misformatted elements in a screenplay - the scene heading. Some scripts are written by studio writers under assignment. Screenplays that you find online offer a plethora of different scripts written in different eras by different writers within the context of different production directives (indie productions versus studio productions). It's understandable because the produced screenplays most have read are usually inconsistent in the formatting that is used. Some screenwriters will scoff at the mention of proper screenwriting format - dismissing it as nothing more than academic nitpicking. Are you formatting your screenwriting scene headings correctly within your script? We're going to explore that question here for this installment of our ongoing Screenwriting Basics series.
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