Cascading Slug Lines

Screenplay Readability

The 'slug lines' INT/EXT or DAY/NIGHT do not need to be repeated once established. A "cascading" approach uses the full slug line to establish the scene, includes INT/EXT and DAY/NIGHT again only when there's a change, sets off a full slug line when a new scene is being established, or there's a time change or major change in setting, e.g., U.S. to China. Periods and dashes can also be replaced with two spaces to make for cleaner, easier-to-read slug lines.

EXT FARMHOUSE DAY

Faded in the Texas sun, serenaded by a ROOSTER.

INT KITCHEN

MAMA WACO, 67, stirs up some grits, singing Patsy Cline.

BEDROOM

PAPA WACO, 69, cleans his shotgun, rises solemnly, and slips out the back door.

EXT MAIN STREET NIGHT

(et cetera)

When we shift indoors we don't have to say DAY again, as we know it still is. When we move to the bedroom, we don't have to say INT again, as we know we're already there. Only when we move to another setting, and DAY becomes NIGHT, do we need a full slug line (preceded by two carriage returns).

DAY/NIGHT should be used almost exclusively as they serve a specific purpose in helping determine production budget--night scenes require lighting, even more expensive if done outdoors. Variations such as MORNING/TWILIGHT/DAWN/DUSK are often used, but at the risk of the writer. Such originality could irritate the wrong somebody down the line.

Richard Walter

The above guidelines come directly from Richard Walter, Professor and Co-Chairman of the screenwriting department at UCLA. For more of his guidance see . .

There are no rules in Hollywood!

WARNING: Apply any screenplay formatting guidelines with discernment, and at your own peril. No claim can be made to the absolute correctness of any approach, as no absolutely correct screenplay format is known to exist in Hollywood. There are no rules! (just be sure you don't break any of them)