Script Writing
SAME
• Occasionally, SAME is used to indicate that the scene takes
place at the SAME time as the previous scene. Sometimes
the term SAME TIME is used.
CONTINUOUS
• As demonstrated at [D] on the sample script, CONTINUOUS
is occasionally used for a similar purpose—to show that one
scene follows right on the heels of the other, without any
jump in time. Here is another example:
CONTINUOUS
• Here is another example:
EXT. BACK YARD - NIGHT
Butch creeps up to the kitchen door. He picks the lock.
INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
He tiptoes inside.
If it is already obvious that one scene follows the other continuously without any
time gaps or lapses, then it is not necessary to use CONTINUOUS.
This may be the case for the above example. In fact, the time (DAY or NIGHT)
would also be obvious, so you could probably get away with the following:
LATER
• Sometimes, “LATER” is used to indicate passage of time.
INT. DINING ROOM - LATER
• Or, if you established the dining room in the previous scene heading, you
could simply write: LATER
Space—the final formatting frontier
• If the scene takes place in outer space, then it’s neither DAY nor NIGHT,
so you may not need to indicate any time of day; just write:
EXT. SPACE
• However, if you have an interior scene, you may want to indicate DAY or
NIGHT depending on whether the characters are working or sleeping. Of
course, your characters’ activity is a clue, so DAY and NIGHT may not be
needed even then.
• The main thing is to not confuse or lose the reader.
4. Special notations
• If a scene requires further identification because it is a dream, for example,
such a clarification may be added as a fourth part of the master scene
heading. Here is an example:
INT. ROOM OF MIRRORS - NIGHT - MARTY’S DREAM
or
INT. ROOM OF MORRORS - NIGHT (MARTY’S DREAM)
4. Special notations
• Suppose your screenplay jumps all over time. In that case, you could
additionally indicate the date (or the season) of the scene, as follows.
EXT. TOKYO BAY - DAY - 1945
or
EXT. TOKYO BAY - DAY (1945)
4. Special notations
• If you want the audience to see “1945” superimposed on
the movie screen, you will need to use a SUPER.
• What if you want a scene to be shot in black-and-white or
sepia tone? Use “SPECIAL NOTES” or use a special notation:
EXT. ROLLER COASTER - DAY - BLACK AND WHITE
Scenes presented out of sequence
• If the scenes of your screenplay are not presented in chronological order,
as in Pulp Fiction, Run Lola Run, or Sliding Doors, then use the
fourth part of the master scene heading (“special notations” section above)
to keep the reader oriented.
• For example, I read a script that alternated between “DREAM STATE” and
“REALITY.”
• What if you jump around geographically? You could add the city of the
scene as a special notation:
INT. CAFE - NIGHT (PARIS)
Scene changes
• Technically, if any of the three (or four) elements of a master scene
heading change, you have a new scene, and must type in a new master
scene heading to indicate the change.
• Sometimes you don’t need a new master scene heading.
• For example, if the camera location and scene location don’t change, but
the time does, you could simply type the following:
MOMENTS LATER
Master scene heading conventions
• A master scene heading should appear as follows.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
• Recently, I saw the following master scene heading:
EXT. A DARK, GNARLY AND WINDY FOREST IN ENGLAND -
NIGHT
• Save the description for the description section, and identify
the specific location for the scene heading, as follows.
EXT. ENGLISH FOREST - NIGHT
• The wind howls through the gnarly trees.
SECONDARY SCENE HEADINGS
• Master scenes often contain more than one dramatic unit, each of which
could require a scene heading. In fact, there can be several smaller or
secondary locations that are part of the primary or master location.
• This is a crucial concept in script formatting, and it’s important to
understand.
• In Casablanca, much of the action takes place at Rick’s Cafe. These
scenes can be quite long unless they are broken up into smaller scenes. For
example, the master scene would be written as follows.
SECONDARY SCENE HEADINGS
INT. RICK’S CAFE - NIGHT
• A few paragraphs into the scene and we go to a specific spot at Rick’s Cafe.
AT THE BAR
or
GAMING ROOM
or
RICK’S TABLE
• We are still at Rick’s Cafe. The bar, Rick’s table, and the gaming room are
secondary locations that are part of the master or primary location.
SECONDARY SCENE HEADINGS
• Where am I?
• The following example is an incorrect use of a secondary scene heading. It states that
there is a library on the beach. What is needed is a new master scene heading: INT.
LIBRARY - DAY.
• Here’s the bad example:
EXT. BEACH - DAY
Marion runs through the waves.
LIBRARY
Marion reads a book.
Directing the camera
• Another advantage of using secondary headings is that you can direct the camera without
using camera terms. In effect, your goal in spec writing is to direct the mind’s eye of the
reader.
• Suppose you want to focus on characters in an intense scene. Instead of the common shooting-
script notation ANGLE ON LARRY or CLOSE ON LARRY, you simply write:
LARRY
• reaches behind his back and produces a dagger.
OLGA
• laughs heartily.
Directing the camera
• Here is another example of how to use secondary scene headings. The scene opens with a
master scene heading that establishes the master location.
INT. CONVENIENCE STORE - NIGHT
A man wearing a werewolf Halloween mask enters.
AT THE COUNTER
the clerk freezes in fear.
IN THE AISLE
a young couple faints together.
AT THE COUNTER
the masked man opens a large paper sack.
MASKED MAN
Trick or treat.
Directing the camera
• The same scene could be revised for a cleaner look. That’s because, in the
above example, the secondary scene headings are not needed to break up
the short scene.
Action scenes
• Secondary headings can become especially helpful in action scenes.
EXT. SKY ABOVE THE MEDITERRANEAN - DAY
An enemy plane gets behind Billy’s fighter (Eagle One). To his left, Jimmy’s
fighter (Eagle Two) cruises. Below them is the Mediterranean Sea.
EAGLE TWO COCKPIT
Jimmy glances to his right at Eagle One.
JIMMY
Look out, Billy!
JUST ABOVE THE WATER
The enemy fighter closes on Eagle One.
JIMMY (V.O.)
He’s on your tail!
Eagle One dodges and weaves while the enemy fires at him, missing.
Action scenes
EAGLE ONE COCKPIT
Billy pulls up on the stick.
BILLY
Thanks for the tip!
SPACING BETWEEN SCENES
• Do you double-space or triple-space before a master scene heading?
• I recommend double-spacing unless your script is under 90 pages in length
and needs to look longer. Double-space means just one line of space
between two elements.
• Triple-spacing is fine before master scene headings.
However, double-space before and after any other kind of
heading, including secondary scene headings.