Hello Guys, today we are going to discuss an integral part of script writing: Slug Line. Slug Line has been used for many years and serves as a basic need while writing a script. If you are also confused about this term, don’t worry; we will look into details about Slug Line and how to use it. Let’s start!
Part 1. Everything you need to know about slug line
What is Slug Line?
A Slug Line is a screenplay written in all uppercase letters to make the script information prominent. It is a term used in old times when there were no advanced technology and printers were typed by small sticks called typewriters. It helps the viewer to understand the actions of the specific character.
The main heading scene is responsible for starting an enthusiasm in the background. Slug lines establish the main scene properly. These are the scripts used to break up the length of a scene and can also be used to create pace in different types of scenes. It describes the essential points of a scene more prominently.
Some Basic Formats
English should be written in Capital.
Mark Interior/Exterior view
EXT. (exterior)
INT. (interior)
EXT./INT. or INT./EXT. :
It means that the scene will continuously move from outside to inside or vice versa.
Scene Location
This section explains two primary subjects: how the scenario is presented and what happens there (the character’s actions). When writing this part, keep the following things in mind. Well first, dialogue cannot directly follow a slug line; instead, there are usually scenes and descriptions of action. Second, because the screenplay is not a novel, psychological or other non-visual descriptions must be avoided to convey what the “audience” can see. Rather than, you should simply describe the emotional shifts in the character, giving the actor some leeway to perform naturally.
Time
The determination of time is also a basic format. For example, DAY, NIGHT, etc. Generally, all of them are followed by a “-“.
I was moving along a hallway of an ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY, past doors - some open, some closed - as if looking for somebody - and maybe not for benign reasons.
FRANK (V.O.)
When I was young, I thought house painters painted houses.
We glimpse some of the older men and women in the rooms, but like everyone else in their lives, disregard them and keep looking for someone else.
Part 2. Standard Scripts Formats
Font
Courier12 is the primary font traditionally used for writing different script formats. It is considered an ancient font and has been in use for many centuries, and still, many scriptwriters use this font for writing their scripts.
Transition
To specify certain information about the scene and how a particular scene transitions to another scene, we use Transitions. The experts describe transition as a functional element. The transition has many different categories. The following are different types of transition:
Cut To
The primary type of transition is to Cut, this is the most common procedure to join two shots, and it is the continuity of the scene within a similar time span.
Dissolve to transition type is also known as lap dissolve, a post-production method usually used in film and video creation. One sequence of shots in the movie fades over the other in this type of transition.
Fade In
In Fade in transition, the shot gradually becomes visible from hidden. This an also a most commonly used type of transition.
Fade Out
In this term, the opacity of the shot gradually changes from visible to hidden. Fade out is used for more prolonged effects in the making of videos.
Title: In 2024, A Comprehensive Look at Slug Line Practices