Slugline help wanted

sekime · Jan 14, 2013

INT. HOSPITAL - DAY

(help with slugline here)

BOB'S ROOM

I want to have a conversation outside Bob's door.
How would I write it?

Would it be OUTSIDE BOB'S ROOM or HALLWAY or ...?

cornflake · Jan 14, 2013

I'd do INT. HOSP. HALLWAY - whenever, then in the action line -

JANE and SUE stand just outside a room with Bob's name written on the door tag. (or what have you)

sekime · Jan 14, 2013

Simple. Makes sense. I don't know why my mind went to the outside of the door in the slugline.

Thanks.

cornflake · Jan 14, 2013

No problemo. I think everyone tends to overcomplicate for no reason now and again, heh.

brianjanuary · Jan 14, 2013

In this case since within the context of your master scene you're already INT., you don't need to write INT. again when you move to the hallway, just HALLWAY.

I would write it something like (assuming John and Mary have already been introduced):

HALLWAY

as John and Mary talk about Bob's condition.

JOHN

He looks terrible.

Etc.

sekime · Jan 18, 2013

I have another question.

I have a scene where a couple are talking. Then the woman gets into the back of the car, and they have a conversation through the window of the car. She's on the inside, he's on the outside.

Should I go ahead and just use INT./EXT. CAR - NIGHT?

I've also read about never using INT./EXT. Should I just put of bunch of

INT. CAR - NIGHT

EXT. CAR

INT. CAR

EXT. CAR

every time and have the dialogue between?

lefty23 · Jan 18, 2013

I wouldn't keep switching between EXT/INT throughout the dialogue.

If you are starting with both characters outside, i would just go with EXT. and then perhaps switch once to INT. when the female character gets into the car and then use your description to make it clear that the male character is still outside for the remainder of the conversation.

sekime · Jan 18, 2013

I dug out the Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier. Answered my own question.

Occasionally, the action moves back and forth through a doorway or opening. This can create a large number of master scene headings. Sometimes a scene begins outside, but quickly moves inside (or vice versa). In such cases, the following camera location notation is permissible:

INT./EXT. CAR - DAY

Slugline help wanted

sekime

Writing and learning

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

sekime

Writing and learning

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

brianjanuary

sekime

Writing and learning

lefty23

sekime

Writing and learning