Know your elements
There are 7 possible elements that you can use to format your scene. Elements
have different properties such as the left and right margins and whether or
not they are to be formatted in upper case or not:
- Slug Line: Also known as a "scene heading" in other formatting
software. This element can only appear at the top of your scene and is used
to designate where the scene is taking place and at what time. See the next
page for details on how to insert "sub slug lines" into the body
of your scenes.
- Direction: Also known as "action" in other formatting software.
This element is used to describe what is going on in the scene. Direction
is always written in the present tense, and always in 1st person. For
example, this is correct: "John walks over towards the door. He turns
the handle", whilst this is incorrect: "John walked to the door.
He turned the handle".
- Character: This element indicates who is talking in your script.
- Parenthetical: Used to give direction to your characters. Use parentheticals
sparingly since it should be up to the actor to depict how a certain character
behaves. You may also insert in-line parentheticals.
- Dialogue: This is the element you use to write what a character is
saying.
- Transition: A transition is used to denote how one scene visually
flows into the other - the most common being "CUT TO:".
- Shot: This element is used to indicate a camera angle or position.
Unless you are writing a script for yourself (as a writer director) it is
only usually used in shooting scripts these days - unless an angle has changed
within the scene that the reader needs to know about, or for emphasis.
You may change text into a different scene element by either using the Change
Scene Element button in the Scene Editor, or preferebly
by using a combination of TAB and ENTER keys.
