Slugline: acceptable location? - Writers Forum

jjshell · 10-01-2007, 09:52 AM

Hello,
Would that sound like an acceptable location to you?

Previous scene took place in an unnamed art gallery. A character leaves the place. Another character runs after her. Then starts a scene in which they explain each other about what happened.

Quote:

EXT. STREET NEAR ART GALLERY - DAY

lin · 10-01-2007, 07:24 PM

I don't see anything wrong with it. or OUTSIDE ART GALLERY

mammamaia · 10-02-2007, 08:03 PM

...if it's EXT. then 'OUTSIDE' is redundant and superfluous... all you really need there for location is:

EXT. ART GALLERY

...obviously, there will be a street, so you don't have to mention that... if the action takes place in the street and not on the sidewalk, which would be assumed by the above slug line, then just tell us that in the action description...

Quote:

EXT. ART GALLERY

Joan runs out of the gallery, Pete hard on her heels. She dashes into the street and he pulls her back as she's about to be hit by a speeding bike messenger.

...or whatever...

jjshell · 10-03-2007, 11:52 AM

Thanks for your help

lin · 10-04-2007, 03:18 AM

EXT. ART GALLERY

No. If you are exterior, then you're not in the art gallery. Duh.

The EXT. is not to tell where you are....it's a silly artifact of shooting scripts that just tell whether it's an outside or inside location.

Give it a rest. You don't write scripts, quit telling other people how to.

Screenplay Readers · 10-07-2007, 12:51 PM

EXT. ART GALLERY - DAY

is perfectly legit. Especially if you're coming from

INT. ART GALLERY - DAY

It keeps the flow going! My general rule of thumb is that if it causes a "bump" for the reader, lose it.

B.

Wallmaker · 10-26-2007, 07:38 PM

Ext. Art Gallery and Ext. Street are two different things... If they just came from the art gallery and it's behind them, that let's us know the continuity of the story. The exterior of the building might give us just as much info as the interior.

Keep it clear, simple, and easy to follow with the locations... you don't want a reader wondering what happened between the art gallery and this street they're now walking on.

lin · 10-26-2007, 09:17 PM

I see what you're saying, but I don't think there's all that much confusion tieing together the art gallery the ran out of and the street they ran into.

Wallmaker · 10-27-2007, 12:04 PM

Then think of a producer securing a location later on, who hasn't read the script thoroughly and just got you a street on another day in another part of town.

lin · 10-27-2007, 07:07 PM

????????????????????????????????????

OK, now think about your screenplay is seen by martians monitoriing wireles internet and they don't know what an art gallery is, but still want to make the picture...

Wallmaker · 10-27-2007, 07:17 PM

A screenplay is a blue print for others to follow--a director, actors, and a producer (esp for location). It has to be clear and the more clear you are, the more professional you come across.

My lengthy, but hopefully clarifying explination to why it's important:

When it comes to filmmaking, scenes and locations will be filmed in different places and different times based on a shooting schedule a producer puts together. All of the shots in one location (even though they are different scenes) can be filmed together to save time and money by setting up the location just once and filming all of those scenes together.

Now, imagine if you are producer who is lumping together all of the scenes that are EXT. STREET - DAY to shoot or if he/she thinks they can save time and money by shooting on a street somewhere at a different location. Well, now your scene doesn't have the implication it's outside of the art gallery as it would with EXT. ART GALLERY - DAY. It could be filmed on any street anywhere according to the script.

If you prefer not to, Lin, go ahead and write your sluglines however you choose. I'm just answering the question and explaining why it's done the way it is done. And yeah, if a martian bought my script, I would add some more specifications.

lin · 10-27-2007, 07:23 PM

Actually, locations are chosen by scouts that specialize in that, not producers. It doesn't have to be particularly clear because it doesn't matter how much you spec it out, they will shoot it where and how they want to.

I write sluglines according to pro standards, and win contests with scripts that include them.
I am answering the question, I would say.
I don't see ANY explanation in your last post. In fact, I can't make heads or tails of it.

By the way, the ONLY reason they still keep those stupid EXT/INT tags around is to differentiate inside shots from outside location shots. You can't be EXT an art gallery. You can be IN FRONT OF GALLERY, but your tag makes no sense.

Wallmaker · 10-27-2007, 07:47 PM

Guess who scouts work for? Producers.

EXT/INT is for many reasons, again I'm emphasizing a script is like a blue print. It's to know what type of film to use for cinematographers. It's to know where the location is for producers. It's to know if sound designers should bring equiptment to account for wind... the list goes on.

I'm sorry you don't understand the filmmaking process, but my explination goes into how a script and the slugline works when it goes into production. If you are unfamiliar with it, I'd be happy to talk about it. We could start a new thread.

I didn't ask for your credentials and nor do I care. I'm here to answer the question asked in this thread.

lin · 10-28-2007, 12:12 PM

And you're doing a fabulous job of muddling up the better answers that were already her.

Your comments on the use of EXT/INT apply to shooting scripts, not spec scripts. Duh.

I can tell from you comments that you are in school, probably film school. Your "familiarity" is not an issue, and doubtful.

Wallmaker · 10-28-2007, 12:57 PM

Yes, my reasons for EXT/INT are production based, but they still appear in spec scripts from the early stages.

Shooting scripts are even more specific. Each shot is numbered. Camera movement might be added. But EXT/INT shots are not added here, they're already in a spec script. So, yes, my answer was relating to production and shooting script blur becuase some specifications are expected even in a spec script.

I'm not muddling anything Lin, I'm just not agreeing with you. My answer I have backed up with the process the script will go through to clarify why it's done the way it's done. You, as I stated before, may do whatever you wish. This info is for jjshell and jjshell can decided what is better.

I am in film school. You're correct. But I'm also a script reader. And you know what I get to do with crappily formated and unclear scripts? I toss 'em.