Following up on an earlier question: Maybe I’m foolish for asking this.
For location changes I have been using scene headings, so that in a phone conversation I will have:
INT. MARIA’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
Maria paces the room, phone glued to her ear.
MARIA
I can’t believe you’d do that!
INT. SEAN’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
SEAN
Do what?
INT. MARIA’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
MARIA
That!
Is it correct to assume that by using slug lines, I could avoid the scene headings? If I were to do it that way, would I use a slug line that is essentially identical to my scene headings but without the “INT.”? or “EXT.”?
— Brock
This type of scene happens all the time. Think about 24. If you put in a new slugline every time you changed speakers on a phone call, the script would be 180 pages.
Behold, the magic that is “INTERCUT.” Instead of your second “INT. MARIA’S KITCHEN”, just have a slug that says INTERCUT or INTERCUT MARIA / SEAN. Then you don’t have to keep doing the location sluglines. They’re really in one scene, even though it’s split between two places. It’s much easier for the reader to follow.
Your scene would end up looking like this:
INT. MARIA’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
Maria paces the room, phone glued to her ear.
MARIA
I can’t believe you’d do that!
INT. SEAN’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
SEAN
Do what?
INTERCUT MARIA/SEAN
MARIA
Mention my genital warts at a cocktail party!
SEAN
The guy was a doctor!
MARIA
He was a Ph. D! In philosophy!
SEAN
Rhetoric, actually.
MARIA
What’s the difference!
SEAN
There’s overlap, but rhetoric is a pretty narrow specialty.
Maria SLAMS DOWN the phone. We stay on her side of the scene. A beat, then she lets loose with a long-delayed, primal SCREAM.
The dog looks up at her with big, droopy eyes.
CUT TO:
EXT. SOMEWHERE ELSE – DAY
Next scene…