Scene Heading

Format

Definition: A scene heading (also called a slug line) is the bold, capitalized line that opens every new scene in a screenplay. It tells the reader three things: whether the scene is interior or exterior (INT. or EXT.), the location, and the time of day. Every scene change requires a new scene heading.

Understanding Scene Heading

Scene headings are the structural backbone of your script. They orient the reader instantly and signal to every department on a production where and when the action takes place. The standard format is INT. or EXT., followed by the location in caps, then a dash and time of day. Compound locations use hyphens or slashes. Keep them specific enough to be useful but concise enough not to slow the read. A scene heading like INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT tells you everything. A heading like INT. THE BEAUTIFUL WELL-APPOINTED KITCHEN OF THE MORRISON HOUSEHOLD IN WESTCHESTER - LATE EVENING is a production memo disguised as a slug line. If your location needs that much context, put it in the action line.

Example in a Screenplay

INT. DETECTIVE'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Rain streaks the window. DETECTIVE HARRIS sits behind a desk
buried in cold case files, a half-eaten sandwich balanced on
a stack of witness statements.

Common Mistakes

Putting camera directions in the scene heading (INT. KITCHEN - CLOSE UP is wrong). Writing DAY/NIGHT when you mean CONTINUOUS or LATER. Forgetting the period after INT or EXT. Over-describing the location in the heading itself instead of the action line. Using MORNING, AFTERNOON, DUSK — keep it to DAY, NIGHT, or specifics like DAWN only when it matters to the story.