What’s a slug line?
It’s another way of saying “shot heading” or “scene heading.”
What’s a naked slug line?
A naked slug line is a scene heading that has no direction below it — only dialogue. It’s considered bad form to jump directly into dialogue without first setting the scene.
There’s no minimum number of words that you must use for your scene description, but there should always be something written.
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Here’s an example of BAD form:
INT. BRANDINE’S ICE CREAM SHACK – NIGHT
BRANDINE
What can I git fer you fellers?
And here’s an example of GOOD form:
INT. BRANDINE’S ICE CREAM SHACK – NIGHT
Two wide-eyed boys approach the counter.
BRANDINE
What can I git fer you fellers?
Quite often the temptation to use a naked slug line will spring up in the following situations:
- When you’re jumping back and forth between quick action scenes that you’ve already established
- When you’re using secondary scene headings
- When you want to connect the dialogue from the previous scene to the dialogue of the new scene
In all these cases, resist the temptation to omit the scene description. Just throw in a few words. It’s proper form and won’t leave your slug lines looking so exposed.
