If you’re new to scriptwriting and want to learn how to write setting in a script, the following 5 tips will help you.
1. Start with the slug line.
How it helps
The slug line is the scene heading which dictates where, when and at what time the scene is taking place. Good slug lines are important as they help the director visualize how the scene will look on the screen. They also establish scene changes by showing when and why a scene should move inside or outside.
How to include it
A lot of screenwriters use software to do this for them, but if you are writing it without software, then you must adhere to the following formatting rules:
- Begin with EXT (for exterior) or INT (for interior).
- Follow the EXT or INT with the physical setting in all caps. This could be the specific city (if relevant) but must include the actual place where the scene is taking place.
- End with the time of day in all caps. You don’t need to be specific to the exact time but you need to specify what part of the day it is.
- If you want an unbroken shot to move from exterior to interior (or vice versa) format it as EXT/INT with TRACKING. On the next line start with ‘to follow’ and describe what the camera should be seeing.
- NEVER write E/I as that is code for an entirely different kind of camera shot.
An example for the above could be: “EXT. THE MOJAVE DESERT – MIDDAY.” This shows the director that the camera should be outside and should somehow identify the scene as the Mojave Desert (maybe with a highway sign or something similar). The sun should also be at its zenith to signify that it’s near or just after noon.
2. Be as specific as you can.
How it helps
There’s no sense is just saying the scene takes place ‘Chicago’ or something similar. In Chicago specifically, the city is divided into at least six distinct areas, all with their own feel and look. Even the type of interior building the scene takes place in will have an impact on the story. Being specific about exactly where in a large city or town the scene will take place helps the director and audience get a feel for what will happen next.
How to include it
Try to be as specific as possible in the slug line with where in a city you want the scene to be placed. You could specify by saying INT. CHICAGO MUSEUM OF ART rather than ART MUSEUM or just CHICAGO. If set in the exterior of New York City, you could use well-known areas like TIMES SQUARE or EAST SIDE OF CENTRAL PARK.
If using an internal shot, don’t just say SMALL HOUSE. Be specific about what kind of house: VICTORIAN HOUSE or COLONIAL STANDARD. This will show what kind of shooting locations the director should be scouting for, as well as establish the tone and often characters of the scene before it even begins.
3. Create setting with an establishing shot or subtitle.
How it helps
To help audiences establish the setting for themselves, scripts often use establishing shots or subtitles. Establishing shots are those uses of recognizable elements in the scene that hint to the audience where and when the scene is taking place. Establishing shots are often used when the audience can determine the setting details from the scene itself.
Subtitles are when the slug line is essentially depicted directly on the screen for the audience to read before or as the scene begins. Subtitles are best used when the visuals make it obvious where or when the setting is or if the settings change quickly and without distinct visual differences.
How to include it
Different types of stories will require different approaches. If your story takes place in a different time period, it might be useful to include a subtitle of the time and general place (i.e. New York City—1857).
If your story is taking place in a generic small town in the present day, then an establishing shot panning the main street or the suburban residential area might be enough for the audience to get the idea.
4. Setting descriptions should set the tone of the scene.
How it helps
The setting description comes directly after the slug line and helps the audience to know how the scene will feel. If the scene is meant to be a lighthearted comedy, then the setting should be described using lighthearted elements, such as birds chirping or sun shining. If the scene is meant to be a horror, then the setting should be described with lots of shadows and taking place primarily at night.
How to include it
Decide how you want the scene to feel. What elements could the setting include in that first shot or two that help to establish that mood? How can you and the director establish the feel of the scene without coming out and saying what it is meant to be?
Let’s take for example that the establishing shot is outside an Edwardian multi-story apartment building in New York City. What does the weather look like: is it sunny, raining, cloudy, hailing? What do the people look like as they walk past: are they happy, busy, distracted, frustrated? What do the other windows of the building look like: are they closed, shadowy, bright, open?
All of these elements are important for setting the tone of the scene without saying “It is scary” or “It is happy.”
5. Don’t overdo it.
How it helps
Good setting descriptions give enough details for the director to visualize the scene but not so many that there is nothing else that can be added to it. Remember that the director is the ultimate creative force behind bringing the script to life and, as such, needs to have some leeway over how the scene will look. Setting descriptions should then be enough to show them what essential elements are needed for the script to work, as well as how the scene should feel. Too much beyond that becomes too prescriptive and unnecessary.
How to include it
Limit your descriptions to what is essential. Highlight what needs knowing in the slug line and elaborate only a bit in the paragraph below it. Limit yourself to two or three sentences. Identify what’s important before moving onto the description of what’s happening in the scene before the dialogue takes place.
If using the Edwardian apartment example from above, a good setting description that sets the tone in a limited way could look like this:
EXT. FRONT FAÇADE OF EDWARDIAN MULTI-STORY APARTMENT IN SOHO, NYC—NIGHT
People rush past the building, grabbing their jackets close to their chests. Long shadows from the dim streets illuminate a shadowy face peeking through the top floor window. A light in a mid-story window turns on as PROTAGONIST comes into view.
There is just enough in that setting description to identify that the scene should feel a bit dark and foreboding. Yet, the director still has the freedom to decide other elements which highlight the dark tone, such as the weather or time of year.