The Orange County Screenwriters Association
    Be Inspired, Do Good Work

    Glossary

    Narrative

    Narrative is also called action.  It's what a character does, moves, etc.

    An example would be:

    Judd moves to the door, waiting, dreading the moment when Casey will walk in.

    Sluglines

    A slugline is the scene heading in a script.  Either term is acceptable.

    An example of a slugline is:

    INT.  CLASSROOM - NIGHT

    Transition

    A transition is a line or word that describes movement between scenes.

    For example:

    DISSOLVE TO:, CUT TO:, HARD CUT TO:

    Transitions are placed on the far right margin on a line by themselves.  These days, transitions are used much.

    V.O.

    V.O. means VOICE OVER.  It is used to modify the speaker.

    For example:

    MANNY (V.O.)
    I knew I was in trouble as soon as I met him.  He was bad - you could smell it on him.

    A voice over narrator is not seen although it could be one of characters in the film.  The narrator of "STAND BY ME" is an example of a person who isn't directly seen in the movie although his younger self is.

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