Screenwriting Mistake #36: Not following slug lines with description

Here’s a basic formatting tip that ought to come in handy: you should always follow a slug line with description, not with dialogue. While this is obviously not as big a deal as forgetting to include an antagonist in your story or writing the entire script in 36-point Comic Sans font, it is a fairly common error that can create confusion for anyone reading your script. Imagine a reader coming across a scene that looks like this:

INT. POLICE STATION – DAY

CHRIS
Hey, Sergeant, are we walking down a
hall, or sitting at your desk, or what?

SERGEANT TICE
I’m not sure. There’s no description
for this scene, so we might even be
standing next to each other at urinals.

CHRIS
Ew, I hope not because I’m actually
a woman.

SERGEANT TICE
No way! I couldn’t tell from just
your name. Who are you, anyway?

CHRIS
Not sure. I hope I’m not under arrest,
but there’s really no way to know
unless the screenwriter clues us in
before beginning our dialogue.

SERGEANT TICE
Looks like you’re guilty – of giving
good advice, that is.

CHRIS
And also of killing my husband, but
the screenwriter forgot to mention
that as well.

SERGEANT TICE
Oh, you!

Okay, so that probably went on a bit longer than necessary, but it should indicate why some kind of description is necessary in each scene. Check out this alternative to see how much clearer scenes can be with just a little bit of description:

INT. POLICE STATION – DAY

SERGEANT TICE, 30s, sits at his desk in a CROWDED staff room. CHRIS, 20s, in a halter top and hot pants, slinks up to his desk and plops into a chair.

SERGEANT TICE
May I help you, miss--?

CHRIS
It’s “Mrs.” actually. Mrs. Chris
Thorne. Well, not since my husband
died, I suppose.

SERGEANT TICE
I’m sorry. How long ago did he die?

CHRIS
I'd guess about five minutes ago,
assuming the poison worked correctly.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, the point of this post is not to demonstrate how to write bad dialogue, but how to clarify your scenes by writing a brief description below every slug line. Without setting the scene, the reader doesn’t know anything other than the general location and time of day, which doesn’t create enough of a visual image. You shouldn’t go into too much detail in your descriptions, but you do need to briefly describe what the audience will be looking at in each scene in order to avoid confusion. Happy writing!