If you’ve read a screenplay before, you’ve likely noticed short phrases like “CUT TO:” or “LATER” inserted between scene descriptions. Unlike stage directions which guide actors, these brief cues serve a different purpose altogether.
In screenwriting, transitions indicate shifts or changes happening within the scenes. They are beacons for the reader – guiding them seamlessly through the story while conveying critical context.
Mastering transitions is an essential skill for screenwriters hoping to effectively communicate their vision and control pacing.
This comprehensive guide will unpack precisely what transitions are, and the types you’re likely to encounter, along with tips to employ them expertly in your next script.
What Is a Transition in Screenwriting?
Before diving deeper, let’s solidify a working definition of a screenwriting transition:
A transition is a phrase or textual cue within a film script’s scene descriptions that indicates a change in time, location, perspective, tone, or pace to the viewer.
These transitions might instruct “CUT TO:” another scene. But they can also subtly tell the reader that action is shifting to “LATER” in the day or “FLASHBACK TO” an important memory.
While scene headings establish the core where and when of each scene, transitions guide readers between these tentpoles. They act as stage directions tailored specifically to camera movement and edits.
In essence, transitions stitch scenes together into a cohesive narrative. They maintain continuity as the script jumps forward in time or across distances in physical space.
This facility to transition smoothly through the story adds incredible flexibility for screenwriters. Need the perfect motivation from your protagonist’s past?
Write “FLASHBACK TO” and rewind seamlessly. Want to gradually build tension before the climactic fight? Add “LATER AND LATER” between each scene as day fades to night.
Unlike novels which can rely on chapter breaks or descriptive passages, scripts tell complex stories in minimal pages using transitions as guideposts.
Types of Screenwriting Transitions
Screenwriting transitions generally fit into three broad categories:
Time Transitions
Time transitions indicate leaps forward or backward through the story’s chronology. They may specify an exact duration or be more vague.
Here are some of the most ubiquitous time-based transitions to give your script momentum:
- DAY TO NIGHT – Marks the passage from day into night
- NIGHT TO DAY – The reverse of the above
- LATER – Jumps forward an unspecified amount of time
- 3 WEEKS LATER – Precisely defines a time leap
- 90 MINUTES LATER – Use for specificity when needed
- DAWN – Indicates the rising sun and the start of a new day
You also have transitions that break from linear time, notably:
- FLASHBACK – Retreats into a precious memory
- END FLASHBACK – Returns to the current story moment
Time transitions lend incredible flexibility to screenwriters. You can fast-forward through non-essential events or provide a timely backstory exactly when the audience needs it.
Flashbacks, especially, allow pivoting seamlessly to formative memories that motivate characters.
Location Transitions
Given that films incorporate a vast canvas of settings, screenplays require transitions specifically tailored to indicate location changes:
- CUT TO: – Most common transition, indicates a “straight cut” to a new scene
- DISSOLVE TO: – A gradual transition between scenes or shots
- QUICK CUT – Rapid jump between locations/subjects
- INTERCUT – Brief shots cutting back and forth between locations
- MATCH CUT – Cut between two scenes matched by motion or imagery
You’ll also see location-centric transitions like:
- INT. HOUSE – DAY – Interior shot inside the house establishing the new setting
- EXT. PARK – NIGHT – Outdoors location transitioning to night
Sometimes you may even see shorthand like CORTEZ’S OFFICE or JAKE’S BEDROOM when frequently revisiting key sites.
Perspective & Tone Transitions
Not all script transitions denote straightforward shifts in time or location. Some indicate more subtle changes in the viewpoint through which the audience sees the story:
- CLOSE UP ON: – Zooms camera in on specific detail
- PULL BACK TO REVEAL: – Reveals larger scene context
- POV SHOT – Shows a character’s point of view
- HIGH ANGLE – Films from above a scene
- AERIAL SHOT – Captures soaring, flying view
Especially in montages, screenwriters use transitions like DISSOLVE TO: or QUICK CUT TO: to fade or flip rapidly between images in a thematic sequence.
You may also see transitions aimed specifically at manipulating emotion:
- BEAT – Adds a narrative pause or resting moment
- SLOW MOTION – Draws focus to key details
- MUSIC CRESCENDO – Score swells to accent rising action
While ambitious camera angles fall more under the director’s jurisdiction, perspective and tonal transitions provide useful context.
When used judiciously, they help immerse the reader in important story moments while conveying the passage of time through editing effects.
How Do Transitions Function Within Screenplays?
Now that we’ve surveyed the landscape of transitions available, how precisely do they fit into screenplay structure and aid in storytelling?
Beyond just changing locations or leaping through chronology, effective transitions:
Maintain Continuity As Scenes Change
Most obviously, transitions provide connective tissue linking otherwise disconnected scenes. As we move between settings, the appropriately placed DISSOLVE TO: or “CUT TO BLACK” informs the reader that action continues sequentially.
Without this cohesion, readers could mistake random scenes for fragmented sequences in need of rearrangement. Transitions reinforce context and chronology.
Allow Writers To Manipulate Pacing & Passage of Time
Through their semantic meaning, transitions directly imply the passage of time or abrupt changes in pace. DAY TO NIGHT, DISSOLVE TO: even LATER communicate acceleration. Meanwhile, SLOW MOTION suggests important action stretched out.
This ability to expand or contract time between story beats grants remarkable control to screenwriters. Need events to unfold over a tense real-time sequence?
Transition through each moment with QUICK CUT TO: to sustain momentum. Alternatively, signpost a time jump then resume the scene in media res after essential action occurs offscreen.
Unlike theater or novels, scripts involve cuts optimized during filming. This means time must be as fragmented or seamless as each story requires. Transitions make clear these shifts for the reader.
Provide Direction for the Eventual Film Editing
While directors and editors handle the final arrangement, script transitions influence how scenes eventually translate to film.
DISSOLVE TO black with ominous music may prompt cross-fading that shot into the next for thematic resonance. QUICK CUT TO could become a frenetic montage under a skilled editor’s hands.
In this sense, transitions resemble stage directions optimized for cinema. They underscore how writing and filming join together to tell the best possible story.
Guide Viewer Perspective & Manipulate Emotions
Perspective changes like POV SHOT or LOW ANGLE prompt readers to visualize scenes from specific vantage points. This mentally orients them spatially while even providing hints of how sequences will look once filmed.
Likewise, transitions aimed at the atmosphere such as MUSIC FADES or DISTANT RUMBLE OF THUNDER help curate mood alongside the scene description.
Used thoughtfully, these cues immerse both readers during scripting and eventual viewers when filming. Setting explicit perspective and atmosphere transitions the emotion on screen.
Tips for Writing Better Screenplay Transitions
Now that you grasp the array of transitions available to screenwriters, how can you start effectively incorporating them into your scripts? Follow these tips:
Use Short Punctual Phrases in Uppercase
Minimalism reigns in transitions. Stick to terse potent verbs that convey shifts instantly to readers: CUT TO: DISSOLVE TO: LATER:
Write transitions in all uppercase both to distinguish them from the scene description and allow their brevity to pop clearly.
Choose Transitions Judiciously
Recognize that each transition manipulates pacing while conveying shifts in time, space, and perspective. Use them thoughtfully and sparingly for maximum impact.
You rarely need multiple complex transitions in sequence. Often a simple CUT TO: suffices to push the story events forward. Streamline whenever possible.
Be Consistent With Your Chosen Transition Format
Pick a style for transitions and maintain it across the entire screenplay. Mixing DISSOLVE TO: with DISSOLVED TO: appears sloppy. Follow industry formatting standards.
Use Transitions Only When Necessary
Not every minor shift requires an explicit transition. You can indicate fleeting time jumps through descriptors like “Minutes later” without a formal cue.
Likewise, context and obvious actions often transition scenes naturally. If a character leaves an office for lunch, you generally understand we’ll cut to the restaurant. Use judgment to determine necessity.
Let Transitions Reinforce Genre, Tone, And Story
Comedic screenplays thrive on FAST CUTS and QUICK TRANSITIONS between quips. The horror builds tension through LONG, UNCOMFORTABLE CUTS.
Consider how transitions that fragment time fuel suspense, while DISSOLVES imply thematic linkage.
You have remarkable flexibility to sculpt pace and atmosphere through transition choice – take advantage of it.
Common Screenwriting Transition Mistakes To Avoid
As essential as they are, transitions come with plenty of room for novice errors:
Overusing Transitions Weakens Their Impact
Beginners, especially, pepper endless transitions continuously thinking it adds dynamism. Unfortunately, the opposite proves true.
Use restraint to allow natural action, context, and solid structure to carry scenes whenever possible. Make transitions pull their narrative weight through crisp, occasional placement.
Providing Detailed Camera Direction
Spelling out CLOSE UP ON ANN’S HORRIFIED EXPRESSION crosses the line for screenwriters. While offering perspective context helps, leave exact framing and camera choices to the director and DP.
Confusing The Audience’s Sense of Time & Sequence
Placing transitions haphazardly or contradicting logic can fracture a script’s coherence. If you establish dawn through “DAY BREAK” and then jump to “LATER THAT NIGHT” without explanation, the chronology no longer tracks logically. Pay close attention to cause and effect.
Neglecting To Transition Between Essential Story Beats
Sometimes writers forget transitional phrases between pivotal scenes thinking thematic importance links them intrinsically.
Unfortunately, this forces readers to make non-obvious mental leaps themselves. Use at least minor cues like CUT TO: to ensure narrative flow.
Using Transitions That Don’t Align With Your Story
Fun, poppy coming-of-age stories don’t require ominous DISSOLVES TO BLACK. Likewise, family comedies rarely need jump cuts. Make transitions fit genre, tone, and emotional arcs. The last thing you want is clashing moods.
Conclusion & Key Takeaways
Whether you’re directing attention towards a ringing phone with CUT TO: or gradually fading daylight through “DAY TO NIGHT”, transitions powerfully yet subtly shape screen stories. They offer:
- Flexible control over pacing, timing, and sequence
- Reader orientation through shifts in visual perspective and location
- Cues that guide future film editing and continuity
- Additional techniques for building atmosphere and mood
In short, effortlessly transitioning between script moments provides the stitching that holds film narratives together. Mastering the deft placement of these potent guideposts takes screenwriting to the next level.
Use the transitions overviewed here strategically in your next draft. Be judicious with frequency, and consistent in style, and structure usage based on genre needs.
Sequence and perspective should shift seamlessly without fracturing the established world.
While tricky, clean transitions soon become second nature. And they lift amateur scripts towards a more polished, professional sheen that compels readers from the first page to the last.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is fade in and fade out in screenplay?
Fade-in and fade-out refer to transitions that gradually take a scene from or into complete blackness.
Fade in – Indicates the very start of a scene emerging out of black into full visibility. Fade out – At the end of a scene, the image gradually becomes darker until the screen is black.
These transitions allow for a smooth onset and conclusion of key scenes in cinematic flow.
What are the phases of a screenplay?
The key phases in the development of a screenplay are:
- Concept – The initial story idea or seed that will be turned into a script
- Treatment – A short prose outline summarizing the plot, characters, and key moments
- Outline – Breaks the full story beat-by-beat into structural acts and sequel-defining plot points
- Script Draft – The actual screenplay writing bringing dialogue, action, and description
- Revisions – Reworking, polishing, and rewriting drafts to refine the story
- Final Draft – The locked script is ready for circulation and (hopefully) production
What is an example of cut to in a screenplay?
A cut-to transition might appear as:
INT ROADHOUSE BAR – NIGHT
The bikers draw pool cues and knives, surrounding the man.
CUT TO:
EXT. DIRT ROAD – NIGHT
A mysterious loner walks slowly down the moonlit road. His spurs JINGLE with each step.
This CUT TO: brings us to a new location and subject following rising action, punctuated by the audio cue of jingling spurs.
What is a flash cut in a script?
A flash cut refers to an extremely brief frame inserted in the midst of a continuous scene. It may show an important detail, switch perspective, or hint towards a subplot line. This ultra-quick transition demands attention before returning to the original action without breaking the flow. Screenwriters sometimes similarly use MATCH CUT to link scenes through movement or composition.
