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Scene Headings

Every episode covering Scene Headings.

"Using your scenebreaks as emotional breaks instead of actual literal scene breaks when you’re writing something that is essentially all real-time in one room."

— Mel Killingsworth  |  DZ-125: Oscars One-shot - BLUE MOON

KEY IDEAS

Slug Lines as Emotional Markers

"It's essentially using the slug lines as like emotional guideposts as opposed to formal slug lines. You have to have your own theory, you have to have a reason, but it can be very helpful especially once you get into the room with the actors and start figuring out where those emotional breaks are -- essentially they are looking at where are the emotional breaks, what feels like a complete scene versus where we have to move on, and then labeling it accordingly."

— Mel Killingsworth (00:36:09) · DZ-125: Oscars One-shot - BLUE MOON

DZ-125: Oscars One-shot - BLUE MOON

What craft tools make a low-budget, contained, period drama riveting?
AI✦Mel notes that Blue Moon treats slug lines as emotional guideposts rather than formal location markers--moving from 4a to 4b to 4c within the same bar space to indicate dramatic shifts--which breaks prescriptive formatting rules in service of the story’s needs.✦
⏱ 1h 18m
26 FEB 2026
Listen if you want to understand how narrative POV, screenplay format, and dialogue craft can elevate a contained biopic into an Oscar-nominated film
▶ More Info
BLUE MOON is a talky, period-drama that film about an obscure songer-writer in the 1940s. Yet, it attracted world-class talent AND Academy Award nominations, including for it’s script. Join Chas & Mel as they explore how narrative POV, interweaving relationships, hooky dialogue, and even the screenplay format itself make the script for BLUE MOON so great… →