Defining Script Elements

Slug Lines:

Slug Lines are short lines that give the script's readers a brief idea of whether the scene is interior (INT.) or exterior (EXT.), where the location is and what time of day. For example, a slug line could look like EXT. THE BEACH - DAY.

Action / Stage Directions:

Stage directions help the actors grasp what the scene looks like and how they should convey the best emotion. This is usually seen in between dialogue and maybe a sentence or a paragraph. For example, it could be: 'Jack puts his glasses on the table slowly whilst he relieves himself with the warmth of the fireplace.' This stage direction lets the cast know what is happening in the scene and how the character should be feeling.

Character Names:

The next feature is character names. These are one of the most important things in the script, since it helps the actors understand what their lines are. It is seen (typically) above the dialogue within film and movie scripts, however, sometimes they can be seen on the left side in radio drama scripts.

Dialogue:

The dialogue is the main body of the script, and it is what the audience sees/ hears. This is found under or beside the character names, or sometimes below the parentheticals - will discuss it next. For example, it could look like: 

                                                                                Jack              < Character Name

                                                                             (calmly)           < Parenthetical

                                                                       Ahh, this is nice.    < Dialogue

Parentheticals:

These are similar to action directions but are far more condensed. They are usually one word or two and seen below the character name and above the dialogue (as seen in my example). They aren't used for every bit of dialogue, but they may be used when the director feels that there must be a specific emotion in the dialogue - further helping the actors with direction.

Transitions:

Transitions are used to show how some scenes may move from one to another. An example would be 'FADE TO: BLACK'. This lets the readers of the script know that the scene has now ended, and we are moving on to a different scene. It helps guide both the actors and the editors and helps reset the emotions and vibes of the scene so we can set a new one.