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Description / Transition / Insert Shot
Last updated May 22, 2026 · 4 min read
Beyond dialogue, scripts have 3 other important elements: description (action), transition, insert shot.
Description (Action)
In the English UI this element is labelled Action — the action / description of what happens on screen. (The Traditional Chinese UI labels the same element 「描述 (Description)」.) Whatever the label, it is the same element.
Use
- What happens in the scene — characters' actions, expressions, postures
- Environmental change — lighting, sound, object motion
- Don't write characters' internal thoughts (the audience can't see them; show through dialogue or action)
Example
J. Doe stands by the window, watching the fog over the sea.
The fog rolls slowly inward, almost swallowing the lighthouse beam.
He gently closes the window.
Layout
Left-aligned, normal font (no caps, no indent).
Transition
A marker between two scenes. Common types:
| Transition | Use |
|---|---|
| CUT TO | Default transition (implied if not written) |
| FADE OUT | Scene fades to black |
| FADE IN | Scene fades up from black |
| DISSOLVE TO | Two scenes visually overlap |
| SMASH CUT | Sharply contrasting cut |
| MATCH CUT | Match by action or visual |
How to write
- Transitions are inserted from the slot at the bottom of each scene — click it to add a transition
- Type a custom transition, or pick a preset (
CUT TO:/FADE OUT./DISSOLVE TO:…) - All caps + right-aligned (Hollywood) / left-aligned (TW)
Press Enter after a transition
Slima auto-creates a new Scene Heading (previous scene ends, new one starts) — see Smart Enter.
Insert Shot
A specific shot without being a full scene — for example:
SCENE 7 / INT. LIGHTHOUSE COTTAGE / NIGHT
J. Doe flips through a stack of old photos on the table.
INSERT - PHOTO OF FATHER
Close-up: a black-and-white photo of J. Doe's father, young, standing in front of the lighthouse.
He sets the photo down and takes a deep breath.
Use
- Emphasise a visual element (photo, letter, prop)
- No need to write as a full scene (preserves scene continuity)
- Give director an explicit shot direction
Layout
Usually left-aligned + INSERT - prefix + all caps.
vs Description
- Description: action / environment within the scene
- Insert Shot: cut to show a specific object / detail