Script Studio

Split / Merge scenes

4 min read

Mid-writing, realised one scene is really two? Two short scenes should merge? Split / Merge handles both — from the Scene Board or the editor.

Slima Script Studio Scene Board as a visual reference; Split / Merge typically live in each scene card's ⋯ menu

Split: divide one scene into two

When it's needed

  • INT/EXT changes mid-scene (e.g. starts indoors, moves to balcony) → split
  • Time jump (hours / a day passes) → split
  • Pacing too long: a single scene's dialogue runs long, harming visual pacing

How to split

Two ways:

Method 1: in Write view

In the script editor, place the cursor where you want to cut → toolbar / ⋯ menu → "Split scene at cursor" → Slima:

  1. Creates a new scene after the cursor position
  2. Auto-versions before the split
  3. Both scenes inherit the original's storyline, character chips, etc.
  4. You adjust each scene's heading separately

Method 2: from Scene Board ⋯ menu

Scene card's ⋯ menu → "Split scene" → a dialog opens to pick the split point (e.g. "after dialogue line N") → confirm.

After splitting

  • New scene auto-numbered (e.g. S01E03 #07 becomes #07 + #08; subsequent +1)
  • You need to adjust the new scene's heading yourself (INT/EXT, location, time) — Slima won't guess
  • Storyline / character chips default to copying to both halves

Merge: combine two scenes into one

When it's needed

  • Previous split was too fine — should be one scene
  • Two consecutive scenes share INT/EXT + location + time → merge
  • Scenes too short, hurting visual pacing

How to merge

Usually from the Scene Board:

  • Select two consecutive scenes (Shift / Ctrl multi-select) → ⋯ menu → "Merge"
  • Or ⋯ menu → "Merge with next" / "Merge with previous"

A confirm dialog: "Will merge S01E03 #07 and #08. The latter's scene heading will be discarded; content appended to the former."

After merging

  • Both scenes' dialogue / description combine into one longer scene
  • The former's scene heading is kept (INT/EXT, location, time)
  • The latter's heading is lost (you can manually add a transition later)
  • Storyline / character chips are unioned

Auto-versioning

Split / Merge auto-versions (Auto-version rules) — recoverable.

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