Which element specifies where and when a scene occurs in a script?

• A. Stage directions.
• B. Dialogue blocks.
• C. Scene headings.
• D. Character notes.

Answer: (C)

Scene headings, also called slug lines, specify where and when a scene occurs. They appear at the start of a new scene and usually read something like INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY or EXT. BEACH - NIGHT. The INT./EXT. tells whether it’s interior or exterior, the location names the place, and the time of day sets when the action happens. This labeling gives readers and the production team a quick, clear sense of the setting for that scene. Other elements have different roles: stage directions describe actions and scenery but aren’t the formal marker of a scene’s location and time; dialogue blocks contain what characters say; character notes provide details about the characters themselves.