transitions
🎯Skillfrom bybren-llc/story-systems-template
|transitions skill from bybren-llc/story-systems-template
Installation
npx skills add https://github.com/bybren-llc/story-systems-template --skill transitionsSkill Details
|
Overview
# Transitions Skill
Invocation Triggers
Apply this skill when:
- Adding scene transitions
- Formatting transition elements
- Understanding transition conventions
- Controlling pacing through transitions
Transition Format
Standard Transitions
Transitions are uppercase, ending in TO:, with blank lines before and after:
```fountain
INT. OFFICE - DAY
Sarah sets down the phone.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Rain falls on empty sidewalks.
```
Forced Transitions
Force any line as a transition with >:
```fountain
>FADE TO BLACK.
>SMASH CUT TO:
>MATCH CUT TO:
```
Common Transitions
Standard Cuts
| Transition | Usage |
|------------|-------|
| CUT TO: | Standard scene change |
| SMASH CUT TO: | Abrupt, jarring cut |
| MATCH CUT TO: | Visual match between scenes |
| JUMP CUT TO: | Time jump, same location |
| INTERCUT: | Alternating between locations |
Fade Transitions
| Transition | Usage |
|------------|-------|
| FADE IN: | Opening of script |
| FADE OUT. | End of script/act |
| FADE TO: | Slow transition |
| FADE TO BLACK. | Fade to darkness |
| FADE TO WHITE. | Fade to white |
Dissolve Transitions
| Transition | Usage |
|------------|-------|
| DISSOLVE TO: | Soft transition, time passage |
| RIPPLE DISSOLVE TO: | Dream/memory transition |
| CROSS DISSOLVE TO: | Overlapping dissolve |
Time Transitions
| Transition | Usage |
|------------|-------|
| TIME CUT: | Same location, time jump |
| LATER: | Time passage indication |
| CONTINUOUS: | No time break |
When to Use Transitions
Modern Convention: Less is More
In modern screenwriting, most transitions are implied. A new scene heading creates a cut automatically.
Use transitions sparingly:
- End of major sequences or acts
- Deliberate stylistic choice
- When the type of cut matters to the story
When Transitions Add Value
End of Acts:
```fountain
Sarah stares at the evidence. Everything she believed was a lie.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
```
Jarring Juxtaposition:
```fountain
JOHN
I'll never leave you.
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. DIVORCE COURT - DAY
John signs the papers.
```
Visual Matching:
```fountain
Sarah's eye fills the frame.
MATCH CUT TO:
The moon, full and pale, hangs over the city.
```
Dream/Memory Sequence:
```fountain
Sarah closes her eyes.
RIPPLE DISSOLVE TO:
INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - DAY (FLASHBACK)
```
When NOT to Use Transitions
Between normal scenes:
```fountain
// Wrong - unnecessary
INT. OFFICE - DAY
Sarah works at her desk.
CUT TO:
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
She meets John for lunch.
```
```fountain
// Right - implied cut
INT. OFFICE - DAY
Sarah works at her desk.
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
She meets John for lunch.
```
Special Transition Patterns
Intercut
```fountain
INT. SARAH'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Sarah paces with her phone.
INT. JOHN'S OFFICE - SAME
John answers.
INTERCUT - PHONE CONVERSATION
SARAH
We need to talk.
JOHN
I'm listening.
```
Pre-lap
Audio from next scene starts before we cut:
```fountain
JOHN (PRE-LAP)
Sarah? Sarah, can you hear me?
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
Sarah's eyes flutter open.
```
Flash Cut
Very brief shots:
```fountain
FLASH CUT:
- A face in the crowd
- The gun
- Sarah's hands, shaking
BACK TO SCENE
```
Opening and Closing
Script Opening
```fountain
FADE IN:
EXT. SEOUL - NIGHT
The city glitters in the rain.
```
Script Closing
```fountain
Sarah walks into the light.
FADE OUT.
THE END
```
Act Breaks (Television)
```fountain
Sarah discovers the body.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
INT. POLICE STATION - DAY
```
Validation Checklist
- [ ] Transitions are uppercase
- [ ] Standard transitions end in
TO:or. - [ ] Blank line before transition
- [ ] Transitions are right-aligned (handled by Fountain)
- [ ] Used sparingly, only when necessary
- [ ] FADE IN: at script start
- [ ] FADE OUT. at script/act end
- [ ] Forced transitions use
>prefix