Transitions tell the reader — and eventually the editor — how scenes connect. They're the punctuation between moments, the breath between beats. But modern screenwriting has shifted away from heavy transition use. Here's what you need to know.
A transition should be invisible unless you want the audience to feel it.
The Default: No Transition
In contemporary screenplays, most scene changes have no explicit transition. A new scene heading implies a cut. The reader's brain fills in the rest.
No "CUT TO:" needed. We've moved locations. Time has passed. The reader understands. The story keeps moving.
Tip
Think of scene headings as automatic cuts. Every time you write INT. or EXT., you're already telling the reader we've changed location. Adding "CUT TO:" is redundant — like saying "period" after a sentence that already has one.
CUT TO:
Use sparingly and only for emphasis. A "CUT TO:" draws attention to the transition itself — it's a way of saying "notice this moment."
The explicit cut emphasizes the irony. We linger on his promise just long enough to feel the betrayal land.
Note
If you're using CUT TO: more than two or three times in a script, you're probably overusing it. Reserve it for moments that deserve the spotlight.
SMASH CUT:
An abrupt, jarring transition. The whiplash is the point. Often used for comedic effect or sudden shock.
The comedy lives in the collision. What they say versus what they do.
SMASH CUT works because it violates expectation instantly. No buffer. No transition time. Just — BAM — we're somewhere else, and the contrast says everything.
Warning
SMASH CUT loses its power if overused. It's a spice, not a main ingredient. One or two per script is plenty.
DISSOLVE TO:
Indicates passage of time or a dreamy, memory-like transition. The edges blur. One image melts into another. Time becomes soft.
Dissolves feel nostalgic, gentle, bittersweet. They're the transition of memory, of dreams, of years slipping past.
Tip
DISSOLVE TO: signals "significant time has passed" or "we're entering someone's memory." Use it when you want the transition itself to feel emotional.
MATCH CUT:
Connects two scenes through visual similarity. One image transforms into another. It's elegant, cinematic, and surprisingly powerful when done right.
The connection might be thematic, ironic, or purely visual. The match cut asks the audience to see the link — and draw their own meaning from it.
2001: A Space Odyssey. The bone becomes a satellite. That's a match cut. Thousands of years in a single transition.
FADE OUT / FADE IN
The oldest transitions in cinema. FADE OUT. ends a sequence — the screen goes black. FADE IN: brings us back.
Note
FADE IN: typically appears only once — at the very beginning of your script. FADE OUT. appears at the end, or occasionally to mark major act breaks. Using them mid-script should feel significant.
The Modern Rule
When in doubt, skip the transition. Let your scene headings do the work. Trust your reader to follow the story.
Save explicit transitions for moments where the type of transition matters to the storytelling. Where the cut itself carries meaning. Where you want the reader to pause, feel, notice.
Less is more. Your script will read faster, feel more contemporary, and put the focus where it belongs — on the story, not the formatting.
Write the scenes. Let them speak. The transitions will take care of themselves.