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DAY: Meaning & Definition in Film

"DAY" is the standard time designator in a screenplay's slugline, indicating that a scene takes place during daylight hours.

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The Time of the Scene: Daylight

In the technical formatting of a screenplay’s slugline, DAY is the most common and essential time-of-day indicator. It is the third component of the heading, following the INT./EXT. and the LOCATION. Its purpose is purely logistical: to inform the entire production team that the scene should be lit to look like it is taking place during the day.

For the sake of efficiency in scheduling and budgeting, screenplays simplify time into a binary of DAY or NIGHT. This allows the assistant director and production manager to easily group all the ‘day’ scenes for a particular location together for the shooting schedule. While a writer might be tempted to get more specific (e.g., MORNING, AFTERNOON), these are used sparingly and only when that specific time is absolutely critical to the story. In ninety-nine percent of cases, DAY provides all the necessary information. The specific quality of the daylight—be it a harsh midday sun or a soft overcast sky—is a creative decision left to the director and the cinematographer.

Examples in Context

  • INT. CLASSROOM - DAY This implies that the scene is lit by sunlight coming through the windows, or that the interior lights are on as they would be during a normal school day.

  • EXT. BEACH - DAY This tells the production that the scene is set outdoors during daylight hours. The crew will have to schedule this shoot based on the position of the sun and be prepared for changing weather conditions.

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