What are transitions in a screenplay?

Transitions are instructions such as CUT TO:, DISSOLVE TO: or FADE OUT. that describe how one scene moves to the next. They are written in capitals, right aligned, with a blank line above and below. Modern scripts use very few, mostly FADE IN: at the start and FADE OUT. at the end.

The common ones

FADE IN: the very first line of most scripts.
CUT TO: a straight cut. Since every new scene is a cut anyway, it's usually left out.
DISSOLVE TO: one image melts into the next, often to show time passing.
MATCH CUT TO: cuts between two shots that echo each other, such as a desk lamp becoming a lighthouse lamp.
SMASH CUT TO: an abrupt, jarring cut for shock or comedy.
FADE OUT. the end of the script.

Should you use them?

Use a transition only when it adds meaning the reader would otherwise miss. A match cut that links two ideas is worth writing; a CUT TO: between every scene isn't.

In True-Script you can dictate "cut to" and it's written and right aligned for you.

The common transitions

CUT TO: the default change from one scene to the next. Because every new scene heading already implies a cut, modern spec scripts rarely write it.
SMASH CUT TO: an abrupt, jarring cut, often from quiet to loud or calm to chaos, used for shock or comedy.
MATCH CUT TO: a cut that links two images by shape, movement or idea, such as a spinning coin becoming a spinning planet.
DISSOLVE TO: one image fades into the next, suggesting time passing.
FADE IN: and FADE OUT. traditionally open and close the script. FADE IN: sits on the left, FADE OUT. on the right.
JUMP CUT: a cut within the same shot that skips forward in time, used for energy or disorientation.

Why most transitions are left out

Editing is the editor's and the director's job. When a script is full of CUT TO: lines, it wastes space, slows the read and can seem like the writer is trying to direct the film. Readers have become used to scripts that simply move from one scene heading to the next. Save transitions for moments where the type of cut is part of the storytelling: a smash cut that lands a joke, or a match cut that makes a point the audience should feel.

How to format a transition

Transitions are written in capitals, end with a colon, and are aligned to the right of the page, with a blank line above and below. They sit after the last action or dialogue of a scene and before the next scene heading. FADE OUT. is the exception: it ends with a full stop because nothing follows it.

She blows out the candle.

                                             SMASH CUT TO:

EXT. MOTORWAY - NIGHT

Headlights. Horns. A lorry thunders past.

Transitions and timing

Each transition takes a line plus spacing, so a script that uses one on every scene can add several pages, which distorts the one-page-per-minute estimate. If your draft feels long, removing unnecessary transitions is one of the easiest trims you can make without losing any story. In True-Script you can say "cut to" while dictating and the transition is placed and aligned for you.

Common questions

Do you need CUT TO between every scene?

No. A new scene heading already implies a cut, so CUT TO: is usually unnecessary. Save transitions for when they add meaning.

Do I need FADE IN at the start of a screenplay?

It is traditional and harmless, but optional. Many professional scripts still open with FADE IN:, while some modern scripts start straight on the first scene heading.

Is CUT TO wrong?

It is not wrong, just usually unnecessary. A new scene heading already tells the reader the scene has changed, so CUT TO adds a line without adding meaning.