A location in a script doesn't have to be just a location. You can reveal things about characters and the story in the location.
You can also set the tone for a scene with the location.
Look for photos and/or videos online of the location. It might help you come up with some ideas for the scene you're outlining or writing.
If you have any location writing tips or questions about writing locations, share them in the comments.
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Hi Maurice, locations are very important
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excellent advice!
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Absolutely agree — locations are such an underrated storytelling tool. They can carry emotional weight, symbolism, and even reflect a character’s inner state. I love when a setting almost feels like another character in the story.
For me, I often choose locations based on what they say about the people who inhabit them — the clutter of a room, the lighting, the sounds, even what’s missing. Those details can quietly reveal backstory or tension without a single line of dialogue.
I also like to “walk” the space in my mind (or through photos/videos like you mentioned) and imagine how the character feels moving through it — that usually shapes the tone and pacing of the scene.
What’s your favorite example of a film or series where the location perfectly reflects the story or a character’s emotional journey?
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yeh exactly Maurice
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You're right, Billy Kwack. I've read a lot of scripts where the locations weren't important. I used to write that way until I learned I could do different things with locations in my scripts.
Thanks, Chris Jones. What's your favorite location to use in scripts?
"I love when a setting almost feels like another character in the story." Glad you mentioned that, Asia Almerico! You're right. And the location in one of my scripts is an actual talking, moving character.
"What’s your favorite example of a film or series where the location perfectly reflects the story or a character’s emotional journey?" Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is one of them. Alice in Wonderland is another one. What's your favorite?
What's the most unusual location you've used in a script, Joseph Tonaldo?