John August

Search Results for: parenthetical

Stressing out in dialogue

Formatting, QandA, Words on the page

questionmarkI was just wondering how to indicate that a character is stressing a certain word in the dialog. I’ve thought about using capitalization but I’m not sure that’s the proper way, as I’ve also seen quotation marks used to similar effect. If you had any advice on which method you use, that would be more appreciated.

— Mike Morin
Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Underline. But remember, in most cases, you needed and shouldn’t give a specific line reading for any piece of dialogue. If a scene is working, readers (and actors) will naturally fall into the right tone.

But if you have a line that only makes sense one way — and it’s not the first way someone would read it — you have a couple of choices:

Set it up in stage direction:

Through clenched teeth --

MARGARET

I’d delighted.

Use a parenthetical:

CORBIN

(condescending)

I’m sure you’ll improve.

Underline the word or words that need to be stressed:

XANDER

I’m not not saying he wasn’t a Bugwath demon but if he was — or wasn’t, I confused myself there — either way he was surly. And oddly cat-phobic. Now can we get back to the part where the whole world goes boom at midnight?

You’ll occasionally see italics in dialogue (often for foreign languages). A few screenwriters use boldface or uppercase in dialogue. I’ve never seen the need.

Quotation marks should be reserved for moments that a character might make “air quotes” around something they’re saying. The misuse of quotation marks is a scourge of modern English.

How to include sign language

Formatting, QandA

questionmarkWhen writing a sign language conversation, is it better to write the dialogue normally with a scene description specifying the dialogue is signed, or should each signed line be specified in parentheticals? Would the method change if one side of the conversation is signed while the other side is spoken, or spoken and signed?

— Adam
Toronto

I answered almost exactly this question [back in 2005](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2005/formatting-for-sign-language), and I’m happy to see that my suggestion then is still my best answer: consider italics.

MARGIE

(speaking and signing)

These girls are weak. I’m a fifty-year-old woman, yet I can carry a pig two hundred yards.

LUKE

(signing)

You’re so strong.

MARGIE

That’s because I’ve been carrying you for twenty-two years. Seriously, I’ve made you the center of the universe, and when anyone dares challenge that you’re anything less than perfect I regress to Mama Bear mode. It’s amazing more people don’t call us out on this dysfunction.

LUKE

I’m almost a villain, but nobody notices. Because you can only be one thing on a reality show, and I’m the inspiring deaf guy.

Are glossaries a good idea?

Africa, Formatting, International, QandA

questionmarkIf a screenplay has a good amount of foreign words sprinkled throughout, is it OK to attach a glossary of a few pages? Or is that an amateurish way to handle it? These foreign words would appear both in action/description and in dialogue (NOT to be subtitled.)

I just think that it would make for a smoother read to NOT have explanations of each word as it comes up in the screenplay.

— Alejandro
Caracas/Los Angeles

My hunch is that you won’t need it. When you need to use the foreign term in action, put the translation in parentheses right after the word. When you’re using a bit of the language without subtitles, it’s still a good idea to provide a parenthetical to help the reader:

Merry stirs a pot of kholowa (sweet potato leaves), while the children play tag. She fakes a smile as her neighbor NYANDO walks up. He’s fifty and blind in one eye.

MERRY

(how are you?)

Muli bwanji, Nyando?

Have some English-speakers read your script, and if they’re truly perplexed, a glossary might be in order. If there are five really crucial terms, you could put it at the start of the script, right after the title page. If there are more, a glossary at the end might be better. In any case, keep it to less than a page.

On the radio

Formatting, QandA, Words on the page

questionmarkI’m working on a script that includes a few scenes where characters talk on police radios, or on megaphones.

So my question is this:

How do you write that? I suppose it’s just a matter of picking a format and sticking to it throughout the script, but I thought I would fire this question across your desk in case you’ve already standardized how it might look. Currently I’m toying with something that might go along the lines of:

INT. POLICE CRUISER – NIGHT

The radio crackles with three call tones. Perry grabs the receiver.

PERRY

Go for Perry.

DISPATCH (ON RADIO)

(filtered)

Your mother’s calling 9-1-1 again, Perr. Says you’re grounded.

PERRY

Tell her I’m working. I’ve got a job, and I’m working. I’m already on patrol, Walter...and I’m 30.

DISPATCH (ON RADIO)

(filtered)

She’s threatening the Playstation.

PERRY

Tell her I’ll be right there.

He tosses the handset, floors it, and cranks up the siren and lights.

The other format I’m trying to crack is when someone picks up a megaphone to address a crowd of people. So far I have something like:

EXT. PERRY’S HOUSE – NIGHT

The squad car screeches up in front of the house. Perry’s mom opens the top floor window and extends the Playstation over the ledge.

Perry jumps out, holds up a megaphone.

PERRY

(filtered)

Don’t do it, mom. Go back inside, and keep the Playstation where I can see it.

PERRY’S MOM

You’re a rotten kid, Perry. Rotten to the core.

PERRY

(filtered)

I mean it. I’ll use force if I have to.

I’m not sure if you need the word “filtered” in parentheticals in both examples, and if I do, should I put it on each line, or just the first? With the radio lines, I’ve put “ON RADIO” next to the name, and on each line. Do I need to include it on more than one, or is the first sufficient?

— Scott Benton
Los Angeles

In both cases, I would drop the “(filtered)” tag on the second line of dialogue. We get it, and reminding us that it’s filtered is just getting in the way of the jokes.

While we’re on the topic, I’m a fan of how you used **DISPATCH (ON RADIO)** in the first example. I find myself doing that a lot in situations where the speaker is not physically present in the scene. In some cases, it indicates a character we’ll never really meet (perhaps your Dispatcher), or a character we do meet who happens to be on a speakerphone or similarly off-screen.

Putting the parenthetical as part of the character name helps reinforce that the person won’t be seen. That’s clarity for the reader and for 1st ADs when it comes time to write the shooting schedule.