How to write text message conversation in Screenplay?

johnalia

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Hello. I'm writing a short script and has almost no dialouge. In one particular scene two characters are texting each other while sitting next to each other. How exactly should I write this scene? I have put their chat in dialouge section under each characters name but I guess it is confusing. Of course I need to show their phone screen in the film so the viewrs know their story. Also the each character is sending multiple texts. I have read that it's easier to put text conversation in Action but not sure about this. I will really appreciate any help/suggestions. Regards. John
 

Maryn

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I don't read a lot of scripts these days, but what I usually see is this way, only correctly formatted, which is a huge chore to do here:

Maryn picks up her phone and presses her thumb to sign in.

MARYN (TEXT)
Texts are in italics in scripts.

JOHNALIA (TEXT)
Cite a source, pls?

MARYN (TEXT)
Sure thing. https://screenwriting.io/how-should-you-
handle-text-messages-or-instant-messages-ims-in-
screeplays/


There are other ways to do it, and of course it's the director's option how it appears on screen. There are lots of warnings about how it's not audience-involving for them to read message after message, since they're without a tone or way of saying them that breathes a little life into the words. Lots of pros recommend limiting screen reading for the audience, including having the character read it aloud or react to it in a way that tells the audience what the unseen/unreadable screen must have said.
 

dpaterso

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Related to Maryn's suggestion, which seems very sensible...

On John August's site, this article Handling IMs in screenplays refers to BBC's Sherlock series. The text quoted in the picture is from the first episode, the script for which can be found here at BBC's Writersroom site, https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/sherlock - the exchange is on pages 57/58:

Code:
John’s phone has beeped.  He has pulled it out and now
glances at it.  A text:

[B]BAKER STREET.  COME AT ONCE IF CONVENIENT.  SH.[/B]

...

A silence.  John looks at him, stonily.  His phone beeps at
him again.  He looks at it.  Another text.

[B]IF INCONVENIENT COME ANYWAY[/B]

-Derek
 

DevelopmentExec

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There's no one right way - the important thing is that you make it clear that it's a text and that you're consistent in how you present the texts.