Screenplay format guide
How to Write a Dream Sequence in a Screenplay
To write a dream sequence in a screenplay, mark it in the scene heading, like DREAM SEQUENCE - EXT. FROZEN LAKE - NIGHT, write the dream as normal scenes, then close with END DREAM SEQUENCE and a new heading as the character wakes. Tell the reader it is a dream up front, unless the twist depends on hiding it.
Written and reviewed by ScriptLix Editorial
INT. CAMILLE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Camille sleeps, one hand off the edge of the bed.
DREAM SEQUENCE - EXT. FROZEN LAKE - NIGHT
Camille walks barefoot on the ice. Under it, her brother swims beside her, smiling, mouthing words she can't hear.
The ice cracks under her feet.
END DREAM SEQUENCE
INT. CAMILLE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Camille jerks awake. Her hand is wet. The glass by the bed has tipped over.
Write your own
Type in plain text. A name in caps right above a line becomes dialogue, and lines starting INT. or EXT. become scene headings.
INT. CAMILLE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Camille sleeps, one hand off the edge of the bed.
DREAM SEQUENCE - EXT. FROZEN LAKE - NIGHT
Camille walks barefoot on the ice. Under it, her brother swims beside her, smiling, mouthing words she can't hear.
The ice cracks under her feet.
END DREAM SEQUENCE
INT. CAMILLE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Camille jerks awake. Her hand is wet. The glass by the bed has tipped over.
How to use it
- 1
Open with a scene heading that starts DREAM SEQUENCE, then the location and time.
- 2
Write the dream as ordinary action and dialogue. Weird is fine; unclear is not.
- 3
Close with END DREAM SEQUENCE, then a fresh heading for the waking world.
Do I have to tell the reader it is a dream?
Almost always, yes. A reader who thinks the dream is real will be confused, then annoyed when the rug is pulled. Marking it in the heading lets them enjoy the strangeness instead of trying to make it fit the plot.
The exception is a dream that is meant to fool the audience too. Then write it as real, and make the waking moment sharp and clear. Use that trick once at most, because readers have seen it many times.
How long should a dream sequence be?
Short. A page is plenty for most dreams. The story is on hold while the character sleeps, so every image should carry something the waking story needs: a fear, a memory, a want the character will not say aloud.
What about hallucinations and visions?
Format them the same way with a different label, like HALLUCINATION or VISION in the heading, then END HALLUCINATION. If the vision happens mid scene without a change of place, a short action line can carry it, such as For a moment, the walls are covered in water.
More from the format guide
- How to Write a Montage in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Flashback in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Phone Call in a Screenplay
- How to Write Text Messages in a Screenplay
- Dual Dialogue in a Screenplay
- Voice Over in a Screenplay: V.O. Narration
- Screenplay Transitions: CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO
- How to Introduce a Character in a Screenplay
- How to Use Parentheticals in a Screenplay
- How to Write an Intercut in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Title Card in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Series of Shots in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Flash Forward in a Screenplay
- Smash Cut: What It Is and How to Write One
- O.S. in a Screenplay: Meaning and Format
- How to Write a Pre Lap in a Screenplay
- Subtitles in a Screenplay: Foreign Dialogue
- How to Write a Split Screen in a Screenplay
- How to Write Slow Motion in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Freeze Frame in a Screenplay
- How to Write Song Lyrics in a Screenplay
Questions writers ask
How do you write a dream sequence in a screenplay?
Start the scene heading with DREAM SEQUENCE, write the dream as normal scenes, then close with END DREAM SEQUENCE and a new heading as the character wakes.
How do you end a dream sequence?
Write END DREAM SEQUENCE on its own line, then a scene heading for the waking world, usually showing the character as they wake.
Can I hide that a scene is a dream?
You can, if the twist matters to the story. Make the wake up moment clear, and avoid using the trick more than once.
Is a dream sequence the same as a flashback?
No. A flashback shows something that really happened in the past. A dream shows something imagined, though dreams can borrow from memory.