Screenplay format guide
How to Use Parentheticals in a Screenplay
A parenthetical is a short note in brackets under the character name or between lines of dialogue that tells the reader how a line is said or who it is aimed at, like (to Ray) or (beat). Keep it to a few words, lowercase, with no full stop, and use one only when the line would be misread without it.
Written and reviewed by ScriptLix Editorial
INT. DINER - NIGHT
Ray slides into the booth across from June.
RAY
You look good.
JUNE
(to the waitress)
Just coffee.
(to Ray)
You don't.
RAY
(beat)
Fair.
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. DINER - NIGHT
Ray slides into the booth across from June.
RAY
You look good.
JUNE
(to the waitress)
Just coffee.
(to Ray)
You don't.
RAY
(beat)
Fair.
How to use it
- 1
Put the parenthetical on its own line under the character cue, or between two lines of the same speech.
- 2
Write it in lowercase inside brackets, a few words long, with no closing full stop.
- 3
Use one only when the line would read wrong without it: a change of target, a hidden meaning, or a pause.
Parentheticals that help and ones that hurt
| Helps | Usually hurts |
|---|---|
| (to the waitress) | (angrily) on an angry line |
| (beat) | (pause) on every speech |
| (re: the letter) | A full sentence of action |
| (sarcastic) when it reads sincere | (sarcastic) when it already reads sarcastic |
Where does a parenthetical go?
Directly under the character cue and above the dialogue, or between two lines of dialogue in the same speech. It sits indented further than the dialogue and narrower, which screenwriting software does for you. It never goes at the end of a speech, because there is nothing left for it to change.
When should I use a parenthetical?
When the line would be misread without it. If a character says thanks but means the opposite, a (dry) saves the reader a double take. If a character switches who they are talking to mid speech, (to Ray) keeps the scene clear. (beat) marks a pause that changes the rhythm.
Actors and directors tend to dislike parentheticals that tell them how to act a line that is already clear. If the words already carry the emotion, cut the note and trust the line.
Can a parenthetical hold action?
Small business, yes: (lighting a cigarette) is fine. Anything longer than a few words belongs in an action line between two speeches. If you find yourself writing a sentence inside the brackets, break the speech and write the action instead.
More from the format guide
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- 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 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
- How to Write a Dream Sequence 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
What is a parenthetical in a screenplay?
A short note in brackets under a character name that tells the reader how a line is said or who it is for, like (to Ray) or (beat).
Are parentheticals capitalised?
No. They are written in lowercase, with no full stop at the end, unless they contain a proper name.
Can a parenthetical go at the end of dialogue?
No. If something happens after the line, write it as an action line under the speech.
How many parentheticals is too many?
There is no fixed number, but if most speeches have one, cut the ones that only repeat what the line already says.