Screenplay Terminology Glossary
Screenwriting has its own vocabulary. Knowing the standard terms helps you communicate with collaborators, understand industry feedback, and format your scripts correctly. This glossary covers the terms you will encounter most often.
A - C
Action - The descriptive text in a screenplay that tells the reader what is seen and heard on screen. Action lines describe character movements, settings, sounds, and anything that is not dialogue. Also called "direction" or "scene description."
B-Story - A secondary storyline that runs parallel to the main plot. The B-story often involves supporting characters and thematically mirrors or contrasts with the A-story.
Beat - A small unit of action or a brief pause in dialogue. In a screenplay, "(beat)" as a parenthetical tells the actor to pause momentarily. More broadly, "beats" refer to the individual story events that make up a scene or sequence.
Character Cue - The character's name, written in uppercase and centered above their dialogue. It tells the reader (and eventually the actors) who is speaking. Also called a "character name" or "character heading."
Cold Open - A scene or sequence that plays before the title card or opening credits. Common in television to hook the audience right away.
CONT'D - Short for "continued." Written next to a character cue when the same character speaks again after an action line or page break interrupts their dialogue. Example: SARAH (CONT'D).
Coverage - A written evaluation of a screenplay by a reader, typically including a synopsis, comments on strengths and weaknesses, and a recommendation (pass, consider, or recommend).
D - F
Draft - A complete version of a screenplay. Writers typically produce multiple drafts (first draft, second draft, polish, etc.) before a script is considered finished or ready for production.
Dual Dialogue - A formatting device where two characters speak at the same time, with their dialogue placed side by side on the page. Used sparingly for moments where overlapping speech matters dramatically.
EXT. - Abbreviation for "exterior." Used at the beginning of a scene heading to indicate the scene takes place outdoors. Example: EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT.
FADE IN - A transition where the screen gradually goes from black to an image. Traditionally used at the very beginning of a screenplay.
FADE OUT - A transition where the image gradually goes to black. Traditionally used at the end of a screenplay or at the end of an act in television.
Fountain - A plain-text markup syntax for screenplays. Fountain files use simple formatting rules (uppercase for scene headings, indentation for dialogue) so scripts can be written in any text editor and converted to properly formatted screenplays.
I - L
INT. - Abbreviation for "interior." Used at the beginning of a scene heading to indicate the scene takes place indoors. Example: INT. KITCHEN - MORNING.
INT./EXT. - Indicates a scene that moves between interior and exterior locations, or takes place at a threshold like a doorway or car. Example: INT./EXT. CAR - MOVING - DAY.
Intercut - A direction to alternate between two locations, usually during a phone conversation or parallel action. Written as INTERCUT in the action line, it frees the writer from repeating scene headings.
Logline - A one- or two-sentence summary of a screenplay's story. A good logline identifies the protagonist, the central conflict, and the stakes. Loglines are essential for pitching and querying.
M - P
Montage - A series of short shots or scenes assembled to condense time, convey information, or show a process. Formatted as a list of brief action lines, often under a MONTAGE heading.
O.S. - Abbreviation for "off screen." Written in parentheses next to a character cue to indicate the character is present in the scene but not visible to the camera. Example: MARCUS (O.S.).
Parenthetical - A brief direction placed between a character cue and dialogue (or between lines of dialogue) that indicates how the line should be delivered. Examples: (whispering), (to Sarah), (into phone). Parentheticals should be used sparingly.
POV - Abbreviation for "point of view." A POV shot shows the scene from a specific character's visual perspective. Written as MARCUS'S POV in the action or as part of a scene heading.
R - S
Reveal - A moment where new information is disclosed to the audience, often through camera movement or a character's discovery. In action lines, "REVEAL" is sometimes used as a direction: She opens the door to REVEAL --.
Scene Heading - The line at the beginning of each scene that establishes the location and time of day. Also called a "slug line." Always begins with INT., EXT., or INT./EXT. followed by the location and time of day, separated by dashes.
Shooting Script - The final version of a screenplay used during production. Includes scene numbers, revised page colors, and technical notations not present in a spec script.
Slugline - Another name for a scene heading. Some writers also use "slugline" to refer to a secondary heading within a scene (a "mini-slug") that indicates a change in location without a full scene heading.
Spec Script - A screenplay written "on speculation," meaning the writer wrote it without being paid or commissioned. Spec scripts demonstrate a writer's talent and are the format used for contest submissions and query letters.
SUPER - Short for "superimpose." A direction to display text over the image, like a location name or time stamp. Example: SUPER: "Three years later".
T - V
Transition - A line that indicates how one scene changes to the next. Common transitions include CUT TO:, DISSOLVE TO:, SMASH CUT TO:, and MATCH CUT TO:. Transitions are right-aligned and uppercase. In modern screenwriting, transitions are rare because a new scene heading already implies a scene change.
Treatment - A prose document that tells the story of a screenplay in narrative form, without dialogue or formatting. Typically 5 to 30 pages, used to pitch a story before writing the full script.
V.O. - Abbreviation for "voice over." Written in parentheses next to a character cue to indicate the character's voice is heard but they are not physically present in the scene. Used for narration, phone calls (when only one side is heard), or characters speaking from a different time. Example: ELENA (V.O.).