Screenwriting : Letters in Screenplays: How do I do this? by Christopher Poet

Perhaps an insert.

INSERT - THE LETTER:

DEAR JOHN,

I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT GROCERIES TODAY. I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU GREATLY. I THINK OF YOU OFTEN. MORE THINGS WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN A LETTER.

SINCERELY,

SUZY

That's my initial instinct, but I'm no expert. I believe that as long as it's clear, it'll serve what you need it to.

So the "rule" is to show don't tell. (I use "rule" loosely, because it's fun to break them if we can still write a great screenplay.) How else can you show what the letter says? Or the bigger question, why do you have to show the full letter? Is it just an excerpt or small portion that needs to be seen?

It's called an INSERT.

you could use ON LETTER

I would say either CLOSE ON THE LETTER or INSERT. more gravitating towards INSERT. T

he matter would go as normal paragraph. and then once done, back to normal. INT . or EXT. whatever it is.

Lawrence Davidson Joleene DesRosiers Dan MaxXx Pete Whiting Kiana K Doug Nelson

Thank you for the replies everyone. Was not even aware of the Insert. Never saw it as an option on Finaldraft but hay, learn something new every day.

I like your idea Dan. I have a letter in one of my scripts that I think I should change to (V.O.) I think I can get more emotion out of the letter that way. :) Thanks for the input here.

Dan Guardino I find myself agreeing. For what I need, I figured that the camera just needs to focus on the important bits. Whatever stands out that the audience needs to know but with my case, it is also something that no one is saying as it is just title to a journal entry by an character.

A fellow writer I offered some help too asked me about this as well and after I shared your advise, he decided to turn the would be letter into VO dialogue.

Still, I would rather have come here to look for advise before I made any assumptions and did something wrong. For instance, not realizing that INSERT was a thing in scripts. Added that one to my notes.

I have a letter in a script and the audience sees it as part of the action and plot points but never sees or hears what the letter says. I use action to show it's reason for existence. I always find letters that show, never work. Unless it's a little noir but other than that I think a letter which is a prop lets be honest is there to push the story on not tell it.

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Dan Guardino Thank you. Even so, it is nearly always helpful to keep notes around. Never know when they would be useful.

Dan MaxXx Now that you mention it, I can think back to several hundred episodes of NCIS, and at least two other crime shows my mom watches where I have scene moments like this.

Karen Stark I guess it really depends on how you want it to be used? I personally always liked looking for hidden clues in letters or notes on TV shows. Especially ones like Game of Thrones where sometimes it is your only clew as to what the character is up to. And I think that is how I will use mine. Anyone who takes the scene at face value and who does not notice the extra detail would miss it, but take a moment after the first viewing to look back and there could be a clue. Any other time I would just have the letter read off by a character. About the only time I could see you including a full render of the note or something is if your doing a mystery film and you want to give the viewers a chance to solve the puzzle alongside the MC. But that is an acquired taste. Not sure how I feel about it honestly.

Kay Luke Okay, not going to lie, but that is suspicious. Maybe I will message you later today. Got lots to do very shortly.

INSERT: page of letter--few CU of a line or two (not the whole letter)that has something directly to do with the character/plot--DIRECTLY! Then BACK TO SCENE. Readers/directors/etc do not want to read an entire letter within you script--they cut straight to the point (and even skip pages if they feel you're repeating yourself). GL