Anyone got a preferred method or one that they have seen that looks nice and is easy to read.
I am using, person: message all left justified.
Craig: what’s for dinner?
Julie: Don’t care you’re cooking.
I have seen this formatted like dialogue, but I don’t think it reads as well.
CRAIG (text)
What’s for dinner?
JULIE (text)
Don’t care you’re cooking
This second message is similar to O.S. Or V.O.
Anyone got a better suggestion.
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Gets a text from KAT: You wanna go to McKays party tn?
JULES: Hell no those assholes just ran me off the road
KAT: That sucks. Sry.
----------------------------------------------------
She looks at her phone. Texts the guy:
[i’m nervous]
[don’t be]
[promise ur not a serial killer? lol]
[haha promise]
----------------------------------------------------
She taps his profile. And then a NEW MESSAGE from him.
Jules’ heart races.
She opens it: My god, you’re perfect and beautiful and how I
do I meet you for a drink?
Jules pauses... debates it. Takes a deep breath. He writes
her another message: ...tonight?
She closes SCRUFF and texts KAT: So u for sure going to
McKays?
--------------------------------------------------
Those are a few examples from the Euphoria script. The show's pretty tech heavy. The phone text is always written in bold though, I couldn't translate that. The pilot is on script slug if you want to check it out.
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I would just suggest making it crystal clear what a character is doing and to whom they are communicating, and make sure that a text message or an IM is clearly differentiated from speaking dialogue. Whatever you do, be consistent.
Example from John August:
MICAH
Hold on. I’ll check.
On the computer - -
MICAH: Red or green?
LISA: Huh?
MICAH: Sauce.
LISA: Green. Red makes me puke.
MICAH
Green for Lisa.
Note the use of italic for the computer screen messages and, of course, regular format and type for speaking dialogue.
Oh, and some forum dwellers may take issue with this, but some images/graphics are finding their way into screenplays as emojis are becoming part of everyday language.
Anyway, hope that helps. ;)
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I read a tv pilot spec where the text was in a different font color. Made it easier to read (off a computer screen).
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Here’s what Dave Trottier (Dr Format) says: https://www.keepwriting.com/tsc/textinginmovies.htm
I was just wondering about this the other day as well, Craig, so i'm glad you brought it up.
I decided on (TEXT) formatted like(V.O.)
And the text in italics.
It was the easiest to read and flows the best