Chapter 8

Parenthetical

Parentheticals are left indented at 3.0" and the right margin is 3.5" although that is a bit flexible. As seen in our examples, a Parenthetical remark is NOT centered under the character name.

A Parenthetical remark can be an attitude, verbal direction or action direction for the actor who is speaking the part. Parentheticals should be short, to the point, descriptive, and only used when absolutely necessary.

These days, Parentheticals are generally disfavored, because they give direction to an actor that may not be appropriate once on the set. The slang term for them is "wrylies" as in:

                                        FRANKIE
                               (wryly)
                       Good mornin', Bluebird.

                                       JULIE
                               (sleepily)
                       What? What time is it?

                                       FRANKIE
                               (getting out of bed)
                       After six. You're gonna be late
                       again and I don't want to hear
                       it.

Parentheticals are also used in some scripts as the (continuing) notation. If a character is speaking followed by an action line and then the same character continues speaking, this notation can be used, but the New Spec Script frowns on all such superfluously inserted notations.

                                        FRANKIE
                               (getting out of bed)
                       After six. You're gonna be late
                       again and I don't want to hear
                       it.

Frankie pulls all the covers off of Julie. She sits up in bed, pulls on a long
T-shirt, and shuffles to the bathroom.

                                       FRANKIE
                               (continuing)
                       You're welcome.

Software Tip:
Script writing programs may give you the option of placing the (continuing) as a parenthetical remark or on the same line as the Character name, looking much like an Extension.

                                        FRANKIE
                               (getting out of bed)
                       After six. You're gonna be late
                       again and I don't want to hear
                       it.

Frankie pulls all the covers off of Julie. She sits up in bed, pulls on a long
T-shirt, then swings her legs onto the floor and shuffles off to the bathroom.

                                       FRANKIE (CONT'D)
                       You're welcome.

Software Tip:
The (CONT'D) is entered automatically by the script writing software if that option is chosen.

It indicates that the character continues speaking throughout the action.