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What are MORE and CONT’D used for in screenplays?

Tagged: formatting, presentation, screenplay, screenwriting, script, scriptwriting, terms

When a dialogue block is split, either by a page break or an action line, you will use the parenthetical (CONT’D) to indicate the second part of dialogue is a continuation of the first:

CHRIS

Blake! Get over here.

He grabs his teammate’s jersey, pulls him over.

CHRIS (CONT’D)

This one’s coming to you. Be ready for the lob.

The (CONT’D) will be in line with the speaker’s name, and can either be in all caps or the lower case (cont’d), as long as you are consistent throughout your screenplay.

(CONT’D) will also be used if a large dialogue block runs over a page break. In that case, the parenthetical (MORE) should come at the bottom of the first block, centered under the dialogue. The dialogue will then pickup atop the next page, with (CONT’D) in line with the speaker’s name:

CHAUNCEY

This is our house, gentlemen! Our home court! Our city!

(MORE)

CHAUNCEY (CONT’D)

Are you going to let them come into our house and disrespect us like that?

Alternately, it is acceptable to move the entire block to the second page, assuming the void of white space left at the bottom of the first page isn’t egregious.

Most screenplay software will automate the (MORE)s and (CONT’D)s for you, or will automatically push the entire block to the second page when appropriate.

More from johnaugust.com

  • (cont’d) vs. CONTINUOUS
  • How to write dialogue
  • Pre-lap

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