# Action > The descriptive prose of a screenplay — what the audience sees and hears, written in present tense. Also called description. Also known as description, stage direction **On the page** ``` She crosses to the window and waits. ``` ## In practice Strong action is visual and economical: it shows behavior, not essays about feelings. Readers skim action for story momentum; directors and ADs skim it for what must be staged. If a paragraph could only live in a novel's interior monologue, rewrite it as behavior the camera can capture or cut it before a cold read stalls. Dense blocks are a frequent pass trigger even when the information is good. Break beats into short paragraphs so the eye keeps moving; white space is part of pacing on a screenplay page. One image or move per chunk usually lands harder than a packed paragraph that tries to do five jobs at once. Sounds the audience hears belong in action lines. Heavy camera direction belongs mainly in shooting drafts or director-driven material. In a spec, write what we see and hear unless the move itself is the story point — a whip-pan joke, or a reveal that only works as that specific reveal on the page. ## See it formatted - [How to format text messages in a screenplay](https://www.inkwell.software/resources/screenplay-formatting/text-messages): Put readable on-screen messages in action, identify the sender when needed, and use one consistent pattern instead of disguising silent text as spoken dialogue. - [How to format a montage in a screenplay](https://www.inkwell.software/resources/screenplay-formatting/montage-sequences): Signal the montage, organize its visual beats in action, and end it clearly when the reader might not otherwise know where ordinary scene flow resumes. - [How to format an INSERT shot, screens, and letters](https://www.inkwell.software/resources/screenplay-formatting/inserts-screens-and-written-material): Put the exact words the audience must read in action, and use an INSERT only when the change in visual emphasis is itself important. - [How to format a dream sequence in a screenplay](https://www.inkwell.software/resources/screenplay-formatting/dream-sequences): Establish who is dreaming, mark where the dream begins and ends, and show the return to waking life so a dream is never mistaken for the story's reality. - [Should sound effects be in all caps in a screenplay?](https://www.inkwell.software/resources/screenplay-formatting/sound-effects-and-capitals): Capitalize a sound, prop, or action only when it has to jump off the page, and a speaking character's name at first appearance, so capitals still mean something. ## Common questions ### How long should an action paragraph be? Short enough to keep the eye moving — often one to three lines per beat. Dense blocks slow a read; white space is part of pacing on the page, not empty decoration. ### Can action include sounds and camera moves? Sounds the audience hears belong in action. Heavy camera direction is usually reserved for shooting drafts — in a spec, write what we see, not a shot list, unless the move is the story point. ### Should I capitalize props and sounds in action? Some writers capitalize key sound effects or first appearances of important props as a production cue. Keep the habit consistent and light; shouting every noun in caps reads like a beginner production memo. ### Is present tense required in action lines? Yes for standard screenplay craft — we watch events happen now. Past tense slips usually signal novel habits; they slow the read and look nonstandard to professional readers. ## Related terms - [Scene heading (slugline)](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/scene-heading): The line that opens a scene: interior or exterior, location, and time of day — for example, INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT. It orients the reader and anchors production breakdowns. - [Character cue](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/character-cue): The speaker’s name above a dialogue block, conventionally in uppercase — the label that tells the reader who is talking. - [Parenthetical](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/parenthetical): A short note in parentheses inside a dialogue block — how a line is delivered or a small action during it, e.g. (whispering). Use sparingly. - [WGA-compliant screenplay formatting](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/wga-formatting): Professional screenplay layout that conforms to WGA and industry submission conventions — familiar margins, element spacing, pagination, and production behavior that let readers focus on the story. --- Canonical page: