Superimpose
Also known as SUPER · super
Text or graphics laid over the picture — titles, dates, locations, captions. On the page, commonly written as SUPER: or SUPERIMPOSE: followed by the overlay copy.
On the page
Superimpose
SUPER: San Francisco — July 1998
In practice
Supers handle information the image alone will not carry in time: a date, a city, a chapter card, a translated caption. Write the exact words you want on screen after SUPER: or SUPERIMPOSE:. Keep them short; long paragraphs of on-screen text read like essays and fight the cut for attention.
Place the super near the moment it should appear — often just before or after the scene heading it labels. If the overlay must hit a precise action beat, put it beside that action so editors and readers share the same timing. Avoid stacking three supers in a row unless the form itself is the joke or the style.
Specs should use supers for story-critical labels, not for directing fonts and animation. Production design and post will choose type treatment. Your job is clear wording and clear timing. If a character reads a sign that is already visible in action, you may not need a SUPER at all — describe the sign in action instead.
See it formatted
How to format text messages in a screenplay
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 an INSERT shot, screens, and letters
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 write a SUPER in a screenplay (on-screen text)
Write on-screen text word for word, where it appears: SUPER: over the picture, a card of its own over black, and one label for the whole script.
Common questions
Is SUPER the same as SUPERIMPOSE?
Yes in practice. SUPER: is the common short form on contemporary scripts; both mean text or graphics over the picture.
Should I describe the font in a SUPER?
No. Write the words and when they appear. Font, size, and motion belong to design and post unless the specific look is a story joke.
Where does SUPER sit relative to the scene heading?
Usually next to the moment it labels — often just above or below the heading or action it timestamps. Keep the timing obvious to the reader.
Can dialogue and a SUPER happen together?
Yes, but keep both readable. If the overlay competes with a dense speech, trim one so the audience can track words in the ear and on the screen.