# How to format a dream sequence in a screenplay > 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. Sources reviewed: 2026-09-22 Article updated: 2026-09-22 ## Direct answer Establish whose dream it is — usually by showing the character asleep — then mark the start with DREAM SEQUENCE, either as its own action line or at the end of the scene heading, and write the dream in ordinary screenplay format. Close with END DREAM SEQUENCE and show the dreamer waking, so the reader knows exactly when reality resumes. ## On the page A dream bracketed by its markers and the waking moment ``` INT. MARA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Mara sleeps, the unopened letter on her chest. DREAM SEQUENCE EXT. HARBOR PIER - DAY The ferry is already gone. The letter in Mara's hand is blank. END DREAM SEQUENCE INT. MARA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Mara jolts awake. ``` ## Current practice ### Mark the boundaries, then write normally _Common choice_ Inside the dream, scene headings, action, and dialogue work exactly as they do anywhere else. What makes it read as a dream is a clear marker at each end and a dreamer the reader can name. ## Accepted variations ### Standalone markers _Common choice_ DREAM SEQUENCE and END DREAM SEQUENCE as their own action lines bracket a dream that runs across several scenes. ### Marker in the scene heading _Context dependent_ Adding the marker to the heading — EXT. HARBOR PIER - DREAM SEQUENCE - DAY — suits a dream that lasts one scene. The end still needs marking. ### Italics throughout _Context dependent_ Some writers italicize the whole dream on top of the markers. It helps on the page, but italics can be lost when a file changes format, so they should never be the only signal. ## Where reasonable writers disagree Writers split on dreams meant to fool the reader. Marking the start gives the game away; withholding it risks a reader who feels cheated when the dreamer wakes. If you withhold the marker, make the waking moment unmistakable, and make sure the dream still earns its place in the story. ## Mistakes to avoid - Starting a dream without establishing whose dream it is. - Leaving the reader unsure whether the dreamer has woken. - Using DREAM SEQUENCE and FLASHBACK interchangeably when the story treats imagination and memory differently. - Relying on italics alone to mark the dream. ## Submission versus production ### Submission or reading draft Keep dreams short unless they carry the story. Readers are wary of dreams used for a cheap scare or to state a theme, so clear markers let the scene be judged on what it does rather than on whether it confused them. ### Production draft A dream is still a shot scene with its own location, cast, and time of day. Full scene headings inside it let the breakdown and schedule treat it like any other scene. ## Working in Plot In Plot, write DREAM SEQUENCE and END DREAM SEQUENCE as Action lines and keep ordinary Scene Headings inside the dream. The dream's locations stay real scene headings, so they appear in the scene list and in a production breakdown like any other scene. ## Questions writers ask ### Does DREAM SEQUENCE go in the scene heading or on its own line? Either works. A standalone action line brackets a dream that runs across several scenes; adding DREAM SEQUENCE to the heading suits a one-scene dream. Whichever you choose, mark where the dream ends. ### How do I show a character waking up? Return to the dreamer's real location with a scene heading and show the waking in action — a jolt, a gasp, an alarm. END DREAM SEQUENCE before that heading makes the boundary unmistakable. ### How is a dream different from a flashback on the page? A flashback shows something that happened; a dream shows something imagined. The markers work the same way, but naming the device correctly tells the reader how to read the scene. ## Sources and context - [Final Draft — How to format dream sequences in a screenplay](https://www.finaldraft.com/blog/how-to-format-dream-sequences-in-a-screenplay) - [Final Draft's three dream-sequence formats](https://www.finaldraft.com/blog/how-to-format-dream-sequences-in-a-screenplay) These sources document current screenplay practice, software guidance, or production workflow. Screenplay style remains flexible, and any delivery brief or submission rule supplied by the recipient takes precedence. --- Canonical page: