Move between elements with Tab and Return
Change the current line with Tab; start the next one with Return.
Tab changes the element of the line you’re typing in. Return starts a new line and chooses its element for you.
Tab
Press Tab to change the current line to the next element that can follow the line above it. Press Shift-Tab to go back.
| After this line | Tab steps through |
|---|---|
| Scene Heading or Action | Action, Character, Transition |
| Character | Dialogue, Parenthetical |
| Parenthetical | Dialogue |
| Dialogue | Dialogue, Transition, Scene Heading, Action, Character |
| Any other line, or the top of the script | Scene Heading, Action, Character, Transition |
Return
Press Return at the end of a line to start a new one. The new line’s element depends on the line you finished:
| After | Return starts |
|---|---|
| Scene Heading | Action |
| Action | Action |
| Character | Dialogue |
| Parenthetical | Dialogue |
| Dialogue | Character |
| Transition | Scene Heading |
| Shot, General, or Centered | Action |
| Lyrics | Lyrics |
If the line is empty, Return changes it instead of adding a line: an empty Action line becomes Character, and any other empty line becomes Action.
Tip: To write a speech, press Return after the character’s name and type the dialogue. Press Return twice after the dialogue to go back to action.