Action and description lines are perhaps the most confounding part of screenwriting. Dialogue makes sense, you just write what the characters say! And even scene headings have a certain logic to them (Where are we? What time of day is it?), but not so with action and description lines. To start with, even their name is confusing. Should you be focusing on setting the scene? (Description) Or should you focus on what the characters are doing? (Action) And in how great of detail do you do either of those? It’s also the part of a screenplay that most resembles a book, so there is a temptation to get into the minds of our characters and share their inner monologues.

In addition to what they are there is a confusion as to whom they’re for. Are you writing them for the crew that will be actually making the thing? Or the gatekeepers who are going to be reading it long before you get to the production stage?

Let’s get into it!

Also, from this point on I’m primarily going to refer to them as action lines, which should hint at how we use them.

What is the point of action lines?

The point of your action lines is the same as your script: tell a great story. When movies first started in the pre-sound days there was no dialogue, so action was the only way to tell the story. As screenwriter and playwright David Mamet once wrote, "If you pretend the characters can't speak, and write a silent movie, you will be writing great drama."

You might be thinking, "Wait, I thought the action and description was to tell the actors, directors, and crew what to do?"

That's part of it, but in a broader sense what the actors are doing (or rather the characters their playing) is the story. And while the description informs the directors and crew, it also helps the reader visualize the story when they read your script. The challenge of screenwriting is that your script has to do double duty. In a book the words are the story, in a script the words are the story and a blueprint for the making of the movie.‍

Who are you writing them for?

This implies action lines are written for two separate audiences. First is the readers of the script, and second is those making it. In my opinion you should keep the second in mind when writing, but primarily write your action lines for the first audience. The reason for this is simple, your script will never get to the second audience if the first audience doesn’t love it. That first audience—comprised of agents, managers, executives, producers, and their assistants—has to fall passionately in love with the script if you want to have any shot of it getting made.

(I’ll add the caveat that sometimes that first audience can contain people who will actually be making it, like directors and big actors, but the point still stands that they’re watching it in their minds before making it.)

I’m starting with this at the top because I think it shapes everything else about writing action lines: You want to use them to tell a captivating story the reader can visualize in their minds.

With that in mind, let's look at some pointers for writing strong action lines.

Less is more

Try to keep your action paragraphs as concise as possible. You don’t want the reader to get bogged down in long paragraphs listing every single detail in the setting and subtle movement the characters are making. There’s a general rule that action paragraphs should be four lines or fewer. Of course, as with all screenwriting advice, if you read enough great scripts you’ll find paragraphs a lot longer than four lines. But I still think it’s a general guideline. If your paragraphs are going to be longer they should be great, or you should be an accomplished writer (not one trying to break in).

When you’re aiming for concision, ask yourself “What are the core details and actions the reader needs to know?” If you’re in a new location ask yourself, “What is the quickest way you can sketch out the mood here?” If you’re introducing an important character for the first time, ask yourself “What’s the quickest way I can make it clear who this person is?”

Answering these questions is why knowing your audience is helpful. What does the reader need to know about the setting or character?

Keep it visual

Another way to keep things moving is to focus on what can actually be seen on screen, like physical details and actions the characters can actually do. This is why it's important to keep the second audience (the people actually making it) in mind when you write.

This can be taken too far, however, and sometimes people think you can’t add anything about what a character is thinking. I think that is misguided. You can add what characters are thinking or feeling if it’s going to affect their performance. That last part -- if it's going to affect their performance -- is key. And of course it’s always a great idea to pair the thought or feeling with an action the actor can perform.

Use strong, active verbs

Speaking of things actors can perform, try to keep your verbs active. Instead of “He is walking,” try “He walks.” And if you want to take it a step further, use a verb other than walks so you don’t have to use an adjective. Instead of “She runs quickly,” try “She sprints.”  Instead of “He walks fast,” try “He hustles.”

Cut filler words

I’ll admit that there are words I still find myself using in early drafts (and cutting later) like “begins to” and “starts to.” Nine times out of ten you can cut these kinds of words and just say what they are doing.

Help your actors and directors instead of micromanaging them

One thing people like to get heated about on the internet is “doing the actor and director’s jobs for them.” I think there is some truth here, but like many things it can go too far. I suggest sidestepping the issue all together by being helpful to actors and directors without micromanaging them. Actors and directors want you to provide good details because it helps them do their jobs. Let’s break this down for both.

• For directors there is the danger of “directing on the page.” This usually relates to screenwriters using a lot of camera directions in the script. For the most part I think you can leave camera directions out because you don’t need them. This is because it’s implied that whatever the reader is reading in the script is what’s going to be seen on screen. For instance, let’s say you want a close up of a face to show a bloody nose. You could write a CLOSE UP shot, or you could just say, “Blood trickles from his nose.” What did you picture there? Probably a close up of a nose.
• With actors, I think it’s pretty simple. Don’t treat them as puppets. You can describe what they do without listing every single detail. They need to be able to interpret it. That said, give them things to work with, like an emotion, a physical gesture, or task they can figure out how to accomplish in their own way.