OFF SCREEN

OFF SCREEN (O.S.) is a screenwriting tool used in dialogue. It’s applied in a situation where a character is physically in the scene, we hear the character’s voice, but we don’t see the character.

Example:

INT. DEN – NIGHT

Hanna’s sitting at her desk immersed in a pile paperwork.

JOEL (O.S.)

                                                         Working late again?

Startled, Hanna turns to the window behind her. Joel is standing there, looking right at her.

                                                                     HANNA

                                                        I thought you were in Rio.

                                                                       JOEL

                                                       I’m back. And we need to talk. 

When using OFF SCREEN always abbreviate it “O.S.,” put it in parentheses, and place it to the right of the character’s name.

What if the character is not in the scene, but we hear the character’s voice? That’s called VOICE OVER. I’ll discuss that next week.

To be continued . . .