Subtitles, how to write them in a screenplay?

The Outside World Filmmaking & Screenwriting
1

sorry for this newbie question, but how to you enter subtitle in a screenplay?

2

i would just say in the script that she speaks another language and then put her dialogue in braces. Dunno if that’s “official” though.

3

Yeah that works. Or you could use a parenthetical. I tend to do it like this:



MARIA

(in Spanish)

Where are you going?



But I usually only use subtitles for very minor characters with very little dialogue. If it’s a main character with a lot of dialogue Crazy Kenneth’s way is definitely the way to go. But I think just as long as you make it clear that the character is speaking another language without being “distracting” about it, it doesn’t really matter how you do it.

4

i’ve been actualy writing the actual other language as regular dialogue, and writing the translation in parenthetical. so i’ve been using the parenthetical as the subtitle.



is this definitely not a good idea?

5

Probly not. If the character only speaks in the other language once or twice it’s not really a big deal, but if you’re constantly writing each line of dialogue twice it can get to be a bit taxing on you and the reader. Not to mention the fact it starts to screw up your page count.

6

[quote=“Dex”]
Yeah that works. Or you could use a parenthetical. I tend to do it like this:



MARIA

(in Spanish)

Where are you going?

[/quote]

I use this method also. Makes for an easy read and flow of the script.