How to format, two people TEXTING on a Computer

[mcoonce]

Anyone know the preferred method of showing two or more people IM (instant messaging) or texting on a computer.

This would include, showing the words being typed in.

[ComicBent]

You keep it simple. Basically you handle it like a conversation.

Set up the two of them, each in his/her location with a master scene for each. Then have one or the other get a message and check it. Then write:

INTERCUT BETWEEN BOB AND MARSHA

Bob types on the computer:

               Hey im really missing u.

Marsha responds on her computer:

               right back at u.

That is one fairly simple way. If you can, format the onscreen stuff just like dialogue. In FinalDraft you can make it an action paragraph and then drag the margins, right and left, to make it look like a dialogue paragraph. That way the program does not tag it as dialogue.

Leave it up to the director as to when to show only the computer screen and when to show the person typing away. Those are things done at the shot level, which are usually too specific for you to be responsible for.

As a strictly personal sidenote, I hate things that have to be read on screen. My advice is to keep that stuff to a minimum.

[mcoonce]

Thank you, that's what I was looking for.