Character Cues — Naming Characters and First Appearances

A character cue is the character's name in ALL CAPS on its own line, directly above their dialogue. Cues look simple, but they carry real rules — consistency, first-appearance capitalization, and naming discipline that keeps a 40-character script readable.

The Rules of Character Cues

1. The cue is the character's script name — always the same

Pick one name and never vary it:

                         JAMES
          We need to talk.

Not JIM in scene 2, not JAMES CROWDER in scene 30. The cue is an identifier — casting, scheduling, and (later) payroll all hang off it.

2. First appearance in action is CAPITALIZED

The first time a character physically appears, their name is in caps in the action line, usually with age:

INT. COURTHOUSE — DAY

JAMES CROWDER (58), rumpled suit, coffee-stained tie,
climbs the courthouse steps two at a time.

After that first appearance, use normal case in action: James checks his watch.

3. Cue names and action names must match

If the action introduces JAMES CROWDER, the cue can be JAMES — but establish the short form naturally and stick to it.

4. (CONT'D) after interrupted action

When the same character keeps talking after a line of action:

                         MARA
          The night of the accident--

          She turns her cup. Doesn't drink.

                         MARA (CONT'D)
          Nobody drove that night.

Full convention: (MORE) and (CONT'D).

Cue Extensions

Extensions modify how/where the speech happens, in parentheses after the name — V.O., O.S., CONT'D, FILTERED (through a phone or mask), (IN SPANISH). One extension is plenty; two max.

Naming Unnamed Characters

Numbered duplicates (COP #1, COP #2) stay consistent all script long — never renumber.

Names That Cause Trouble

• Famous names — a JACK REACHER in your rom-com pulls the reader out
• Names that start the same — MARCO, MARA, MARIA in one script is a reader's nightmare; distinguish first letters
• Cute names for realism — BROCK STONE reads like a placeholder
• Two-surname cues — SMITH (LAWYER) should just be SMITH or a distinct name

A practical test: read only the cues, top to bottom. If you can tell who matters and how they relate, the naming works.

Worked Example

INT. NEWSROOM — NIGHT

DEADLINE CHAOS. Phones ringing off the hook. At the center
desk, editor RITA VANCE (49) fires questions at a
20-something reporter.

                         RITA
          Where's Crowder?

                         REPORTER
          Covering the fire.

                         RITA
          Then get me Crowder on the fire.

Note: Rita gets caps + age at first appearance; the reporter stays generic — the script has exactly one named character in this scene because only one matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you capitalize character names in a screenplay?

Twice only: in the cue above dialogue (always), and in the first appearance in action. Everywhere else, normal case.

Can a character cue change mid-script?

Only when the story forces it — e.g., VOICE (V.O.) is revealed to be THE NARRATOR in the final reel. Make the switch once, deliberately.

What if two characters share a name?

Rename one. Readers, casting, and scheduling will thank you — ambiguity in cues is never worth it.

How do you write a character who never speaks?

Keep them in action only, first appearance in caps, no cue. If they're important and mute, that's fine — cue-less characters can still carry a script.

Related Pages

• Formatting Dialogue — what sits under the cue
• Parentheticals — the line between cue and speech
• (MORE) and (CONT'D) — continuing speech across breaks
• Characters — the craft of building them