How to Format a Phone Call in a Screenplay

Phone calls are a screenwriting staple — and a formatting puzzle, because a call splits one conversation across two locations. There are two standard patterns: the one-sided call (we stay with one speaker) and the INTERCUT (we bounce between both).

Pattern 1: The One-Sided Call

We never leave the character we're with. The far side of the line is (V.O.) — often (filtered):

INT. MARA'S APARTMENT — NIGHT

The phone buzzes. Unknown number. She
answers.

                         MARA
          Hello?

                         CALLER (V.O.)
                (filtered)
          Don't turn around.

          Mara goes very still.

                         MARA
          Who is this?

                         CALLER (V.O.)
          You already know.

Why it works: the audience is trapped in Mara's point of view — we know exactly as much as she does. Thrillers and horror live on this pattern.

Pattern 2: INTERCUT

When the story needs both sides (and both locations), intercut the call. First establish both ends, then invoke INTERCUT:

INT. MARA'S APARTMENT — NIGHT

The phone buzzes. Mara answers.

                         MARA
          Talk to me.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. DISPATCH CENTER — CONTINUOUS

Jake, headset on, pulls up her file.

                         JAKE
          I need you to listen very
          carefully.

INTERCUT — PHONE CALL

As they speak, we move freely between
Mara's apartment and the dispatch center.

After INTERCUT — PHONE CALL, write normal action in either location; the reader understands we're bouncing between them — no new sluglines needed until the call ends. End with a transition or a new full heading.

Conventions:

• INTERCUT WITH: or INTERCUT — both work; the colon version is traditional
• Establish both locations before declaring the intercut
• End the intercut explicitly — They hang up. or a CUT TO: — so the reader re-anchors

Pattern 3: Voicemail and Recordings

One-way messages are the simplest form — pure V.O. over the listener's reaction:

                         JAKE (V.O.)
                (voicemail)
          Mara. Whatever you do, don't
          open the--

          The message cuts to a dial tone.

The cut-off message is a beloved thriller beat — note how the interruption does the storytelling.

Choosing a Pattern

Modern Call Etiquette

• Video calls — treat like an intercut; the second location is simply a screen: INSERT — LAPTOP SCREEN works for showing the caller's feed (text message formatting covers screen inserts)
• Texting instead of calling — often the more contemporary choice; see Formatting Text Messages
• Phone montage — a dating-app/text montage follows montage rules

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the far side of a phone call V.O. or O.S.?

V.O. — the caller is not in the scene's location. Once you INTERCUT to their side, they become a normal on-screen character with no extension.

Do I need to write "(into phone)"?

It helps at the start of a call — a parenthetical like (into phone) confirms which side is live. Once established, drop it.

How do I show a busy signal or hang-up?

In action: The line goes dead. or A dial tone. — sound cues live in action, not in dialogue.

Can I intercut more than two locations?

Yes — the same INTERCUT logic covers a conference call or three-way chase, but readability drops fast; cut between two at a time.

Related Pages

• V.O. vs O.S. — why the far side is V.O.
• Formatting Text Messages — the modern alternative
• Screenplay Transitions — INTERCUT's extended family