: Action line questions in screenplay format Is it EVER okay to say I’m the action line “a beat” Are parentheticals ONLY for the way the speaker talks Can you say: Bathsheba I love

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It's generally bad practice to put action in parentheticals. And best to avoid them as they can quickly become a crutch and are often unnecessary. In the example you listed, you could write it like this:

BATHSHEBA
I love you.

She pulls him in.

BATHSHEBA
Let's just try.

The action has much more impact when it's not wedged in between lines. It also breaks up the script more to create a sense of forward movement.

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