: Re: Is it okay to sum up unimportant dialogue in the description? Let me explain Like many, I’m a huge fan of the HBO series True Detective. I was reading the script for the second episode

@Odierno164

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If a character speaks, you must have it as dialogue. The normal course of action in scripts is to omit "nicety" dialogue and leave that up to the director. We typically eliminate greetings and "how are yous" and any pointless politeness or greeting, unless it is specifically character building (a glad hander knowing everybody he passes in the hall) but even then responses are not included. Any actual dialogue becomes expensive, you need overhead microphones, sound editing, foleys, etc. Just skip it! The director will just make the receptionist busy. Or make your characters in mid-sentence give a familiar half wave to the receptionist she acknowledges with a glance up as they pass.

Or have a receptionist or guard there for plausibility but just ignore them and walk past; hold up a badge or ID for them to see as if you do it ten times a day. You don't have to talk to them or interrupt the flow of other dialogue.

In your example, "acknowledged by the receptionist" can be changed to "acknowledge by a glance of recognition from the receptionist."

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