Wiki Page, Oklahoma High School- Drama/Theatre Course (OK Art Tech): 11.3 Introduction to Action Lines

Wiki Page
2025-03-06T08:26:14-06:00

Action Lines

Introduction

Did you know that an actor's movements on stage are carefully practiced and not just made up by the actor? Action lines, found in a script, describe character movement in a scene and can also give actors additional information on how to act out their characters. Action lines, also called scene descriptions, are essential to the story because they provide information about the action and relationship between people, objects, and locations on set. Action lines will tell the performer or character how to behave during a scene, which adds to the overall impact of a performance.

Example

Here is an example of stage directions in a scene between two characters named Thomas and Sarah: (Action lines are highlighted in yellow.)

THOMAS: (shivering and taking off his shoes) It's freezing outside! I can't even feel my toes!

SARAH: (sitting on a couch with a cup of hot chocolate) Ever been to Wisconsin?

THOMAS: (visibly confused) No.

SARAH: (smirking) Well, if you think 50 degrees is cold, you should try a Wisconsin winter. The temperature can go to 30 degrees below freezing!

Notice how the action lines are written in italics and placed in parentheses. They tell us how the actor will move or feel in the scene, and help the actors and viewers better understand the meaning of the dialogue.

Script Example

Watch the example below to see a script and movie comparison. As you are watching the clip, look for instances of action lines written into the script. Remember that action lines are not spoken by the actors, but are directions that they follow to make their characters more believable.

Video: Classic Movie Scenes: AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019) // Hilarious Thor and Quill Scene // Script-to-Screen

Industrial Scripts® - Screenplay & Screenwriting Consultants. (2023, Jul 27). Classic Movie Scenes: AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019) // Hilarious Thor and Quill Scene // Script-to-Screen. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/W6EFKWA0vM4?feature=shared

Click on the button at the bottom of the video to access the closed captions.

Guiding Questions

By yourself, or with a partner, answer the following questions before moving on to the next page.

1. Create an action line for this situation: Running from chasing bees.

2. What would scenes be like if there were no action?

3. What is a scene that does not require action?

Check Answer