The (CONT'D) is used if the dialogue of the same CHARACTER, if it is continued, the same on-going statements of dialogue, after ACTION DESCRIPTION is written, and inserted between that characters on-going utterance, to indicate a camera shot, in part of the same scene, or if another character interjects,when the characters on-going statement, UTTERANCE, by one character, is interrupted, continues after the interruption, in the on-going part of the scene, DIALOGUE CONTINUING, BUT HAS TO BE PART OF THE SAME STATEMENT, NOT ANOTHER REPLY, then it is the on-going DIALOGUE of THAT ONE CHARACTER, that is when it is properly used, you would then see (CONT'D) however **IF** it is NOT the SAME UTTERANCE, or the SAME CHARACTER then it should NOT have the (CONT'D) added after it.
Sometimes the computer is adding it when it should not be; so to remove it here is a link from FINAL DRAFT:
http://kb.finaldraft.com/article/1001/1075/
FURTHER:
(cont'd) or MORE : formatted at the bottom of the page, is when it -- the same scene -- is continuing on another page of the script.
The LARGE (CONT'D) is used with an ON-GOING UTTERANCE OF THE SAME CHARACTER, for DIALOGUE, when it is interrupted by ACTION DESCRIPTION, or ANOTHER CHARACTER SPEAKING OR DOING SOMETHING and when the dialogue of one statement is interrupted, and someone interjects or you need to have the Director aware that you are indicating a specific necessary relevant shot to insert at that moment of dialogue and then it would continue with the utterance, and the continuation of the statement.
It is NOT used if the Actor is making a new and completely different utterence. (Yes , I intentionally spelled, utterance as utterence. Why? SEE my rant below! lol
(Wow, on another note, the latin suffix endings, -ence for tense starts and then stops at specific point of time, and -ance if it starts and continues, now some grammar and dictionary sites are telling people that it is only ence for certain stem words and -ance for other root or stems , BUT none are using it the way the latin grammar inflection meant it to be used, and I know some are going to say this is english, not latin, but its origins are, and so should the correct usage of the words.
The dictionary of course wants utterance with the suffix -ance and so does every dictionary grammar checker, however,
-ence means the tense, to start and then stop, and -ance means to start then continue, so in the above, I should be able to write it as I did utterance, meaning to start and then continue speaking, and I should be able to say utterence, for the tense started and then stopped, but every grammar checker wants to have ONLY utterance, which semantically would be INCORRECT if the person and their speaking actually did NOT continue speaking as ANCE means the tense to CONTINUE. ENCE means the tense to start and stop, it would be so much better if we all went back to the latin origins because then it would add so much more concise detail and meaning to a sentence and diction in as few as words possible, in modern english it just does not have the same capacity , in fact contradicts the ACTUAL semantic interpretation of what actually IS happening, if you use the modern so-called correct dictionary word and grammar checkers! I know just my own aside, but if people see that I deliberately refuse to allow the grammarly and AI programs to over-ride me then you will know why I rebel! )
So now you know what the difference is between the formatting in a screenplay for (CONT'D) with the dialogue continuing, vs. the use of, and formatting for (con'td) or MORE with the scene being continued.
Also, the use of CONTINUOUS, should NOT be used, for on-going scenes transitioning from one room to another, as separate SLUG LINES or MINI-SLUGS need to be used, as different camera and lighting set-ups will need to be done for each new area and location, even if it is part of the scene as it will unfold!
NEVER use CONTINUOUS always use a new SLUG LINE for every new area or room.
CONTINUOUS should ONLY indicate one single MASTER SHOT being filmed by a DIRECTOR continuously filming with one camera for that scene rather than a multi-camera set up. That is the difference in definitions and ways in which it should be used in a screenplay.
This is a blog for the random thoughts and musings of Krista Kaufman screenwriter.