Screenwriting and the present tense

On a recent trip, our son Luke said he had an idea for his first screenplay. After chatting about the concept for a bit, he asked to start writing the script. So I opened Final Draft on the ol’ laptop, started a new file, and off we went, Luke dictating, me typing.

After our initial writing session — he got to the story’s first major plot point at P.8! — Luke asked this question: “Why are screenplays written in the present tense?”

Why are screenplays written in the present tense?

Great question. Novels, short stories, memoirs are almost always told in past tense. Not screenplays. Here are a few examples as reminders:

Marco dives sideways, but Heinrich still isn't quick enough.
McClane FIRES TWICE and Heinrich DROPS sprawling in the hallway,
machine gun FIRING BLINDLY until he hits the floor.
(Die Hard)

It does not take four lines of "VALENTINE'S" speech to confirm
for us, if confirmation be needed, that THOMAS is VIOLA. For
WILL, amazement at hearing his own words soon gives away to
something else. He is captivated. He has found his "ROMEO."
(Shakespeare In Love)CURLY drops the photos on Gittes' desk. Curly towers over
GITTES and sweats heavily through his workman's clothes, his
breathing progressively more labored. A drop plunks on Gittes'
shiny desk top.
(Chinatown)

Each of these paragraphs of scene description, as in all screenplays, written in the present tense. It’s one of those facts of a screenwriter’s life that we assume from day one, but then perhaps we forget its importance — and it is important.

And so I ask you to consider Luke’s question: Why are screenplays written in the present tense? I have some thoughts on the matter. I’d like to see what you have to say first.

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