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Dialogue + character autocomplete + parenthetical

Last updated May 22, 2026 · 4 min read

Dialogue is the bulk of script content. Slima automates three parts of dialogue formatting: character-name autocomplete, dialogue indent, parenthetical hint.

Slima Script Studio Write editor: while in action, Tab switches to character; type the name; Enter drops into dialogue

Character autocomplete (Highland-style)

When typing a Character element, Slima auto-suggests the next character from recent dialogue:

J. DOE
    I haven't seen fog like this in thirty years.
A. SMITH        ← auto-suggested (not J. Doe again)
    ...

Sources:

  • Last N Character elements by appearance order
  • Characters already in the Character Bible (Character Bible)
  • All characters across the script

Hint: "Character-name prediction (Highland-style) auto-suggests based on recent dialogue."

Auto-indent

Dialogue automatically lays out in a narrow centred column:

TW:

            王小明
        我已經三十年沒見過這種霧。

Hollywood:

        J. DOE
    I haven't seen fog like this
    in thirty years.

Format (TW / Hollywood) decides the indent width.

Parenthetical — emotion cue

Between Character and Dialogue you can insert a Parenthetical:

J. DOE
    (softly)
    I haven't seen fog like this in thirty years.

How to enter:

  • Inside a dialogue line, press ( — Slima inserts a parenthetical (the primary method)
  • Or press Ctrl+4, or use the / slash command menu on an empty line
  • In Hollywood format you can also Tab from a dialogue line to a parenthetical; in TW format parenthetical is not in the Tab flow (use (, Ctrl+4, or the command menu)

Important: use parentheticals sparingly — only when the action / emotion can't be inferred from the line itself. (smiling) (crying) is mostly redundant (the actor's performance and the line carry it).

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