# OS vs V.O. screenplay: What's the difference?

**Quick answer:** Choose O.S. for an unseen speaker within the scene and V.O. for narration outside it. These are common conventions; phone voices vary between writers.

Source: https://scriptsolo.com/blog/os-vs-vo-screenplay/ · Scriptsolo · Updated 2026-10-23

A screenplay’s O.S. vs. V.O. distinction is whether a speaker is in the scene but off camera or outside it. O.S. commonly marks the first; V.O. commonly marks the second, such as narration.

For the surrounding page layout, see the [screenplay format guide](https://scriptsolo.com/guides/screenplay-format/). Here, focus on where the speaker belongs, not just whether you can see them.

## What does O.S. mean in a screenplay?

**O.S.** (also called off screen): An O.S. marker is commonly a label for a speaker within the scene's space but outside the picture. O.S. stands for off screen. A brother calling from the pantry while you see his sister in the kitchen fits this use.

## What does V.O. mean?

**V.O.** (also called voice-over): A V.O. marker is commonly a label for a voice outside the scene, such as narration. V.O. stands for voice-over. A sister telling the audience about that kitchen encounter years later fits this use.

## How do you format O.S. and V.O.?

Commonly, put (O.S.) or (V.O.) beside the speaker's name, as in ELI (O.S.). In this example, Eli speaks from the pantry; Mira's narration comes from outside the kitchen moment.

**Character cue**: A character cue is commonly the speaker's name in capitals above their dialogue. ELI is the character cue for Eli's speech below. See [how to format screenplay dialogue](https://scriptsolo.com/blog/how-to-format-screenplay-dialogue/) for the surrounding layout.

**Example:** The pantry

```
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

MIRA, still wearing her raincoat, sets an empty sugar bowl
beside a cake. The pantry door is closed.

Her brother ELI calls from inside the pantry.

                      ELI
                (O.S.)
          Who moved the blue tin?

Mira slides a blue tin beneath her raincoat.

                      MIRA
                (V.O.)
          For years, I told myself he meant
          the sugar.
```

Notes:

1. Place this marker beside ELI on the character cue line: ELI (O.S.).
2. Place this marker beside MIRA on the character cue line: MIRA (V.O.).

**Action line**: An action line is commonly a description of what the audience sees or hears, written in the present tense. Here, the pantry sentence establishes Eli's position before he speaks. For more examples, see [writing screenplay action lines](https://scriptsolo.com/blog/how-to-write-action-lines/).

## What about phone voices?

Phone-voice usage varies between writers, so choose a clear approach rather than treating either marker as an official rule. If Eli calls from elsewhere, you could choose V.O. to distinguish his remote voice from someone nearby.

**Choose a consistent phone-voice convention**

1. **Write the action.** Show Mira answering the phone before Eli's voice enters.
2. **Pick a marker.** Choose how to label Eli's phone voice after making his location clear.
3. **Check similar calls.** Apply the same approach wherever you present the same kind of phone conversation.

## Do you need either marker?

Use a marker when it helps the reader place the voice. If Eli steps into view and continues speaking in the kitchen, use his name without either marker. Let the scene determine the label, not the character.

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## Frequently asked questions

### Do I put V.O. after the character name?

Yes, V.O. commonly follows the character's name in parentheses, as in MIRA (V.O.). Put the dialogue beneath that character cue.

### Can a character be both O.S. and V.O.?

A character can use different markers for different speeches: O.S. commonly marks their unseen presence, while V.O. commonly marks narration outside the scene. Choose according to where each voice belongs.

### Does dialogue over a flashback need V.O.?

For a scene showing an earlier event, choose by the speaker's relationship to that scene. Narration from outside it commonly takes V.O.; an unseen speaker within it commonly takes O.S.