Screenwriting : Writing a Deaf or Mute character Dialog. by Thomas J. Herring

How will the audience know what they are saying? (this is the clue to how to do it)

The deaf person will sign to who they are talking to will inturn relay it out loud possibly. I'm trying to work this out somehow in my zombie story. I am thinking of changing one of my characters to be deaf to make the story more challenging.

Taking William's clue... You clarify it with a wryly. :) However, if a main character is deaf you could indicate it within the narrative by stating that whenever this character talks she/he signs and thus wouldn't have to include a parenthetical every time that character speaks. But if the person speaks while signing you would simply write the dialogue and perhaps include the wryly: (while signing). Because general audiences may not be familiar with sign language the dialogue meaning is often spoken perhaps by another character or is conveyed through subtitles. If so, in the script you could again use a wryly. For example: SALLY (signing; subtitled) Get it? Do you understand what I'm talking about?

Write the dialogue as if spoken, but in the parenthesis put (SUBS) - i.e. after letting us know early on - as appropriate) the character is deaf e.g. ROBERT (20's and deaf, always uses sign language)

I think so. It's like writing text messages on House of Cards. Digital thought bubbles. Thanks everyone. If I change my characters from kids in trouble to handicap kids surrounded by zombies at a dude ranch, would that be crossing a line or something?

Crossing what line? Are you still talking about sign language?

I want to make sure people don't think I'm making light of people with disabilities by using these characters to add suspense to a story. I might be overreacting which I have a habit of doing.

Thomas, just write those characters authentically and have them operate under their own agenda and agency. :)

Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye (2002 - 2005) shows you how to deal with the problem. If you have a deaf mute, establish another main character earlier that they can read sign language. This establishes to the friends and workmates (and audience) that the main character will translate for the deaf mute later on, as a given. If the main character and deaf mute are signing, still, put it in dialogue. Here's an example EXT: MOMMA MIA'S BISTRO - DAY - TO ESTABLISH INT: MOMMA MIA'S BISTRO - DAY - CONTINUOUS Frank and Kiera, a deaf mute, at a table. FRANK (signing/talking) When you saw Mr Reynolds, describe the man he was talking to. SUPER: Kiera's dialogue. KIERA (signing) He was about six-foot four, brown hair. He had a scar over his left eye, going from his forehead to the lower part of his cheek.

@Michael Wilde Thank you for the suggestion. I figured there was a way to write it and make sense. In fact I like all of the ideas on this discussion.