All of them would work, but I would probably not use the last one myself.

Capitalizing a sound would make it a little more important, IMO. If someone is sitting in his office and someone knocks politely on the door, I would not capitalize it.

Which one would you use? I've got something like...

Steph washes the dishes and stacks them away in a cupboard underneath the sink.

KNOCK KNOCK.

Steph moves out into the hallway and answers the door.
It's Dave.


Or maybe it should be written.

Steph washes the dishes and stacks them away in a cupboard underneath the sink.

Somebody knocks at the door

Steph moves out into the hallway and opens the door to reveal Dave.

Quoted from Max Another question I have, how would you write a scene where somebody is peeking through the door and listening in on a conversation but only one person in the room can be seen?

INT – HALLWAY - DAY

Kevin peeks through the door crack into the kitchen where Mary hysterically swings her arms deep in conversation:

          MARY
     If you don't like it, then fuck yourself.

          MARVIN (O.S.)
     I haven't said anything. I only....


It's just an example. When it's complicated it's not a shame to go with a bit more prose to describe the situation. Personally, I don't like the word 'conversation' here, but methodically this is how you could do it somehow IMO
I wouldn't use another scene heading since it seems to me you want to have something like an OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT, so we stay with the character who peeks from outside inside.

Quoted from Max Which one would you use? I've got something like... Steph washes the dishes and stacks them away in a cupboard underneath the sink. KNOCK KNOCK. Steph moves out into the hallway and answers the door. It's Dave. Or maybe it should be written. Steph washes the dishes and stacks them away in a cupboard underneath the sink. Somebody knocks at the door Steph moves out into the hallway and opens the door to reveal Dave.

The stuff with the KNOCK:

I wouldn't break the description as you did at all. A knock at the door is not a highlight worth a line compared with f.i.  A CRYING BABY, A GUNSHOT or A BLARING FIRE ALARM, (a more distinctive PLOT).
Second, it's not a picture on ist own. Truth is, WHILE she makes the dishes, it KNOCKS at the door.

Think about using a simple conjunction like AS or WHILE.
Example:


Steph washes the dishes, stacks them away in a cupboard as it BANGS at the door. She rushes out.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Steph opens for Dave.


You possibly could go with a mini slug:


She rushes out into the

HALLWAY

and opens for Dave.


But those are stylistic decisions everyone should take by oneself. There's a lot changing in case of transition and format today, so find your way, which will be the best way, anyway.


Some other advice: Try to write as short as possible, vary verbs, and give us interesting adjectives and words:

- I've shorten the stuff with "underneath the sink" because it's clear she's washing the dishes there.

- I interchanged "KNOCKS" with "BANGS". Perhaps it must be a loud knock at the door leaf, so that she's able to hear it through the hallway and into the kitchen; it also shows the characteristically intend of the person knocking from outside.  (Just one example of different KNOCKS here of course)

- "Moves" ( <-a bland verb) leaves for "rushes" in my example. "Reveal" and "answer the door" is unnecessary too.


Write as short as possible, especially, if things as ordinary as someone making the dishes, a knocking at the door, she opens, happen, so that we fly through quickly.

I'm not a native speaker but I hope my advice helps you .

Suddenly, two loud KNOCKS on the front door.

It all depends on the context. In a horror two quick:

KNOCK... KNOCK

Will help with atmosphere.

In a slower burn drama it may help with atmosphere if you go the longer way around. Personally I use them all aside from the last one.

Don't get bogged down by rules... indeed, seek to break them whenever you can.

I think what you have here is just fine. But since you are asking for feedback on alternatives, I'll throw in my two cents (keep in mind it is really nitty and just reflects my personal preference).

Quoted Text Steph washes the dishes and stacks them away in a cupboard underneath the sink.

Steph should either wash dishes or stack dishes - (unless she is stacking wet dishes or if for some reason we are suppose to be on Steph for a considerable amount of time. I would go with:

Steph washes dishes... or
Step stacks dishes in the cupboard.

The reason I mention this is as I look at some stuff I have written, I see places where I overly complicated the action (i.e., put in two or three physical events where one would have been just fine).  That being said, I would write the sequence as follows:

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Steph stacks dishes in a cupboard - hears a KNOCK KNOCK.  She goes to the

FRONT DOOR

Opens it. It's Dave.

The reason I didn't mention the drying of the dishes is because I thought that would be obvious lol.

For me washing the dishes is a two part process, washing and drying.

It's minor but still.

Quoted from Max The reason I didn't mention the drying of the dishes is because I thought that would be obvious lol. For me washing the dishes is a two part process, washing and drying. It's minor but still.

Yeah, I get that. My point really was how long are we on Steph - 30 seconds - a minute - 5 minutes? If where there through the entire process of her washing, drying and stacking dishes - cool - describe the process. If we are just there for a moment, my preference would be one action. Again, there was nothing wrong about what you had - I would continue reading the script.  

Quoted from eldave1 Yeah, I get that. My point really was how long are we on Steph - 30 seconds - a minute - 5 minutes? If where there through the entire process of her washing, drying and stacking dishes - cool - describe the process. If we are just there for a moment, my preference would be one action. Again, there was nothing wrong about what you had - I would continue reading the script.

Yeah that's cool brother, it would be about... 10-15 seconds tops so...

Steph washes the dishes, dries them off with a tea towel and stacks them away in a cupboard underneath the sink.

Like that, for 15 seconds? Shouldn't take much longer.

I get what you mean tho.