Final answer:
A dialogue prompt for Tom, who is off-screen, would use the "(O.S.)" notation, as in 'TOM (O.S.)\'What's everyone laughing at in here?\' This helps convey that the character is speaking from another room, and not visible to the audience, enhancing the scene's narrative depth.
Step-by-step explanation:
To write the dialogue prompt for a line delivered by a character named Tom, as he leaves the living room and walks into the kitchen while the camera stays in the living room, you would need to indicate that the dialogue is coming from off-screen. This means that even though Tom is not in the camera frame, his voice is still heard by the audience.
An example of how this can be formatted in a screenplay would be:
(Tom walks out of the living room and into the kitchen, out of sight)
TOM (O.S.)
'What's everyone laughing at in here?'
The "(O.S.)" stands for "off-screen," and it tells the reader that the character is speaking from offscreen. It is important to provide this type of direction so that the intent of the scene is clear to the actors, director, and crew, and the audience understands that the character is not visible but still present and engaged in the scene.
Including such details adds depth to the narrative and helps convey emotions and motivations behind characters' actions, which are vital for the viewer's engagement and understanding of the story.