Writing realistic dialog

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Writing realistic dialog
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Dialog

• Write as little dialog as possible
• - audiences pay to see moving pictures
• - most things can be revealed via creatively
  writing action
• - in real life, people ACT a lot more than they
  SPEAK

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Exposition in Dialog

• Exposition revealing information about the plot
  or character
• - showing is better than telling
• - Ask if the story will suffer if exposition in
  dialog is cut
• - Less is more

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How to use Exposition in Dialog

• How much depends on the type of movie
• - Sleepless in Seattle
• - Jurassic Park
• Marbling trickling in a exposition reference
  here and there into dialog it should be
  invisible to the audience

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Two types of Dialog

• On the nose dialog passes information in a
  direct and obvious way
• Moves action along Follow that car! Hes
  over there!
• Used to explain scientific or legal issues
• Used in youth movies more so kids can track the
  story
• Too much can over-explain the story too little
  can cause story confusion

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Two types of Dialog

• Subtextual talk thats pregnant with meaning
• - goes beyond surface meaning and implies what
  characters are thinking and feeling without
  saying it directly
• - can take the form of sarcasm, insults,
  attitudes, etc.

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Dialog pitfalls

• Too repetitive you dont need to reveal
  something 4 different ways
• Underwritten dialog dont forget to include
  some exposition the audience is watching the
  movie with a blank slate
• Overwritten dialog dont explain things through
  dialog as it grinds the script to a halt

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Testing your dialog

• If your dialog doesnt have a point, throw it
  out.
• Read you dialog out loud it should sound like
  how humans talk.

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• GENERAL BROWN
• Tom? Do you trust him to do a job like that? Hes
  a weakling. I wouldnt bet a nickel on that bum.
  I know him too well.

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• FRANK
• You bought a new car, I see. Not bad! Straight
  eight, automatic, air-conditioning impressive.
• DONNA
• Fuel-injected with dual air bags too. I wanted
  the leather seats but I got a deal on this do
  you really like the wheel covers? Theyre really
  spokes.
• FRANK
• They give this puppy a good write-up in the car
  magazines. Top car of the year according to one
  of em! It kinda makes my heap look old!
• DONNA
• Its not so bad! How many years have you had
  that? If you got the dents knocked out and a
  paint job, and maybe a new bumper from a
  junkyard, itll look good!

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• JACK
• We should get moving if we want to catch the
  ferry.
• VELMA
• Yeah, the last boat leaves at sunset.
• BILL
• Its almost five now!
• VELMA
• My watch is slow then! It says four-thirty!
• BILL
• My goodness, youre right! Wed better get going
  because the next boat isnt for three hours!