3.1 Dialogue purpose
10 min read•august 20, 2024
Dialogue is the lifeblood of screenwriting, serving multiple purposes in storytelling. It reveals character, advances the plot, sets the , and conveys themes. Understanding different types of dialogue and their functions helps writers craft compelling conversations.
Effective dialogue balances exposition, drama, and narrative elements. It must sound natural while still serving the story's needs. By mastering dialogue techniques, writers can create engaging scripts that resonate with audiences and bring characters to life on screen.
Types of dialogue
- Dialogue in screenwriting serves various purposes and can be categorized into different types based on its function within the story
- Understanding the distinctions between expository, dramatic, and helps writers craft effective and purposeful conversations that drive the story forward
Expository dialogue
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- Conveys essential information about characters, setting, or plot to the audience
- Provides context and background details necessary for understanding the story (character relationships, past events, motivations)
- Should be used sparingly to avoid overloading the audience with information
- Can be disguised as natural conversation to maintain the flow of the scene
- Examples: characters discussing their shared history, explaining a complex situation, or revealing crucial details about themselves
Dramatic dialogue
- Focuses on character emotions, conflicts, and relationships
- Reveals the beneath the words, exposing characters' true feelings and intentions
- Creates tension and drives the emotional arc of the story
- Often involves confrontations, arguments, or emotionally charged exchanges (heated debates, heartfelt confessions, tense negotiations)
- Examples: a couple's breakup scene, a parent-child confrontation, or a character's emotional breakdown
Narrative dialogue
- Advances the plot and propels the story forward
- Reveals new information or plot points that change the direction of the story
- Can introduce new conflicts, challenges, or objectives for the characters
- Often includes decision-making moments or turning points in the narrative (characters agreeing to a plan, receiving crucial news, discovering a game-changing clue)
- Examples: characters discussing a new lead in a mystery, deciding to embark on a journey, or revealing a secret that alters the course of the story
Purposes of dialogue
- Dialogue serves multiple purposes in a screenplay, contributing to , plot progression, atmosphere, and thematic exploration
- Effective dialogue balances these various functions to create a rich and engaging story that resonates with the audience
Revealing character
- Dialogue exposes characters' personalities, backgrounds, motivations, and inner conflicts
- Reveals how characters think, feel, and react to different situations and people
- Helps the audience understand and empathize with the characters
- Can showcase characters' unique voices, speech patterns, and mannerisms (accents, catchphrases, verbal tics)
- Examples: a character's sarcastic remarks, a heartfelt , or a heated argument that exposes deep-seated issues
Advancing plot
- Dialogue moves the story forward by introducing new information, conflicts, or challenges
- Reveals characters' goals, obstacles, and decision-making processes
- Can create turning points or plot twists that change the direction of the story
- Helps to establish the stakes and maintain narrative momentum
- Examples: characters discussing a new plan, revealing a secret, or confronting an antagonist
Establishing tone and mood
- Dialogue contributes to the overall atmosphere and emotional tone of a scene or the entire story
- Can create tension, suspense, humor, or intimacy depending on the content and delivery
- Reflects the genre and style of the screenplay (witty banter in a comedy, gritty exchanges in a crime drama)
- Helps to immerse the audience in the story world and evoke specific emotional responses
- Examples: characters engaging in playful teasing, sharing a tender moment, or exchanging terse words in a tense situation
Conveying theme and subtext
- Dialogue can subtly communicate the underlying themes and messages of the story
- Reveals characters' true motivations, desires, and conflicts, even when not explicitly stated
- Can create subtext through what is left unsaid or implied between the lines
- Allows the audience to interpret and engage with the deeper meanings of the story
- Examples: characters discussing their beliefs about love, justice, or morality; a seemingly casual conversation that hints at deeper issues or conflicts
Dialogue vs action
- Screenplays rely on a balance of dialogue and action to tell a compelling story
- Understanding the interplay between dialogue and action helps writers create dynamic and engaging scenes that keep the audience invested
Balancing dialogue and action
- Effective scenes often alternate between dialogue and action to maintain a sense of movement and variety
- Too much dialogue without action can feel static and slow the pace of the story
- Too much action without dialogue can lack depth and
- Finding the right balance depends on the needs of the scene and the overall story
- Examples: a chase scene punctuated by brief exchanges, a quiet conversation followed by a sudden outburst or physical confrontation
Dialogue as a form of action
- Dialogue itself can be a form of action, revealing character and through words alone
- Verbal exchanges can create tension, , or resolution just as effectively as physical actions
- Dialogue can be used to set up, build toward, or resolve action sequences
- Examples: a heated argument that leads to a physical fight, a persuasive speech that inspires characters to take action, a revelation that changes the course of the story
Action as a substitute for dialogue
- In some cases, action can communicate information or emotion more effectively than dialogue
- Visual storytelling through character behavior, facial expressions, or symbolic actions can convey meaning without words
- Silence or sparse dialogue can heighten the impact of certain moments or relationships
- Examples: a character's silent reaction to devastating news, a meaningful gesture or touch between characters, a symbolic action that represents a character's inner state
Dialogue and characterization
- Dialogue is a powerful tool for revealing and developing characters in a screenplay
- The way characters speak, the words they choose, and the subtext beneath their lines all contribute to their unique characterization
Dialect and speech patterns
- Characters' dialects, accents, and speech patterns can reflect their backgrounds, education, and social status
- Consistency in a character's speech helps to create a believable and recognizable persona
- Variations in speech patterns can also indicate character growth or change throughout the story
- Examples: a character's regional dialect, a non-native speaker's grammatical quirks, or a character's shift from formal to casual speech as they become more comfortable
Vocabulary and diction choices
- The specific words and phrases characters use can reveal their personalities, attitudes, and worldviews
- Vocabulary choices can indicate a character's intelligence, emotional state, or cultural background
- Diction can also be used to create contrast or conflict between characters
- Examples: a character's use of sophisticated language, slang, or profanity; a character's tendency to use certain catchphrases or verbal tics
Subtext and implied meaning
- Subtext refers to the underlying meanings and emotions beneath the surface of a character's words
- Dialogue can convey subtext through what is left unsaid, hinted at, or implied
- Characters' true feelings, desires, and motivations can be revealed through the subtext of their conversations
- Examples: a character saying one thing but meaning another, a loaded pause or hesitation in dialogue, or a seemingly innocuous comment that hints at deeper issues
Dialogue and conflict
- Conflict is the driving force of any story, and dialogue is a key tool for creating and resolving conflicts between characters
- Effective dialogue can heighten tension, reveal character differences, and propel the story toward its climax
Verbal confrontations
- Dialogue can be used to create intense confrontations between characters with opposing goals or beliefs
- Verbal sparring, arguments, and heated exchanges can expose the depths of characters' conflicts
- Confrontations can range from subtle power struggles to explosive shouting matches
- Examples: a detective interrogating a suspect, a couple fighting over a betrayal, or rivals trading insults and threats
Subtext and tension
- Subtext in dialogue can create tension by hinting at underlying conflicts or unspoken issues between characters
- Characters may say one thing while meaning another, creating a sense of unease or anticipation
- Tension can be built through what is left unsaid or implied, leaving the audience to fill in the gaps
- Examples: characters making veiled threats, dancing around a sensitive topic, or expressing their true feelings through sarcasm or irony
Resolution through dialogue
- Dialogue can be used to resolve conflicts and bring characters to a new understanding or agreement
- Characters may have a heartfelt conversation that leads to forgiveness, compromise, or a change in perspective
- Dialogue can also be used to reveal a twist or revelation that shifts the power dynamics between characters
- Examples: characters apologizing and reconciling after a fight, negotiating a truce or alliance, or revealing a secret that changes everything
Dialogue and pacing
- The rhythm, flow, and timing of dialogue can greatly impact the pacing and overall feel of a scene or story
- Effective use of dialogue pacing can create tension, humor, or emotional resonance, keeping the audience engaged and invested
Dialogue length and rhythm
- Varying the length and rhythm of dialogue exchanges can create different effects and suit different purposes
- Short, snappy exchanges can create a sense of urgency, tension, or wit
- Longer, more fluid conversations can allow for deeper character exploration or plot exposition
- Examples: rapid-fire banter in a comedy, clipped and tense exchanges in a thriller, or a meandering heart-to-heart conversation in a drama
Pauses and silence
- Strategic use of pauses, beats, and silence in dialogue can be just as powerful as the words themselves
- Pauses can create anticipation, awkwardness, or emotional weight, allowing the audience to sit with a moment
- Silence can speak volumes about characters' inner states or the unspoken dynamics between them
- Examples: a pregnant pause before a character reveals a secret, an awkward silence after an uncomfortable comment, or a meaningful look exchanged without words
Dialogue and scene transitions
- Dialogue can be used to smoothly transition between scenes or to create a sense of continuity
- Characters' conversations can bridge gaps in time or location, providing context for the next scene
- Dialogue can also be used to end a scene on a cliffhanger or to set up the next narrative development
- Examples: characters discussing their plans for the future, hinting at an upcoming event, or dropping a bombshell revelation before cutting to a new scene
Dialogue formatting
- Proper formatting of dialogue in a screenplay is crucial for clarity, readability, and professional presentation
- Following industry standards helps the script to be easily understood by actors, directors, and production teams
Proper script format
- Dialogue is typically centered on the page, with the character's name in all caps above their lines
- Parentheticals can be used sparingly to indicate tone, action, or delivery of a line
- Dialogue should be broken up into manageable chunks, usually no more than four lines at a time
- Examples: JOHN (angrily) I can't believe you did that!
SARAH I had no choice. It was the only way to save him.
Dialogue tags and attributions
- In most cases, dialogue tags (e.g., "he said," "she exclaimed") are unnecessary in screenplays
- The character's name above the dialogue and the context of the scene should make it clear who is speaking
- Attributions can be used occasionally for clarity, especially when there are multiple characters speaking in rapid succession
- Examples: MICHAEL (on phone) I'll be there in ten minutes.
INTERCUT WITH:
LISA (on phone) Hurry, we don't have much time!
Interruptions and overlapping dialogue
- Interruptions and overlapping dialogue can be indicated by using dashes or parentheticals
- Dashes are placed at the end of the interrupted line and at the beginning of the interrupting line
- Parentheticals can be used to indicate when characters are speaking simultaneously
- Examples: DAVID I was thinking we could--
EMILY (interrupting) No, absolutely not! That's a terrible idea.
JASON (simultaneously) I agree with Emily. It's too risky.
Common dialogue pitfalls
- Recognizing and avoiding common dialogue pitfalls can help writers craft more effective, natural, and compelling conversations in their screenplays
- Being aware of these pitfalls allows writers to revise and refine their dialogue to better serve the story and characters
On-the-nose dialogue
- On-the-nose dialogue is overly explicit, stating exactly what characters are thinking or feeling without subtext or nuance
- It can feel unnatural, expository, or too "on the nose," leaving little room for interpretation or audience engagement
- Avoiding on-the-nose dialogue involves trusting the audience to infer meaning and allowing subtext to convey the underlying emotions
- Examples: a character explicitly stating, "I am so angry right now," instead of conveying anger through tone, action, or implication
Expository overload
- is necessary for conveying essential information, but too much exposition can overwhelm the audience and disrupt the flow of the story
- Overloading scenes with expository dialogue can feel unnatural and make characters seem like mouthpieces for the writer
- To avoid expository overload, writers should find ways to weave information into the story more organically, through action, visual cues, or subtle implications
- Examples: characters unnaturally reciting their entire backstories, explaining plot points in detail, or discussing information they would already know for the audience's benefit
Unnatural or stilted dialogue
- Unnatural or stilted dialogue can take audiences out of the story and make characters feel inauthentic or unconvincing
- This can happen when dialogue is too formal, too "writerly," or doesn't reflect how people actually speak
- To create more natural dialogue, writers should read their lines aloud, listen to real conversations, and allow for imperfections and interruptions
- Examples: characters speaking in complete, grammatically perfect sentences; using overly sophisticated vocabulary; or sounding like they're reciting a script
Redundant dialogue
- Redundant dialogue repeats information that has already been conveyed through action, visuals, or previous conversations
- It can slow down the pace of the story and make scenes feel bloated or unnecessary
- Writers should trust the audience to remember and infer information, only repeating dialogue when absolutely necessary for emphasis or clarity
- Examples: characters restating plot points that have already been established, describing actions that are clearly shown on screen, or repeating the same emotional beats without progression
Key Terms to Review (21)
Advancing the plot: Advancing the plot refers to the progression of the story's narrative through events, actions, and character developments that drive the storyline forward. This process is essential for maintaining audience engagement and building tension, as it helps to reveal character motivations, introduce conflicts, and lead to resolutions. Each element that advances the plot serves a specific purpose, ensuring that the narrative remains dynamic and compelling.
Auditory imagery: Auditory imagery refers to the representation of sounds in a piece of writing, allowing readers to imagine and experience sounds as if they were hearing them. This form of imagery enhances storytelling by engaging the audience's senses, helping to create a vivid and immersive atmosphere. By effectively utilizing auditory imagery, writers can convey emotions, set moods, and provide context that enriches both dialogue and scene description.
Beat: In screenwriting, a beat is a unit of action or a moment of change that signifies a shift in the emotional or narrative flow of a scene. Beats help to structure the dialogue and advance the plot, making it essential for pacing and audience engagement. By carefully crafting beats, writers can effectively convey character dynamics, emotional shifts, and critical moments of exposition.
Character Development: Character development refers to the process of creating and evolving a character throughout a story, highlighting their traits, motivations, and growth. This process is crucial in engaging audiences and providing depth to the narrative, as well as connecting with elements like dialogue, themes, and the overall rewriting journey.
Chemistry: In the context of writing, chemistry refers to the natural connection or dynamic interaction between characters, often revealed through dialogue and behavior. It enhances the authenticity of relationships and can evoke emotions, making scenes more engaging for the audience. Chemistry is crucial for establishing believable interactions that resonate with viewers.
Conflict: Conflict refers to the struggle or clash between opposing forces, ideas, or characters, which drives the narrative forward and creates tension within a story. This element is essential in storytelling, as it reveals character motivations and backstory, sets up stakes, and helps establish central themes.
David Mamet: David Mamet is an influential American playwright, screenwriter, and director, known for his distinctive style of dialogue and exploration of character flaws within his works. His writing often focuses on the complexities of human relationships and the impact of flaws on personal growth, making him a key figure in understanding character development. Mamet’s sharp, rhythmic dialogue serves not only to reveal character but also to create tension and convey deeper themes through subtext.
Dramatic Dialogue: Dramatic dialogue refers to the spoken exchanges between characters in a screenplay or stage play, crafted to reveal their emotions, motivations, and relationships. This type of dialogue not only drives the narrative forward but also enhances character development and adds depth to the story's themes. The effectiveness of dramatic dialogue relies on its ability to sound authentic while also serving specific storytelling purposes.
Economy of Words: Economy of words refers to the practice of expressing ideas in the most concise and effective way possible, using the least amount of words necessary without losing meaning or clarity. This concept is crucial for writing dialogue that is impactful and engaging, ensuring that every line serves a purpose in character development, plot advancement, or emotional resonance.
Emotional Resonance: Emotional resonance refers to the ability of a narrative to evoke deep feelings in the audience, creating a powerful connection between the viewer and the characters or situations presented. This connection is crucial for storytelling, as it enhances the impact of dialogue, visuals, and overall narrative structure, making experiences more relatable and memorable.
Expository Dialogue: Expository dialogue is a type of conversation in film writing that provides essential background information or context to the audience. It often reveals key details about characters, settings, or events without feeling forced, making it a crucial tool for storytelling. When crafted well, it serves to advance the plot while also enhancing character development and viewer understanding.
Monologue: A monologue is a speech delivered by a single character in a play, film, or other narrative forms, often expressing their thoughts and feelings directly to the audience or another character. Monologues serve to reveal inner conflicts, provide backstory, or develop a character’s personality, making them essential for character development and thematic exploration in storytelling.
Narrative dialogue: Narrative dialogue refers to the spoken exchanges between characters in a story that not only reveal their thoughts, feelings, and relationships but also advance the plot and develop the narrative. This type of dialogue is crucial as it helps to create a sense of realism and engagement, allowing the audience to connect more deeply with the characters and their journeys. Effective narrative dialogue serves multiple purposes, including character development, exposition, and establishing conflict, making it a fundamental component of storytelling.
Naturalism: Naturalism is a literary movement and philosophy that emphasizes a realistic portrayal of life, often depicting characters and events as products of their environment, heredity, and social conditions. It goes beyond mere realism by incorporating the idea that human behavior is determined by natural forces, suggesting that individuals have limited control over their fate. This perspective shapes dialogue, character development, and plot dynamics within narratives.
Show, don’t tell: Show, don’t tell is a fundamental writing technique that encourages writers to present scenes and emotions through sensory details and actions instead of simply stating facts or feelings. This method helps to immerse the audience in the story, allowing them to experience events and emotions directly, enhancing engagement and relatability while deepening the narrative's impact.
Snappy repartee: Snappy repartee refers to quick, witty responses in conversation that are often clever and humorous. This type of dialogue serves to showcase a character's intelligence and personality while also maintaining an engaging and dynamic exchange between characters. The use of snappy repartee can heighten tension, reveal character traits, and enhance the overall flow of dialogue, making it more captivating for the audience.
Subtext: Subtext refers to the underlying meaning or message that exists beneath the surface of dialogue or action. It reveals characters' true emotions, motivations, or intentions without explicitly stating them, adding depth to storytelling and allowing audiences to engage more deeply with the narrative.
Syd Field: Syd Field is a prominent screenwriting theorist and author known for developing the three-act structure, which serves as a blueprint for screenwriters to construct engaging narratives. His work emphasizes the importance of plot points and character development within this framework, influencing how stories are crafted in film and television. Field's principles extend to various aspects of screenplay writing, including dialogue's purpose and formatting, as well as how scripts are analyzed and evaluated.
Tone: Tone refers to the emotional quality or attitude conveyed in a piece of writing or dialogue. It shapes how the audience perceives the message, influencing their emotional response and engagement with the narrative. Tone can be serious, humorous, sarcastic, formal, or informal, and it helps define character voices, enhance scene descriptions, and create an overall mood that aligns with the story's themes.
Turn: A turn in writing, particularly in dialogue, refers to the moment when a character changes direction in their speech or actions, often revealing new information or altering the course of the conversation. This shift can create dramatic tension or provide deeper insight into a character's motivations and intentions. Understanding how turns function is crucial for crafting engaging dialogue that keeps the audience invested in the story.
Voice: Voice refers to the distinct style or tone that a writer brings to their work, shaping how the audience perceives characters and the story. It's about the unique way characters express themselves through dialogue, which influences how authentic and relatable they appear. In addition to dialogue, voice plays a crucial role in script notes, feedback, and analysis by conveying intentions and emotional depth.