by Curtis Kessinger (and many others)
I’ll be the first to admit I’m guilty of using dialogue for all the wrong reasons, but I’m changing my ways and I hope you do too. Following are a few tips for better dialogue.
Most people think dialogue is the best way to deliver the action, message or emotion of a scene, but in fact it can be the worst. Use dialogue as a last resort. Find a way to use visuals to deliver scenes to your audience. Avoid explaining, telling, or discussing something that can be shown visually. Analyze every bit of dialogue to see if you can figure out a way to show it visually and if you can’t, then that dialogue is worth saying.
Scenes can be more powerful when characters don’t say anything versus when they do. Use your dialogue wisely. We are compressing a story into two hours so every word has to count. Say as much as you can with the fewest number of words and avoid long speeches if possible. A well-written speech can be very powerful, but a poorly-written speech will have your audience heading for a popcorn refill.
Dialogue should move the story forward, reveal character and entertain us.
Dialogue should be authentic, manipulating, conniving, lively, and metaphorical.
The last word of a sentence of dialogue is the most important word. The last word contains the punch…the meaning…the impact. Once you have delivered the punch then it’s on to the next scene.
Dialogue should not discuss action which has already been seen by the audience or something that is going to be seen by the audience. If characters are planning something then don’t have them explaining exactly what is going to happen on the screen. They can explain a plan if the plan is not going to go as planned. The audience will be expecting one thing and you give them another, because your characters told them what was supposed to happen.
Dialogue has to be unique for each character. No two people talk alike. Everyone has a different viewpoint, different perspective, different vocabulary, different rhythm, different intellect, different pacing to their speech.
What characters say and do are two different things. Characters say one thing, but mean and do something else. They rarely say how they are feeling. Usually characters say the opposite of what they mean or feel. As an example male characters in horror movies rarely admit to being scared? Their actions and expressions show the audience they are scared, but they rarely admit to it.
Characters rarely talk in full sentences.
Characters talk in subtext. What they are saying is actually about something else.
Characters that know each other should avoid telling each other things they already know.
Avoid using clichés…be original. You are unique and original so your script should be the same.
All characters have strengths and weaknesses so no single character knows everything. They may say they know something to hide their weakness, but their actions show the audience the real truth.
Avoid using the words “yes” and “no”, because they are too on the nose…too on the money. It is the same way in real life…very few people say what is on their mind and give you a straight answer. They usually dance around the truth.
Dialogue that starts with the words “well”, “you know” and “remember” can slow down a scene.
Try to skip the normal introductions. Find a way to prevent characters from introducing themselves or introducing someone else in a normal manner such as “Hello I’m so-and-so” or “this is so-and-so.” It can also slow the momentum of a scene…especially if the audience already knows the character’s name from an earlier scene. If characters meet for the first time find a unique way to introduce them and have their names come out in other dialogue.
Eliminate words such as “hello” and “good-bye” when characters enter and exit scenes. Start the scene later and end the scene earlier.
Try to avoid using the word “this” when a character is pointing something out…the audience will see what the character is pointing/referring to and the word “this” can be eliminated.
I hope this helps you write better dialogue and I can’t wait to see your film on the big screen!
Thank you for your time. Now get back to writing!
Best wishes,
Curtis Kessinger
Film School Now!
Feel free to email me your comments: curtis@filmschoolnow.com
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