Lecture Notes Week 8

What is dialogue?

A conversation between two or more people.

Functions of Dialogue

• Effective dialogue moves the story forward
• Dialogue communicates facts and information to the audience

- It conveys essential exposition

- Characters will talk about what happened, establishing the storyline

- EG. “he should have known better. She’s nice but not blind. Sooner or later, she’s going to dig out those roving eyes of his.”

• Dialogue reveals character

A character will talk about himself and other people will talk about him.

EG. “I’ll be embarrassed to interrupt once the event has begun.”

“ Jon would be appalled if we don’t show up on time.”

• Dialogue establishes relationships between characters

- Once your main character’s POV is established, use is dialogue with other characters to show their differing attitudes on the same subject matter.

- This dialogue exchange creates varied and alternatives POVs

- Differing POVs in turn, sustain the element of conflict between characters.

• Dialogue comments on the action on screen
• Dialogue is used to tie various elements in the script. Eg. Characters, action, intention, etc.

It is one of the devices that YOU as a writer can use to expand and enlarge your characters.

Dialogue writing tips

Dialogue should be used sparingly.

Never tell the audience what they can see for themselves!

“If you can see it or hear it, don’t write it.” – Neville Smith (British screenwriter)

MOST IMPORTANT:

Dialogue is no substitute for action

Writing Tips

1. Eavesdropping

Pay attention to the expressions that people use in daily conversations. It’s helpful to get a sense of ‘authentic’ dialogue.

2. Genuinely Fake

In writing dialogue, remove words (that may seem realistic) that don’t contribute to the plot in some way.

3. Reveal information sparingly

Don’t tell the audience everything up front. Trust them to remember details from the earlier points in the story.

4. Punctuated Dialogue with Action

For ease of comprehension, long periods of dialogue should be broken with action and vice versa.

5. Avoid stereotypes, profanity and slang

Cliché stereotyping (widely fixed but oversimplified view)

Profanities (vulgarities/obscene language)

Slang (informal phrases/words eg. Blur like sotong)

* These elements may distract or alienate your viewers

6. Read (scripts) widely

Think about at which point you have taken out of the story’s action? Or when did you stop believing in a character? Does the character seem larger than life and how did dialogue help accomplish that?

7. Punctuate Dialogue correctly

Take time to learn the basics. Viewers/readers should feel the impact of your words – not feel lost trying to follow your dialogue

Elements of Dialogue

Good dialogue is the illusion of reality.

You’ve got to know how to edit what people say without losing any of the spirit.

‘A good story was “life, with the dull parts taken out”’. – Alfred Hitchcockz

Common Mistake: Students tend to create radio shows with images.

* Film is a visual medium

A screenplay is a story told in pictures.

In-class Activity

Sisters quarrelling over money

C: Sis, can I have $2000 to get a Gucci bag?

J: WHAT?! $2000?! You crazy uh? And, why do you want a Gucci bag?

C: It’s just $2000… You’ve just gotten promoted. And if I don’t get the bag, I’ll lose Tracy as my friend!

J: $2000 is a lot of money. Getting promoted doesn’t mean I have to give you money. So what? Tracy’s a bad influence. It’s okay to lose her as your friend.

C: How can you say that?! You don’t even know her! C’mon! It’s just $2000 only. Just this once! What kind of a sister are you? If mum and dad were still here, I wouldn’t even bother asking you!

J: I’ve seen her smoking before. She’s a bad influence? If you continue hanging around with her, you will pick up smoking too. And, $2000 is a lot of money! If you can earn your own money, you can get it yourself.

C: Tell me which eye of yours saw me smoke? Stop being so judgmental! You can spend thousands of dollars on dinner with your friends and you can’t just spare me $2000 to get a bag??! If I can work, I will! But too bad, no one wants me!

J: I didn’t say you smoke. But if you continue hanging around with her, you will pick up smoking. I earn my own money so I can spend it. You have no say. Look harder for a job then.

C: Can you stop being a kanchiong spider regarding Tracy?? Aiyah! Just gimme the $2000 and I’ll stop bothering you ok?

J: Fine, let’s leave the issue on Tracy aside first. No, I will never give it to you.

C: You’re the worst sister ever!

Lecture Notes Week 7

Defining the character

 

The character must have:

Heart (emotions/feelings)

Soul (the core of the person, good or bad)

Nervous system (reaction)

 

It is through your characters that the viewers experience emotions.

 

Without a character, there is no action.

Without action, you have no conflict.

Without conflict, you have no story.

Without story, you have no screenplay.

 

Developing Characters

Ask yourself:

Who is your character?

What does he/she want?

What is his/her quest?

What drives him/her to the resolution of the story?

 

Establish your main character

Characters should have a 3 Dimensional structure:

Physiology – physical appearance

Sociology – social status

Psychology – mental state, thoughts, beliefs

 

Physiology

- Gender

- Age

- Height, weight

- Colour of hair, eyes, skin

- Posture

- Appearance

- Defects, abnormalities, deformities, birth marks, diseases

- Heredity

 

Sociology

- Class (lower, middle, upper)

- Occupation: type/hours of work, income, condition of work, attitude towards organization, suitability for work

- Education: amount, kind of schools, marks, favourite subjects, poorest subjects, aptitudes

- Home Life: parents living, earning power, orphan, parents separated/divorced, parents’ habits, parents’ mental development, parents’ vices, neglect, character’s marital status

- Religion

- Race, nationality

- Place in the Community; leader among friends, clubs, sports

- Political affiliations

- Amusements: hobbies, books, newspapers, magazines he/she reads

 

Psychology

- Sex life, moral standards

- Personal premise, ambition

- Frustrations, chief disappointments

- Temperament: choleric, easy-going, pessimistic, optimistic

- Attitude towards life: resigned, militant, defeatist

- Complexes: obsessions, inhibitions, superstitions, phobias

- Personality: extrovert, introvert

- Abilities: language, talents

- Qualities: Imagination, judgment, taste, poise

- I.Q.

- What is the deep and personal secret this character has which he is desperate to protect/hide?

 

Interior

(This takes place from birth until the moment your story begins, not revealed explicitly – through dialogue)

 

It is a process that forms character.

 

(When you start formulating your character from birth, you see your character build in body and form)

- How old is he when the story begins?

- Where does he live?

- Does he have siblings?

- what kind of childhood did he have?

- What was his relationship to his parents?

- What kind of child was he?

- Is he married, single, widowed, separated or divorced?

 

Exterior

(This takes place the moment your story begins to its conclusion)

 

It is a process that reveals character.

- Who are they and what do they do?

- Are they sad or happy with their life?

- Do they wish their life was different? Another job, another wife?

 

Interaction between characters

Your characters’ personalities and traits are revealed through their interaction with other characters in the story world.

Audiences must see your characters in relationships with other people or things.

 

Interact in 3 ways

- They experience conflict in achieving their dramatic need.

(Eg. Need money – rob bank, rob a store, rob a person?)

- They interact with other characters

(either in an antagonistic, friendly or indifferent way)

- They interact with themselves.

(eg. He overcame his fear of being caught by pulling off the robbery successfully)

 

How do you invent characters?

Try turning your characters upside down.

 

A monk who is devoted to his religion…

… but is a football fanatic.

 

A serial killer…

… whose obsession is to kill other serial killers.

 

A common street rat…

… who loves to eat and cook only fine food.

Lecture Notes Week 6

Experience

• A storyteller should be able to identify the potential of every experience.
• Everything about you is unique – where you were born, what type of food you prefer, the birthmark, bump on your forehead, etc.
• The events in your life may be similar to others BUT your reaction to these experiences are personal to you and irreplaceable.
• Many of your experiences are universal and translatable and can be used in any location.

List some experiences that would be common and relatable regardless of the culture or country:

-       School bullies

-       Accident

-       Loss of a loved one

-       Friendship

-       Family problems

-       Racism

-       Abused by the rich

-       Pre-marital sex/loss of virginity

-       1^st day of school

-       first crush

-       moving house

-       school camp

Why is the audience able to relate to your stories?

-      The writer must connect to his reader/audience through the most vital aspect of being human – EMOTIONS!

-      People connect with the emotions that are evoked in stories (not the actors, no the location, not the camer angles/shot sizes, etc.)

Tap on your own personal background!

The things that happen to you as you grow up and the things that are currently happening to you make terrific story sources.

Writing Tip:

-      If unsure how to proceed with character’s development or don’t know what to do with him, imagine you ARE him.

-      How would you cope with the situation you’ve put your story character in?

-      What is his state of mind when he copes with the events in the story world? Is he afraid, angry, contented, etc.

All people have fragments of stories.

These potential ideas prompt your desire to know more

Responding emotionally and intellectually to what you hear

Good stories are born in the heart, not the head

What appeals to you is likely to appeal to someone out there

MEMORY

• Your memory is a delightful cabinet of past incidents which you have experienced or been told
• These memories serve as points of references to your own past

What types of past incidents tend to be embedded in one’s memories?

Good: birthdays, outings, holidays,

Bad: bad teachers, dental

Tip: Writing from Memory

-      Be brave and write what you do not know as well

-      How can writers write on topics they are unfamiliar with?

Through research

Interviews

You will find some part of you that does know

* There is always room for personal discovery!

What is the difference between memory and experience?

-       Memories can be ‘manufactured’, depending on our state of mind and emotions during that period of time.

-       Experiences are deemed as ‘more authentic’ and real.

How do we use memory to build creative content?

They can be used as a spark to initiate new story ideas

Lecture Notes Week 5

What is tragedy?

- Tragedy is NOT that something bad happens or that a character dies and the story ends

- Tragedy means something bad happens as a result of a flaw in your character

Eg. His obsession with wealth and power leads him to neglect his family and they leave him.

- How does this force your character to learn something about herself or himself?

Lecture Notes Week 4

People rarely utilize their observation skills fully. What consumes our attention?

People rarely utilize their observation skills fully. What consumes our attention?

List some distractions that compete for our attention on a daily basis:

On the bus – sleep, handphone, PSP, MP3, gadgets

Most people pass through the day with 20% – 30% awareness level.

Storytelling Tool 1: Observation

Adopt a KEEN EYE

Develop a natural SENSE OF CURIOSITY

Eg. An observed event, subjected to simple questions, can set up a series of possible events that will develop into a story worth telling.

Questions derived from an observed scenario

A couple having a meal yet totally not talking… … What questions come to mind?

What is their relationship?

Why are they not chatting?

How is their relationship? Feelings towards each other? What are actions that prove your conclusion?

What is their social class based on their attire, manners, speech, etc.

Observe in a conscious way.

How? What do we look out for when observing someone?

Be aware!

What is NOT said but implied? How can a person communicate his feelings without stating it?

A thought can manifest itself through behavior and facial expression. How?

Train yourself to see and record people’s:

• Movements
• Physical characteristics
• Behaviour

Does the SETTING/PLACE affect the overall manner of the person? How? Why?

Eg. Restaurant – High class/ low class.

Eg. Religious places – God is watching…

Eg. Schools – certain time of the day

Whom am I writing about?

Who is my character? Is he/she featured in most scenes?

What is he like?

What does he do? Occupation, etc.

What happens to him in the story?

Mindless observation vs. True observation

A – Attire, attitude

B – Behaviour

C – Characteristics

D – Dialogue

E – Expressions

F – Facial features

G – Gestures, gait

H – Height

I – Idiosyncrasies

Lecture Notes Week 3

Conflict – Opposition of persons or forces

- Conflict can result internally or externally.

External: more visual

Internal: harder to depict on screen

- Conflict is the interaction of opposing ideas, interests, or wills that creates the plot

Types of Conflict

- Dramatic conflict is the protagonist’s struggle against something or someone.

Man vs. Man

Eg. Catch me if you can, Harry Potter, Red

Man vs. System

Eg. Die Hard, Bond Supremacy

Man vs. Self

Man vs. Environment

Eg. 2012, The Day After Tomorrow, The Perfect Storm, Cast Away

Causes and Effect of Conflict

Conflict arises when there is change.

Changes may be major or minor.

Eg. Major changes: death, moving, character

Eg. Minor changes: haircut, change in schedule

While change is universal and common, change is not always accepted.

Examples of changes:

Seasons, lives, relationships, feelings, bodies, locations, technologies

- Conflict arises when people resist changes

- The intensity of conflict depends how people react to the change

- People must learn to cope with change if they want to survive

- The action in drama depends on conflict

Importance of Conflict

- Plot cannot be constructed without conflict

- Central feature of the screenplay

- As your character attempt to reach their goals, they come into conflict with each other

- The end of the story nears when the protagonist and antagonist approach their goals and the conflict rises to generate maximum suspense and excitement

Reflection of the short film (The Call Home)

1. What types of conflict did the character face? Cite examples from the film.

-  Man vs. Self: Peer pressure  Eg. He initially rejected all the things his peers asked him to do like smoking and reading pornography/ The false stuff that he initially told his wife and later he let them all out.

- Man vs. system: the foreman.  Eg. Pleading with the foreman for an MC

- Man vs. Environment.  Eg. The place he was living in, no privacy

2. How can you improve the film/visuals to evoke more sympathy from the audience?

- The pacing. The film’s too slow.

- Visuals. Vary the shots at the phone call scene. Film his expressions.

Writing for an audience

- The cinematic experience is not just your story on paper, but the audiences’ emotional reaction to it.

- If your audiences feel nothing or little emotion, you would have failed as a storywriter

- Hence, the Screenwriter IS the storyteller.

It’s people to people! – connecting to the audience

What is the Writer’s purpose?

He writes to connect readers to:

Themselves

His unique vision

Highlight the stated issue

The drama of the plot

Other characters facing the same situation

Where do you look for a story?

Within yourself   Eg. Experiences, memories, emotions

Practice observing, ‘listening’ and reading body language of people

Figure how to connect your viewers to your story through emotions, characters, etc.

Lecture notes Week 2

- Storytelling and it’s purpose in FMS
- Every concept eventually leads to a story
- A story is defined as a ‘sequence of events’

Format

Your written assignments must be:

- in present tense!!!

- in 3^rd person

- visual

3^rd Person/ Present tense

The style of writing would appear as if a character is “narrating” the story as it is happening

Eg. Mark picks up the gun and holds it in his hand. It begins to tremble, as if alive.

Why do we use this style of writing?

Ans: To allow people to visualize

Commonly used in:

- Screenplays

- The story/film unfolds as we read it

- Fosters a more urgent and immediate feel to the story

- Often in thriller and suspense genres

Passive vs. Active writing

Passive writing

- uses weak verbs

- tells what the character is thinking

- increases distance between reader and characters in the story

- delayed or non immersion into story world
Eg. The canteen is crowded with students during lunch

Eg. Mark was angry with Jane

Active writing

- uses action verbs

- shows what the character is doing

- reduces distance between readers and characters in the story

- immediate immersion into story world

Eg. Famished students storm into the canteen to fill their rumbling stomachs during lunch.

Eg. Mark storms across the room to pour himself a drink. He slams the bottle down and gulps his drink. When Jane steps into the room, Mark turns around and smashes his empty glass at her feet.

Tips for writing

1, Stop procrastinating

2. Think of a title

3. Add a short description of your story

4. Review who should be the ‘star’ in your story

5. Task him/her with something to attain by the end of the story

6. Simmer your story idea

7. Try to stop your ‘star’ from getting what he wants (obstacles, conflicts, challenges)

8. Observe what would this make him/her do then

9. Trust that he/she would eventually attain his/her goal or die trying to do so

Go easy on yourself

- Don’t bother looking for INSPIRATION, she will look for you when she’s ready to meet you

- She prefers to meet you when you’re alone in a relaxed setting

- A writer’s block is best handled with a break, fast!

- Always solve the problem in your story before you turn in

- All first drafts re bad! That is why the 2^nd draft was invented, etc.

Exercise 1A: Openers

Begin with this opener:

Jeremiah walks towards the closed door…

 

Ask yourself:

Whose story am I telling?

What is the next point of action?

What is the point of this story?

How can I engage the attention of the audience?

Stories work when:

- It is credible

- Readers can relate if they have had similar experiences

- Readers are willing to suspend their disbelief to allow you to create artificial narrative events for their appreciation and enjoyment of your tall tale