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Duck & Dog Productions

Duck & Dog Productions

i've been working on a script for about a year now and i always end up back at square one after an hour. My problem is i'm a perfectionist when it comes to things i really enjoy so i can never just "settle" i have the general premise, what i want to happen, when, how, and all that jazz. but my problem comes down to the filler. What do i have the actors and actresses say to each other when nothing is going on? this is the reason i don't sleep at night guys. :no:
 
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Simple. Do not have a scene where nothing is going on.

Each scene should drive the story. So you should never have a scene
where the characters need to say things to each other when nothing
is going on.
 
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There should never be a moment when nothing is going on. Every scene and piece of dialogue in your film should move your story in some way. If there is dialogue there just to be there, the film is going to drag and the audience will lose interest. Cut out all of the filler from your screenplay, and get right into the action and story progression. One of the problems with films today is that directors and writers think it's a good idea to put in filler so that their film reaches a certain length. That's a horrible mentality. Instead of having your actors talk about nothing, have their dialogue reveal new information pertaining to the story, or even better - cut it out.
 
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ChimpPhobiaFilms said:
If there is dialogue there just to be there, the film is going to drag and the audience will lose interest.
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I agree. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to write interesting
dialogue for a scene when nothing is going on. An impossible task. When
something is going on then dialogue comes naturally to writers.
 
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allow me to rephrase, it is not the scenes in which nothing is going on. (i have none of those) it is the moments in the scene leading up to the big purpose. the moment BEFORE the girl tells the guy not to go away because she loves him, or the moment BEFORE the kid faces up to the bully and his friend is trying to talk him out of it. every time i try and write that. whatever i produce seems forced and too cliche. this is the root of my problem
 
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A scene from a film you've made or screenplay sample would really help.

I'd write the scene without dialogue, then add in dialogue if you think something is missing. Sometimes silence can increase tension. Hitchcock often used silence before something big happened, then he hit us with music and intense visuals all at once. It made for a more emotional and memorable scene.
 
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directorik said:
Simple. Do not have a scene where nothing is going on.
Click to expand...
Great advice.

I don't know your story... Are we talking about the same scene or do these events occur during different scenes (ie you have an entire 'filler' scene)? There are dozens of ways to handle such things. Jumping to TV, the Walking Dead lull you into a sense of security then BAM, hit you with something. I like how Breaking Bad handle such things - somethings they keep the tension very high then BAM, the clash and end scene. At other times they bring the audience down just a tad then BAM. They also somethings trick you: you think the situation has been resolved without a major clash then BAM you get hit. Good TV writing is worth studying too - the TV folks know you can change channel at any time, so great TV writers ensure you keep watching.

These screenwriting articles should help:

Fill your scenes with drama and conflict
http://reelauthors.com/script-analysis-coverage/drama-and-conflict.php

How to write great dialogue
http://reelauthors.com/script-analysis-coverage/how-to-write-great-dialogue.php

Put your Characters in the Worst Possible Situations
http://reelauthors.com/script-analy...aracters-in-the-worst-possible-situations.php
 
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There's a scene in the 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice that perfectly illustrates the power of silence and what is not said. I can't seem to find the clip anywhere, but it's when Lizzie is visiting her friend Mrs. Collins and Darcy shows up unannounced. It's filled with awkward silence and, to me at least, is one of the best scenes ever. This is a badly formatted version of the screenplay (it's scene #70), which does little to convey the power of the scene on screen.
 
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You're welcome! :)

cameronchapman said:
There's a scene in the 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice that perfectly illustrates the power of silence and what is not said. I can't seem to find the clip anywhere, but it's when Lizzie is visiting her friend Mrs. Collins and Darcy shows up unannounced. It's filled with awkward silence and, to me at least, is one of the best scenes ever. This is a badly formatted version of the screenplay (it's scene #70), which does little to convey the power of the scene on screen.
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Yep. Joe Wright seems to use silence to good effect in his films. I remember Atonement using silence as well.
 
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directorik said:
I agree. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to write interesting
dialogue for a scene when nothing is going on. An impossible task. When
something is going on then dialogue comes naturally to writers.
Click to expand...

It's easy enough, you just have to fall back on stand up comedy type material or go on some kind of tarintino-esc rant. But yes it has to be clever and funny otherwise you're screwed and wasting everyones time
 
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It sounds like you have a problem with boring repetition... or a problem

whatever i produce seems forced and too cliche. this is the root of my problem
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This is some of the trick to dialogue. Learn how to do it without sounding forced, without being too on the nose and without being too much of a cliche. Learn to be original. Learn to look at a situation and ask yourself, "Is there a better way to do this?"... Is there a way to show instead of tell?
 
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Sweetie said:
This is some of the trick to dialogue. Learn how to do it without sounding forced, without being too on the nose and without being too much of a cliche. Learn to be original. Learn to look at a situation and ask yourself, "Is there a better way to do this?"... Is there a way to show instead of tell?
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Very good advice. Sfoster has already mentioned Quentin Tarantino. His dialogue is just soooo good. Few screenwriters can keep a single scene with little or no action (till the end) going for 8+ pages and keep the audience/reader riveted to the screen/page. Tarantino can. Amazing... If you have not already, watch Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Inglourious Basterds etc.

The first Tarantino movie I saw was the indie hit Reservoir Dogs. Wow, his dialogue blew me away. I had never heard dialogue like it before - it sounded so real. That was in 1992 or so.

But Tarantino-type dialogue is far from easy to do so be warned. And I'd re-read Sweetie's advice above.
 
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Your story, whatever it is, has a perfect length. Don't try to stretch a short into a feature by adding filler. If your story is a short and you want it to be a feature, add more story. You can start the story earlier by giving some back story. You can also add more meat in between your pivotal scenes. Add only material that enhances the audience's understanding and drives their emotions in the direction that you want them to feel.
 
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