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show more than tell
- Thread starter Padnar
- Start date
Did you think screenwriting was going to be easy?
You show emotions by having the character do something. Emotions
are fine for novels - for a movie the character needs to do something,
not feel something.
If you are creating a series and will be hiring writers then a series
bible is essential. Only you know if you need one for the series you will
be writing.
This is where it helps to have acting experience. When I write, I will sometimes imagine myself in the situation and act out that role--in my imagination or talking outloud. I often recommend that a writer
(or director) should take an acting class. The skills enhance your writing. And having to act from someone else's script also makes you more aware of what works and doesn't. I am not suggesting you need to take this from a university.
All writing comes from personal observation of others and one's self. If I need write about love, I can draw on my experience or from those around me. In order to show emotions, they need to be real for YOU. It is practically impossible to write believably when it's not something the writer believes or to which s/he can personally relate.
You don't need a book. Find someone who with the emotional experience you want to share, and let them talk about it. Observe how they talk about it. Listen to how they describe the events and their responses. Imagine yourself as your character and how they would respond. Sometimes, I will have an "interview" with my character about the segment. There are many techniques that involve 'acting' to find the 'subtext' to your character's actions. That is one way that actors will build their character from a script.
Writing "emotional sequences" is not so much about tricks as much as putting on the screen believable actions with which the audience can empathize. And to do that, the writer has to actually feel and be able to translate that feeling into words, images, and actions. Good luck.
Not to come off as a stiff prick, but that was a joke, right? If not, I have plenty of reasons to not do that....
I sure wish you had mentioned that in your original post. When you
don’t say what you mean it’s impossible to offer relevant advice.
A writer needs to be clear.
I am Indian scriptwriter and I have completed three scripts along with my online friends and
one of my friends is Buddy Griendfield.
I am writing my fourth script alone , and sometimes I find to show emotions is difficult.
Somewhere I read in one post that there is a book which teaches how to show more than tell
in script writng and I would like to buy this book.
Hope I am clear now.
This is the name of the book you asked about. You can go to "Google", type
in the name of the book and find places to buy it.
Padnar, glad to help. (I've seen you on Absolute Write, I think. Asking a similar question.)
I've read The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier several times. When I look in the back of it, I notice the words "show and tell" are mentioned 5 times in the book, a few of them span several pages. Regardless of what you want to use it for, this is perhaps the best book on screenwriting. I highly recommend you give it a buy.
I've read The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier several times. When I look in the back of it, I notice the words "show and tell" are mentioned 5 times in the book, a few of them span several pages. Regardless of what you want to use it for, this is perhaps the best book on screenwriting. I highly recommend you give it a buy.
McKee's "Story" is probably better for what you ask. All the books suggest that you show more than tell. My opinion is for you to read a few of them, as opposed to hearing second-hand from one of us what we read. A serious screenwriter is going to have several in his collection. Trust me, different perspectives are crucial to understanding, the craft.
Some that I have:
I used to shoot with a silent 16mm film camera. With that production criteria, I decided to write a feature script with NO DIALOGUE. It was all Show and no Tell. I still have that script - in it are a catotonic woman who won't talk, a man held captive by a creature (no conversation there) and 2 minor characters.
My suggested exercise for you, is for you to write a short script with no dialogue.
BTW, the "no dialogue" exercise is just a lesson. Obviously, you will write dialogue at some point, but you should avoid dialogue that explains (or is expository). Movies are visual and so should be the script. If it can't appear on the screen, you probably shouldn't write it. Dialogue should be minimal. From McKee's book:
One example of a no dialogue short: A man lives next door to a girl. He watches her through the window. He studies her and finds himself falling for her. He puts a flower in her mailbox. She finds it and looks around.
One day he sees a boy, from across the street, sneak over and steal her bicycle. The boy turns into an alley. In the alley, the boy is accepting money from two other boys. They look behind them and see the man holding a stick. The man smacks a trashcan with the stick and points at the bike.
The girl steps out of her house as the boy returns the bike. He puts it against the wall and runs away. The girl watches him run and then looks over at the man. He casually tosses the stick aside, smiles and shrugs his shoulders. The girl smiles back.
All of that can be shown. Of course, you would add the headings, put it in screenplay form and describe in detail. You can even add a few bits of dialogue, yet the visual description will drive the narrative. Characters are usually defined by what they DO. What they SAY is secondary.
One example of a no dialogue short: A man lives next door to a girl. He watches her through the window. He studies her and finds himself falling for her. He puts a flower in her mailbox. She finds it and looks around.
One day he sees a boy, from across the street, sneak over and steal her bicycle. The boy turns into an alley. In the alley, the boy is accepting money from two other boys. They look behind them and see the man holding a stick. The man smacks a trashcan with the stick and points at the bike.
The girl steps out of her house as the boy returns the bike. He puts it against the wall and runs away. The girl watches him run and then looks over at the man. He casually tosses the stick aside, smiles and shrugs his shoulders. The girl smiles back.
All of that can be shown. Of course, you would add the headings, put it in screenplay form and describe in detail. You can even add a few bits of dialogue, yet the visual description will drive the narrative. Characters are usually defined by what they DO. What they SAY is secondary.
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