screenplay what is a beat in scriptwriting?

[freedom crusader]

I heard that elmore leonard was mad at burt reynolds for the latter's direction of the Leonard story, Stick.
Leonard thought Reynolds put a beat after every dialogue line, and that this ruined the story.

How do beats work? Can they put in or taken out by the scriptwriter?

Orson Welles used to talk over people in dialogue in his films. Is this about beats?
This pushes the dialogue forward almost faster than one can understand.

 

[directorik]

A "beat" in a screenplay indicates something shorter than a pause.
This note can be put in a screenplay. And the director can take it out.
A director can also direct the actors to put a beat between words or
after every line.

In your examples the director made specific choices on how lines
were said. Leonard didn't like the director's choice.

You point out a couple of good examples for writers: write lean without
embellishment.

 

[James Rogers]

To me, beat should be used by the writer to signify a meaningful dramatic pause. A caesura. Not like using a comma in writing. Something more meaningful.

Lance: That's bullshit. It's as much my decision as it is your.
Sarah: I don't want to talk about this, ok. Forget it. It has nothing to do with you.
Lance: How can you say that? She's our daughter. What's the matter with you?
Sarah: Drop it, alright?
Lance: No. I'm not going to drop it. I have every right to be a part of this as you do.
Sarah: Stop it!
Lance: No! I won't. How can you act like this?
Sarah: Because -
Lance: I want to know! How can you think this doesn't concern me?
Sarah: Because -
Lance: Why?!
Sarah: because you're not her father.

BEAT

Lance: What?

 

[freedom crusader]

can this BEAT also be put in as an action line, e.g.:
Sarah: because you're not her father.

Lance stares at Sarah in stunned silence

Lance: What?

 

[mlesemann]

can this BEAT also be put in as an action line, e.g.:
Sarah: because you're not her father.

Lance stares at Sarah in stunned silence

Lance: What?

Yes.

 

[James Rogers]

can this BEAT also be put in as an action line, e.g.:
Sarah: because you're not her father.

Lance stares at Sarah in stunned silence

Lance: What?

Yes it could, but since the script is but a blue print for the movie, I would not do it. Lance's reaction could be to quietly sit down, he could laugh then realize she is serious, he could become confused... How it plays out will be up to the director and the actors. That's just my opinion.