What is dialogue?
It is a conversation between two or more people.
Functions of Dialogue:
- Giving a message
- Express feelings
- Show your character
- Information
- 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 [E.g. “He should have know 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. [E.g. “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 his dialogue with other characters to show their differing attitudes on the same subject matter. / This dialogue exchange creates varied and alternative 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 e.g. characters, action, intention
I (dialogue) is one of the devices that YOU as a writer can use to expand and enlarge your characters.
Dialogue Writing Tips
1. Dialogue should be used sparingly.
2. Never tell the audience what they can see for themselves.
(If you can see it or hear it, don’t write it. – Neville Smith)
3. Dialogue is no substitute for action. **
Writing Tip
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 e.g. blur like sotong)
These elements may distract or alienate your viewers.
6. Read (Scripts) Widely
Think about at which point you 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 Hitchcock.
Common mistake: Students tend to create radio shows with images.
(Film is a visual medium. A screenplay is a story told in pictures.)
