Writing Dialogue: Revealing, not expressing, the character's emotions
Dialogue should show the character to the audience, showing his thoughts, feelings, intentions, not outright announcements. The principle of "show me, don't tell me" also applies to dialogue. Sideways (2004), by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and is a great example of dialogue writing. On the surface, the script is about the theme of wine, but in fact it shows the inner longing and struggle of the protagonist Miles. While it appears Mills is alone, he can't recover from his recent divorce and rebuild his life.
In the scene below, Mills, a wine lover, is alone with an attractive friend, Maya, while his buddy Jack is in the other room with a guy he just met that day. woman having sex. Mills and Maya were sitting under the front porch of the house drinking wine.
Maya asked Mills and found his answer to be revelatory...and we all felt the same. Mills smiled at first when a "personal issue" he had been invigorated by turned into a question about alcohol. In fact, wine is only a superficial topic, but it can reveal his personal inner world even more. His monologue about Pinot wines reveals his loneliness and reveals that he was a difficult but cherished man. He hinted at a question for Maya: "Are you the kind of grower who has both patience and confidence?" When he revealed himself, he also showed affection for Maya. In this monologue comparing different wines, there is another meaning, that Mills is comparing the personalities of himself and his buddy Jack. Jack was in the other room and could easily have sex with a woman, apparently the grapes used to make Cabernettes that "grow anywhere", and himself more of a pinot, "thin-skinned, volatile" "And "needs more love".
Vocabulary and grammar determine the voice of the character
As with the scene instructions, the choice of language is key to the dialogue. The vocabulary and grammar used by the characters represent the unique identity of the characters, which can explain who they are and who they want to be seen. Amir's "...my friend" and the police's "Come on, let's close the stall, don't sell it" are all sharp and make the characters plump. This type of language makes the audience feel believable about the characters. In "A Glass of Wine," Mills is a nervous and awkward character, especially when it comes to dealing with women. In a scene before the one above, Mills stammered to Maya about the novel he was writing. But this time, when it comes to wine, he is very handy, even dainty. What this scene tells the audience is that Mills is not only knowledgeable about wine, but he is a warm, thoughtful, funny guy under the surface of worry; but at this moment in his life, he is not smooth and needs to slow down. Adjust slowly to show your true colors.
The content of this article is excerpted from the book "Complete Handbook of Feature Film Creation" published by Houlang Film Academy. All rights reserved. Reprint Contact
View more about Sideways reviews
