Sunday Picture Post 1 / Tip: Pithy Dialog

SPP_Cows

For The Sunday Picture Post, we are going to flip upside-down the saying: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Thousands of words are great if you are writing a novel, but if you are writing a screenplay, you need to do the opposite and be as concise as possible.

Each Sunday I will post a picture. For your screenwriting practice in brevity, in the comments section, please post one or all of the following:

  • 1 word describing the theme, mood, or scene
  • 1 sentence to describe the scene
  • A pitch to sell the entire movie

The more colorful and creative you are, the better! Use any genre.

A good screenwriter is laconic, using a few words to say a lot.

SCREENWRITING TIP OF THE DAY: PITHY DIALOG

Dialog should be kept to a minimum. Show, don’t tell! Don’t have a character tell us what she did last night, write the scene and show us what she did. Verbose dialog loses the interest and attention of the audience. Remember, it is motion pictures, not rambling words.

March 9, 2008 | Filed Under Screenwriting Tips, Sunday Picture Posts 

Comments

8 Responses to “Sunday Picture Post 1 / Tip: Pithy Dialog”

  1. admin on March 11th, 2008 12:27 pm

    I will kick start this:

    1 word - Diversity

    1 sentence - Curious, the cows come to look at the humans herded behind the barbed wire.

    1 pitch - Aliens come to earth and round up all mankind to eat; all the animals join forces to save them.

  2. JAN on March 15th, 2008 10:10 am

    An interesting new feature post, and great way to get our thinking caps on! I’m afraid I don’t think I’m very good at this though, but I’ll try and give it a shot. Chances are I’ll probably make you laugh again, LOL, but because out of sheer stupidity perhaps….*jumps in with eyes closed*

    1 word - Protective

    1 sentence - A typical day of grazing on the farm.

    1 pitch - Scientists discover a way to stop the aging process from these animals, and a guarantee to literally stop humans from ever growing old, but it will cause humans to change their sexual preferences.

  3. Jaden on March 15th, 2008 12:22 pm

    JAN, Yes, I am laughing my ass off again. Good job. Thanks for participating.

  4. Jean on March 17th, 2008 5:15 pm

    Unity

    Symbolism of various races living in harmony.

    A kids movie about accepting others for who they are and not what they look like.

  5. Jaden on March 17th, 2008 5:32 pm

    Jean, Beautiful. You nailed that one on the head!

  6. Jean on March 19th, 2008 2:15 am

    Thanks! I just took a look at it again and I can go further with it.

    The BARRIERS that keep various races from living in harmony. (the barb-wire fence)

  7. Lavin on March 23rd, 2008 8:03 pm

    thats it, man

  8. Ana PT on April 30th, 2008 8:04 am

    - Curiosity

    - They don’t know what’s coming

    - The price of meat is increasing and people turn to vegetarian styles of life. Cows become sacred everywhere like they always have been in India and they can walk around free. Cows all over the world begin their journeys to discover a whole different life

Got something to say?