Ok, I read lots of screenplay stuff, but there is nothing like a light going off in your head when the truth slaps you across the ear.
We write (well I do ) trying to make each line of dialogue as powerful as “You can’t stand the truth.” I obsess over each line pushing to make it memorable.
I watch a lot of subtitled movies – even in language that I am fluent. Then it occurred to me that reading the subtitles and watching the actors bring that line to life that I had not considered how much life an actor can pump into a well delivered line even if the line is not “I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!”
So you already know this but to me it was “damn, I what took me so long?”
Lesson learned!
I always like your advice Laura. But I am not talking about bad dialogue. I am talking about me writing/reading a line on the page instead of imagining an actor putting life into that line.
Dialogue is the bane of my writing existence - I mean, my greatest and most enjoyable opportunity to make my scripts better. It's like "is this line really necessary?" "is it too on-the-nose?" "Do I gotta tell this one, or show it?" "Is it an effective type of characterization, or just a useless masturbation?" "Does it move the story forward?" "Is it sweet subtext, or sour and soporiferous?" "Does it create empathy, or nausea?" "Is it a head-nodder, or a head-shaker?" "Is it prophetic, poetic, or pathetic?"
Yep....the bane of...I mean....the greatest and most enjoyable opportunity to make my scripts better. Grrrrrrrr. Heh-heh.
Bill, My issue is my character's dialogue tend to be smart assed like me instead of the character. Laura : I read the dialogue aloud but since I am not an actor I can't put nuance into a line. I better get some table reads scheduled.