Screenwriting : Building an effective dialogue with chats. by Christian Pius

I never have my characters chat back and forth. Also I try to make the dialogue as short as possible. People don't always speak in complete sentences so that is how my characters talk.

In my opinion dialogues have to be linked to actions i.e. short reactions, emotional responses, they have to convey a sense of drama. You have to live the dialogues not think them. Like you said it, Christian, inspiration for dialogues can be taken from and are influenced by real life, but since real life gets more and more virtual, you can of course also refer to chats. I don´t do it, because chatting is a place where you´re in your safe zone contrary to the outside, where you never know what´s going to happen.

Great thoughts @Olaf. Depends how much you push boundaries in your conversation, when chatting online. If I understood your words "safe zone"? :)

Christian. Also keep in mind if you are writing on spec too much dialogue could kill a screenplay because some readers might think you are telling your story instead of showing it. That is not rule that is just something I experienced when I was writing spec screenplays.

Thank you @Dan G. Checked! Its quite important for someone to know limits, when it comes to spec scripts.

Hi @Christian Honestly, I realize every time I sit down. I have no idea what to write about and frankly, I stopped caring and I don't need a reason. I'll find something to believe in as soon as I find it. I need a premise, context and characters to inform me, they need to start talking and give me a story, I need something to work with over here. Then it's just a game of discovery and connections. Is the art of conversation slowly dying? Overwrite x10, revise and reduce and adjust and so on. You never know.

@Serafin. Soulful. Yeah, you are right, inspiration is a wind. You dont know when it comes. But conversation gives way to discovery.

@ Christian. Unfortunately there are some limits because it is a wacky business. It really is a shame we have to do and don't do so many different things to try and impress those people that usually don't have any talent themselves or they wouldn't need us.

@Dan G. Yeah, its the reason many should wake up and be trend setters, guardians of the creative medium.

Excellent advice by Dan G. I try to keep my dialog to minimal and to serve the scene. Start late , finish early.

Yeah, so I'm watching a video on 29 screenwriting rules, apparently I do it all wrong. I should put a safety helmet on because according to this film courage video.....I'm going to hit a wall, really soon. On the same token, I'm doing some much right.

Christian. I'd rather be a creative full size but I'll settle for a creative medium.

Dialogue for me is half the sentence. Sometimes words aren't needed. If we are somewhere nice and my daughter (21) comes done dressed for a nightclub. My wife just shoots her a look and says "really". If I build a well defined character that's all that's needed rather than "you know we are going to a nice restaurant, go up stairs and get changed".

People talk. People have conversations. Most of the time our discussion go off topic. When I write dialogue I focus on the characters and attempt to inject texture of voice so that each character has a unique voice. It really depends on the genre. If you r film is about life then there are going to be conversations. If your writing the next Marvel Comic Super Hero script then your audience is not going to want to sit around listening to Tony Stark talking about his day at the office. Yes film is visual but remember we have transition into talkies.

@Craig. Yeah, gestures show the extent of interactions between characters and depth.

@Stephen. Something to look out for----- the voice of a character.