Screenwriting : Today's prevailing wisdom says screenplays that are too talky are bad! by Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique

Phillip, I am a screenwriter and a playwright. My scripts have mostly been dialogue heavy. The other day I got a comment that my new screenplay seemed too 90's (Really! Are the 90's now retrospect?) Film, from the very first has been a visual medium. Train wrecks and explosions still captivate the public today. Before film, opera used spectacle. But film is also theater. People love a good story. The (Oscar) best picture this year was "Spotlight." I can't remember a single shot fired in that one. There will always be an audience for a good story. I have to believe there will always be people wanting to produce them.

Based on a play. A produced play. By a name playwright. Does Not Apply to us.

William, regardless of the IP - it shows then as now, a great script will get an audience.

William: I'm not clear on your post. What doesn't apply?

Robert: There's definitely room for dialogue heat movies that are well written like Spotlight and Steve Jobs.

You always have to consider the source. If you are writing spec scripts, the best examples are spec scripts. Something that did not begin as a spec script may have lessons that do not apply to spec scripts. Something that comes from a writer/director who found funding for the film instead of selling the screenplay may have lessons that do not apply to spec scripts. This is especially true if you are looking for examples that go against "conventional wisdom".

@William Thanks for your clarification. And I have to respectfully disagree. My post was not about whether or not a dialogue heavy "spec script" can get made. My post was about whether a talky script (whether WGA writer with producer, a play or anything else) like Look Back in Anger could get made in today's market. And yes, it was a successful play; but a lot of hit plays were made into movies that tanked at the box office. So And here's a list of Broadway plays that flopped as movies if you need further proof. http://www.metacritic.com/feature/best-and-worst-movies-based-on-plays-a... As far as examples of movies which defy conventional wisdom? Films like Annie Hall, Before Sunset, Social Network, Glengarry Glenross, Dead Poets Society and many others are great examples of talky films that found an audience. Additionally, to say a spec script won't sell unless it's specifically fits a certain mold is rather constricting. And you may quote me the yearly sales statistics on spec script that so often get quoted in these threads. Instead I say dare to dream big. Instead I say, endeavor to have a truly creative original voice in your work, take big risks and dare to dream big.

I think a talky-script like this (young man struggles with class values and rebels against establishment/love triangle/harsh realism) could succeed in today's marketplace, if it was a low-budget or medium-budget movie aimed at young adults (22- 35) and if it was marketed properly and distributed appropriately. It has good drama, Zeitgeist, conflict, romance...so I think it could work with the right sets of numbers. But at the same time, today's average young adult would probably expect more action, since they are more conditioned to that than the youth of that period, so it would probably be necessary to integrate that into the concept. Maybe that could be done through his occupation, and his angry speeches would probably have to occur with the backdrop of some action. Or maybe instead of angry speeches, he goes American Psycho, baby! Side note - when Producer Harry Saltzman screened the movie for Jack Warner, Warner asked "what language is this?" Saltzman replied, "English." Warner said "This is America!" and walked out. Harry Saltzman then co-founded the James Bond franchise - without Jack Warner, and at United Artists.

Bill: As long as there's room for product placement I'm good with it.

When I write a talkie script, I write it for the stage, so I will enjoy watching it performed. Have not had anything optioned or produced in film. However, when I try to write for movies, I try to create simple dialogues, visual scripts, action,and rely on showing, rather than telling. Of course, I do what the industry suggests because I would love to sell to them. To please myself, I write plays.

Guillermo - @David Paterson had a great interview with RB on his monthly Webinar about producing shorts. He said his first short was one of his plays. (It screened at Sundance.) I am thinking now about producing one or two of my favorites plays into shorts. We'll see how that goes. I have also been working on a full length play that I have been debating about simultaneously writing/marketing for stage and screen. I think today MORE than ever there are outlets and markets for "talky" type films.

Robert, it sounds just right. I wrote a play, Requiem, about an amnesiac that goes to the psychologist and finds out that she was going there to kill her, but then discovering that the psychologist was death, passing judgement on her. It was produced two times to standing ovations. Then, I submitted it to a couple of festivals. Since it is a single scene 50 minute play, I just added as first line: INT. PSYCHOLOGIST'S OFFICE - DAY. This turned it into a movie. (Celtx changes the formatting automatically). It took 4th place at the Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival . Maybe Hollywood does not want talkie stuff, but in the rest of the world, there are many people who hunger for it. Go for it. As a theater person, I love wordiness and intellectually oriented works. The more people create works about ideas and conversations, the more demand will be for them.

Guillermo: Congrats on what you've accomplished and I encourage you to write what you believe in and dare to create art. You can save me a seat at the poor house and I'll buy you a coffee. Or perhaps something great will come out of it.

I am a partner at the Storycrafter Studio, in Miami. We are a small black box theater. If you are ever in Miami, I'll get you free tickets. At the end of April, one of my plays will be performed in Fort Lauderdale. Most of the coffee houses I go to give me free coffee, including cappuccinos. I make friends wherever I go. Just come to Miami.

Call me Jurassic, but I love character driven pieces with smart, witty, rapid-fire dialogue.

Guillermo: Thanks for invite and if Miami beckons, I'm looking you up :). Same goes for me it you decide to visit Austin or come out for AFF.

Walter: Amen to us dinosaurs. I was just watching "His Girl Friday" and I love the rapid fire dialogue in those screwball comedies. That film is 75 years old.

Talkies with great story always appealed to me more than action/adventure as well. Maybe that's why I have more dialogue than action in my projects. And I totally agree - it must be witty, fresh, and filled with tension.

Steven: I definitely recommend Look Back in Anger. It's on YouTube for free.

You guys are in luck. There's a new cable/Internet service aimed at film aficionados such as yourselves. www.theoldguyswholoveboringmoviesnetwork.com

@Bil: Thanks but I'm leaning towards subscribing to www.attentiondeficitdimbulbswholovemindlessactionwithnowhitematterstimul...

Philip E. Hardy: Thanks. Yes and yes! We should watch this movie and I will. Don't remember ever watching it. Btw, today maybe TWC- The Weinstein Company, would be one of the big studio's who would make a film like this. Sad, but a true reality. Once again, thank heavens for Indies.

Phillip - I clicked the link and $150 was deducted from my Amex card! As you know, I love films of all types, from all countries, and from all time periods. I think a lot of great witty and profound character-driven films continue to get made each year, and doubt that will ever end. Netflix sure gets a lot of them now, as do other outlets. Kudos to all filmmakers who create films that we all love.

Bill: Always a pleasure to watch you work.