Screenwriting : Any tips on nailing the surrealism. by Michael Lee Burris

I don't really know what you mean. Any chance you could give a film scene example?

You mean like What Dreams May Come? or like Mulholland Drive? I'm not quite sure what you mean either..

More of a heart pounding global travel, lack of sleep, draining of emotion experience for the first hour or so of a screenplay. After about thirty hours or so of just overall intensity there comes a time in the thread where the lives of two women have been turned upside down and they have been whisked away to an environment and feel unlike anything before the characters or audience has yet to experience. The men too but they have focus of mission on the other side of the globe. There is dialogue between the women and a man trying to help their husbands where there is a revelation of the feeling of things being surreal. The surreal here I really want to come on stronger during a summation of events by one of the women. I have idea's for some character action but really want to know I guess more specific how to capture that character action and feeling of dialogue that displays surrealism. It happens for the men too about 20 pages or so later. Perhaps examples of where either of you have read and really felt the character's feelings of surrealism would be helpful. It also should convey well to a director not just of the characters and to an audience. Should scene environment be brought into play? It sounds simple but this is a prime example of having something in the head if not done real well does not read as that of surreal. It's only the eighth time or so I've tried to capture it but it is really hard to nail down. Simply cueing transitioning to a state of surrealism won't cut it. It needs to be more of an insinuation I think. Perhaps maybe I don't even know how to convey what I mean but maybe that clarifies the question a bit. I'll do some research on my own too of how to insinuate surrealism. Man if I can just nail down what I have in my head audience will be absolutely captivated.

Another problem I run into is that it can also sound more like a novel. e.g. She is displaying an eerie calmness, briefly pausing in stillness without any animation whatsoever. A deep breath and look of puzzlement comes across her face before she soon continues on. As she speaks her words she pauses in a state of still, unanimated contemplation, starring off blankly into space. After a moment she shakes it off continuing on. Her friend sitting directly across from her is listening intently, almost mimicking what her friend is displaying.

I have absolutely no idea what you mean...

I also am now more confused than less confused. What do we see? The screenwriter's job is to turn emotions into actions, what are those actions? And a couple of film examples would help me understand what you're trying to do.

I'm not sure what you're talking about either, but it sounds like Alle Segretti has the best answer to what you're asking.

Thanks all. Maybe this explains better as to what I vision. Basically how to convey an increasing surreal perception a character is experiencing through retrospect and summation of their own subjective journey. I guess if I'm a writer I can figure this out. So here's one more specific involving surrealism. How can you convey character action where the character is experiencing slight distortion of time that fades in and out. Slight ripples in the track of time as she is describing her journey thus far. Does this convey it well? Or read as such to anyone? Dialogue here.....Doesn't matter much though Action: As Jane is telling what she knows her articulation and speech, periodically and momentarily slows with a fearful look that quickly changes back to a look of normality along with normal articulation and speech pattern. Dialogue here.....Again doesn't matter so much Action..... After telling her story for a while longer it soon comes apparent Jane is aware of the behavior of self although Guy X who has been watching and listening to her has noticed no difference in articulation, speech or expression that varies in any way of what is perceived as normal, at least until Jane's look of puzzlement and hesitation. Does this read as a surreal experience of time distortion without labeling or describing it as such? At least until after occurs in the thread of the screenplay? That is what I mean by insinuation. If no one again can understand this perhaps I'll just scrap the insinuation of surreal idea. Distortion of track of time or slight ripple of track of time to me is surreal because it is a feeling of strangeness or that which is unusual. Not necessarily a dream type feeling or scenario. Again thanks all I'm just trying to nail down what I have in my head and sometimes just discussing it helps me figure my own dilemma's out.

Still confused. Existing movie scene example, please.