Michael Rogan - How to Write a Script With Dialogue That Doesnt Suck: Your Ultimate, No-Nonsense Screenwriting 101 for Writing Screenplay Dialogue (Book 3 of the Screenplay Writing Made Stupidly Easy Collection)

Dont try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say.

-Barbara Kingsolver

If you've read a screenwriting book throw a rock here in Southern California and you'll hit ten gurus working on one then you've probably heard dialogue should do one of two things:

1. Move the story forward
2. Develop character

And if it doesn't do that, then you need to cut it. And that's all very nice. Except, I have no idea what that means.

Move the story forward?

Develop character?

This presumes people watch movies like they're running a marathon, fighting through the pain to reach some goal that involves electrolytes and searing knee tendinitis.

People watch movies for the thrilling experience of watching the movie not to check something off a to-do list. (That's what reality TV is for.)

Ever get out of the shower and put on the TV, and find your favorite movie is on and suddenly you're sucked into watching it for the next hour? (For me it's The Shawshank Redemption. I can watch that anywhere, anytime.)

And you sit there on the edge of your bed, in your bath towel, waiting for your favorite scene.

You're waiting for that cool showdown, or that devastating moment where everything is revealed. And guess what binds all of that together?

Kick-ass dialogue!

Because good dialogue (really) does three things:

1. Offers actors the chance to say cool, unexpected zingers.
2. Shows the different ways characters try to get what they want. Makes ordinary, real-life speech appear eloquent, funny and meaningful.

So, while it's nice we ask dialogue to do the heavy lifting of reinforcing our THEME and establishing our CHARACTER and furthering our PLOT

Dialogue's main job should be creating cool, witty verbal battles that we wish we were smart enough to have in real life.

And that we're willing to sit in our bath towel for an hour just to relive, over and over again.

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Chapter 1 Action Step: Take a Cue From the Masters

We will get to writing awesome dialogue. I promise.

First, though, lets look at how some of the masters have approached this craft.

Id like you to pick out your three favorite movie scenes of all time. (Im willing to bet my Taylor acoustic guitar that great dialogue is somewhere in those scenes.)

Now go watch those scenes again and look for:

1. The way dialogue is used as a back-and-forth BATTLE between characters to get what they want...and DEFEND what they already have.
2. The way the scene seems to turn on a line, or lines of dialogue (a zinger).
3. An exceptionally MEMORABLE line of dialogue that stands out. (And is super quotable.)
4. A certain line or series of lines that expresses a VIEWPOINT or perspective that resonates with you.

(Here's one of my all-time faves from Broadcast News by James L. Brooks.)

In the scene, Aaron (Albert Brooks) tries to convince his best friend, Jane (Holly Hunter), that she shouldn't be with the dashing, superficial head anchorman Tom (William Hurt).

JANE

I have to be somewhere.

He looks at a clock reading 1:15 in the morning.

JANE

I told what's his name...Tom. That I'd meet him.

AARON

Call him -- I mean it can wait, right?

JANE

(now the plunge)

I don't know. I may be in love with him.

AARON

(as if he just burned

his hand)

No!!!!!

She starts for the door.

AARON

Don't go.

JANE

This is important to me.

AARON

Yeah. Well...I think it is important for you too. Sit down.

She sits. He walks to a desk and looks at her briefly. Silence.

JANE

What?

AARON

(looking at her)

Let me think a second. It's tough.

A remarkably long silence -- her mind wanders, she takes stock...it is evident that he is straining to get it right, reaching into himself.

AARON

Aaach...Jane...