What is a Dialogue?
Important aspects of Dialogue writing you need to know as a screenwriter.
Dialogues are what an actor speaks in a shot. Dialogue writing is easy however writing a dialogue that becomes the talk of the town is what is challenging. Dialogues can be said to oneself or someone else, which brings us to our next question.
How to differentiate between the different types of Dialogues? Let’s begin with the basics and then know how to write really catchy dialogues.
The way dialogue is spoken has been broken down into mainly two types.
- Outer Dialogue
- Inner Dialogue
Let us begin with the explanation of the former: Outer Dialogue.
- Outer Dialogue– As the name suggests, outer dialogue is one which a character does with another. To have a clearer picture, let’s break this into three subtopics.
- Directed Dialogues: This is a direct one-to-one conversation that actors have on-screen.
- Misdirected Dialogue– Scriptwriters usually use the concept of misdirected dialogues to increase tension in the plot. A dialogue that starts with a direct conversation between two takes the shape of retrospection.
- Modulated Dialogue– This is usually a modulated form of dialogue delivery that shows a past memory or a reflection of one’s thoughts. It is used to give any additional information that the audience is ought to know about.
- Interpolated Dialogue– This is an interrupted dialogue where an important event in the form of a memory or action interrupts a character’s words.
- Inner Dialogue: An inner dialogue is something that a character has with himself to contemplate, think, or decide on their actions.
Now let’s move on to another concept which is:
How to write a Dialogue?
Chennai express - 2013 dialogue
As you already know, Dialogues are the entirety of your script. However, to points a few:
Activate and dramatize your script– The first-person dialogues that you write in your script create conflicts and add dynamics to your plot.
Provide Exposition– It also provides your readers with a transparent background of your characters and your plot.
Convey Subtext– Dialogues helps describe the inner sentiments either through the concept of inner dialogue or through an outer one that does not involve the presence of the character being spoken of.
Establish voice– Dialogues are used to voice your characters’ thoughts and personalities and make the readers visualize them better.
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Let us now know about a few trips and tricks that might help you in writing really catchy dialogues
Dangal - 2016 dialogue
How to write catchy dialogue?
Know your audience: First and foremost, you must know about your audience. The type of viewers you attract heavily influences your movie. Try inculcating your majority audience’s way of speaking, behavioural tactics, life issues, etc into the movie. Your audience ends up using your dialogues in their day-to-day life hence, popularizing your dialogues.
Use social media: GenZ is heavily influenced by social media. Adding these into your dialogues are always a great way to promote your dialogues.
Write short dialogues: Instead of writing a 5 sentence long monologue full of emotions, write small ones, preferably not more than 5 words.
Masaan - 2015 dialogue
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