Lights, Camera, Dialogue! - A Lesson on Writing Screenplay Dialogue

• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Lights, Camera, Dialogue! - A Lesson on Writing Screenplay Dialogue

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to write effective dialogue for screenplays.

Introduce the learning objective of the lesson to the students.

What do you already know about writing dialogue for screenplays?

Screenplay Dialogue Basics

Screenplay dialogue is used to convey character, advance the plot, and reveal information. It should be concise and realistic.

Explain the basic function and characteristics of screenplay dialogue to the students.

Creating Character Voices

Each character should have a distinct voice and way of speaking. This can be achieved through word choice, sentence structure, and dialect.

Encourage students to think about how they can differentiate their characters' voices.

Subtext

Sometimes what a character says is not what they really mean. This subtext can add depth and tension to a scene.

Discuss the concept of subtext with the students and provide some examples.

Avoiding On-The-Nose Dialogue

On-the-nose dialogue is when characters say exactly what they mean. This can make the dialogue feel forced and unrealistic.

Explain why on-the-nose dialogue is problematic and how to avoid it.

Writing Natural Dialogue

Dialogue should sound like something people would actually say. Listen to how people speak in real life and try to replicate that in your writing.

Encourage students to pay attention to speech patterns and use them in their writing.

Formatting Dialogue

In a screenplay, dialogue is written in all caps and centered on the page. The character's name is written in all caps before their dialogue.

Go over the proper formatting for screenplay dialogue with the students.

Writing Action Within Dialogue

Sometimes, it's necessary to include action within a character's dialogue. This can help to convey the tone and mood of the scene.

Discuss how to write action within dialogue and provide examples.

Writing Dialogue Tags

Dialogue tags are used to indicate who is speaking and can include adverbs to describe how they are speaking. They should be used sparingly.

Teach the students how to use dialogue tags effectively and why they should be used sparingly.

Using Parentheticals

Parentheticals are used to indicate how a character is speaking or what they are doing while they speak. They should be used sparingly.

Explain how to use parentheticals, when to use them, and why they should be used sparingly.

Writing Effective Dialogue

Effective dialogue should reveal character, advance the plot, and be interesting to listen to. It should also be concise and realistic.

Summarize the key elements of effective dialogue.

Dialogue Writing Exercise

In pairs, write a short scene with dialogue that reveals character and advances the plot. Share your scene with the class.

Divide the class into pairs and give them time to write their scenes. Encourage them to use the techniques discussed in the lesson.

Peer Review

Exchange scenes with another pair and provide constructive feedback on their dialogue. How can they improve it?

Encourage the students to give specific feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Rewriting Exercise

Using the feedback you received, rewrite your scene. Share your revised scene with the class.

Give the students time to revise their scenes and share their improvements with the class.

Dialogue Analysis

Watch a scene from a movie or TV show and analyze the dialogue. How does it reveal character and advance the plot?

Choose a scene to watch as a class and lead a discussion on the dialogue.

Dialogue in Context

Read a scene without dialogue and write your own dialogue for it. Share your scene with the class.

Provide a scene without dialogue for the students to work with. Encourage them to think about how the dialogue can reveal character and advance the plot.

Dialogue in Action

Watch a scene without dialogue and write your own dialogue for it. Share your scene with the class.

Provide a scene without dialogue for the students to work with. Encourage them to think about how the dialogue can reveal character and advance the plot.

Dialogue Revision

Take a scene with dialogue and revise it to make it more effective. Share your revised scene with the class.

Provide a scene with dialogue for the students to work with. Encourage them to use the techniques discussed in the lesson to make the dialogue more effective.

Dialogue Quiz

Take a quiz to test your knowledge of dialogue writing.

Create a quiz to test the students' knowledge of the concepts discussed in the lesson.

Conclusion

Dialogue is a crucial component of screenwriting. By using these techniques, you can write effective, realistic dialogue that reveals character and advances the plot.

Summarize the key takeaways of the lesson and encourage the students to continue practicing their dialogue writing skills.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.