Stage 32 is excited to welcome Brian Herskowitz for his upcoming class where you will learn to master the art of dialogue. This course has interactive assignments for each week!
Here's a breakdown of each week below.
Week 1- Explaining Dialogue
What is Dialogue?
What does dialogue do?
How to use dialogue to propel your story forward?
A glossary of terms.
Assignment: Write a character bio that affects your characters' dialogue (voice).
Week 2- Authenticity in Voice
What makes dialogue stand out?
How to make the voice of the character Authentic via dialogue.
Elevating the character with dialogue.
Examples of good (and) bad dialogue from movies.
Assignment: Identify dialogue from your writing that is weak and rework them.
Week 3- Exposition
What Is Exposition?
How does reducing exposition affect page count?
How to avoid cringe-worthy and "clunky" dialogue?
Workshop pages in class.
Assignment: Identify exposition in your screenplay. Rework those pages
Week 4- Subtext
How dialogue and character lead to scene work.
What is subtext?
How to implement subtext?
Examples of subtext from films.
Q&A with Brian
Assignment: Identify scenes where subtext can infuse more tension.
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Email edu@stage32.com with any questions!
Class sign up link: https://www.stage32.com/education?p=9058368848179
4 people like this
I am looking forward to working with all the writers in the class. Let me know if you have any questions.
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Great topic to discuss! Especially looking into subtext. Using dialogue with this kind of purpose can really give a script added depth without over complicating things.
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Excellent points, Ewan.
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This has always been my weakness.
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Well, Jim, Like anything, recognizing that it's a weakness helps you on the journey to fix the issue., so welcome aboard!
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Looking forward to the class beginning tomorrow!
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Good class today! Please let me know if you have any questions.
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Well done, Brian. Looking forward to the remaining sessions.
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Loved the class...looking forward to the next sessions.
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Hi everyone. Unfortunately due to scheduling conflicts I'm unable to attend the classes live. After watching the replay today and listening to all your amazing projects (I love the variety) I thought I should introduce myself. I'm currently working on a romance/drama/comedy feature script: An untethered stagehand and a world-weary comedian, both in the grips of midlife, spontaneously drive together through outback Australia, falling in love along the way. I'd describe it as the banter of Before Sunrise meets the vibes of Lost in Translation in the Australian outback.
Which brings me to a question for Brian which I thought I would ask here in case someone else if facing a similar problem. For the homework you asked us to write bios for 3 characters, including the antagonist. I'm having problems identifying the antagonist. There is no villain in my story and rather I think the antagonistic force is intrinsic to each character. Neither of them want to let themselves develop feelings for the other because there is a clock on their time together (although this obstacle disappears at the end) and because neither of them think they are deserving of love from their pasts. Does this seem correct? And how would you handle this in the character bios?
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Hi Belinda,
Not having a clear antagonist can make the script difficult because everyone in life has goals and without an antagonist it's more difficult to create organic obstacles.
I am not saying it cannot be done, but it is more difficult.
As far as the bios, as they relate to this course, in any story you want as much conflict as possible. You story sounds like one of interpersonal struggles, in some ways that makes the bios more important because there are less external sources acting upon the characters.
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Belinda,
Since this is a class on dialogue I would encourage you to consider any and all things that may affect your character's voice.
Where were they born, raised, lived the longest. Do they travel or never left home. Are the educated, intelligent, well read? what was their childhood like? Are they shy? Honest? A narcissist?
What do they do for a living? Are they good at their job?
What is their psychological makeup? Do they have any major flaws? Any special skills? All of these things and many more can affect the voice. The cadence, rhythm, word choice , syntax, verbosity.
I am of the opinion that you cannot know too much about the people who populate your story.