Those of you who I have worked with in script consultations will probably be familiar with a note on how non-verbal communication can be used at times to give your characters and their relationships more depth as well as being more engaging for an audience. A great example of this is Netflix's newly released Addams Family show Wednesday. Often when Wednesday is challenged by a concept (emotion or friendship for example) her dialogue says she is unfeeling but miniscule details in her facial expression or a slight delay in her usually snappy response reveal her true feelings with more clarity than any line of dialogue. Her werewolf roommate who is ostracised by her kind for not having fully "wolfed out" at her age receives constant pressure from her mother about this, but her silent father doesn't need to say anything to demonstrate he is proud that his daughter will fight to be her own person and not succumb to peer pressure. When distressed or in a difficult situation, it is very human to not want to express your true feelings to everyone, so these moments are emotionally relatable to an audience. And any show that can make you understand the emotional state of a disembodied hand is clearly getting non-verbal communication right!
Screenwriting : How to use non-verbal communication: Wednesday on Netflix by Ewan Dunbar
Works at Red Stag Entertainment ♦ Director of Development, Producer, Distributor
2 years ago
How to use non-verbal communication: Wednesday on Netflix
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3 people like this
Great insight, Ewan Dunbar! Thanks! In the original movies, Wednesday talked and acted in a cold, dark way, but I always thought, "There's more to her." I'm really looking forward to the series.
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Thanks for share @Ewan So true! I'm also a fan of extreme close up or facial shots to reveal true state of a character's mind and enjoy all forms of subtext. Who exactly knows what any subtext means can change the game in a scene. EG Only audience knows, some characters know but others don't or a character reads another's subtext wrongly thinking it means something else entirely.
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Nicely observed, Ewan. Impressive empathy awareness. Now I want to read Alfred's & Miles' Pilot script to see how they described these moments.
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Love this insight Ewan! Non-verbal communication is key!
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In the short I am working on, the lead character is mute, as in stopped speaking when her husband died.
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In film school, we had to make shorts without dialogue. The teachers wanted us to tell stories with a camera & sound design.
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I might try that with some short scripts, Dan.
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I have become a little addicted to this Youtube channel. It is four of the worlds best behavioural analysts looking at videos and teaching you how to read the person. You want to add great non verbal communication. Watch these guys. Plus if it is a bucket load of fun. https://youtube.com/@TheBehaviorPanel
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I binge-watched Wednesday and loved it. Great show, and Jenna Ortega is brilliant in the lead. I love that the show also combined elements of Harry Potter, the Adams Family, and Sherlock Holmes. Wednesday is also an unlikely superhero. Great television!
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I haven't watched Wednesday yet, but I've only heard fantastic things. I love writing and characters that emote without dialogue so now I'm really looking forward to this. It is a true skill to find the correct balance.