Does anybody have any advice for writing a speech?
For context, it's part of a comedy script I'm working on.
The character delivering the speech is using it as a thinly disguised apology to a love interest. The speech is given at a funeral for a cat, so, I aspire to write a speech that is heartfelt, funny but most of all, awkward.
Any tips on how to approach and structure it? I have a few lines and a few ideas but I'm struggling to make it all fit together.
Thank you :-)
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Inspiration here, spin it awkward and funny: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cat+funerals
Try Googling Cat Funerals too.
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Adam, subtext will be key. And look for similar or funeral scenes in films for example. See how it was structured and what was done on the page. ;)
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That's a very cool idea, and to brainstorm it out....I would have two pieces of paper - one for the cat, and one for the love interest, and I would start each line about the cat on the cat page, and then finish each line about the love interest on the love interest page, even though the people at the funeral think it's about the cat. And maybe they start getting "this is more than just about the cat." Maybe the smarter ones do, and the denser ones don't. I might mix it up a bit, like each fourth or fifth line strictly about the love interest. I'd mix up the emotions, too.
It would probably be key, too, to have the speaker's eyes going from the cat's memorial image (urn, big picture, whatever you have there) when he's talking about the cat, and then glance over to the love interest when he's talking about her/him, too. That would be a funny visual. The love interest's reaction would be nice to see, too, and her emotional reactions should change, too - from just thinking it's about the cat, to knowing it's not just about the cat.
That could be a really evocative and memorable scene. "He really loved that cat." "Uh....I think it's about more than just the cat, honey." Heh-heh.
Best fortunes to you, dude-who-accidentally-killed-his-cat-and-his-relationship....I mean - Adam! Heh-heh.
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Thank you everyone! It's definitely going to be all in the subtext.
I'm so used to having back and forth dialogue between characters that this stumped me but, I will write my way out of it :-)
Bill, have you been spying on me? haha
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In September, we did a breakdown of produced scripts with great monologues and speeches in the Writers' Room. We took a look at Hidden Figures, Taken, Breaking Bad and Wolf of Wall Street, so definitely check out those scripts to see how they tackled them so well.
If you want to see our breakdown, the recording is available in the Writers' Room Vault if you are a member.
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Thanks Allen. I've been looking at the writer's room, it's my birthday in March so hoping my girlfriend gets me a useful birthday present :-)