When I was in film school back in the 1980s, the goal was to tell a story visually. That’s why the old silent films are so interesting — even though some have dialogue cards, the best don’t have very many. Movies started as an exclusively visual medium. With the advent of sound, you were able to explain more things through dialogue, and people got used to witty banter and clever exchanges. Sometimes, we as writers fall back on that as a crutch. For me, the great challenge is to tell something visually.
Part of the emphasis on verbal storytelling comes from the process of script writing. The joke is that when studio executives read a script, they read just the dialogue — they skip over all the action and description. I don’t know if that’s true, but there are times when you feel that way. You’ll write something out visually — the way something happens to a character, or what they’re observing and how they’re processing it — and then you’ll get notes that the audience isn’t going to understand this and this. Generally, when you’re addressing notes, you’re writing dialogue to explain everything.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Užupis Utopia
What’s the true story behind a make-believe republic in Eastern Europe that captures the imagination of everyone who visits? Daisy Alioto searches for meaning in a booming micronation
Bring On The Vomit
The lauded comedic director (Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters, the upcoming Last Christmas) on the joys of making you laugh without depending on dialogue
4 Exciting Games To Look Forward To In 2019
So far, 2019 has been a stellar year for games, from the punishing difficulty of Sekiro to the demon-slaying combo-filled joy of Devil May Cry 5 to the controller gripping suspense and zombie-infested remake of Resident Evil 2. But we are only halfway through the year and these are the 4 games of 2019 we are most excited about.
Safe Word
A vanilla husband wants to please his kinky wife. Can Mistress Ava help?
She Got Away
Incidents, accidents, surprises and demises — Cheryl’s in over her head dealing with a family emergency
High-Speed American Dreams
A futuristic transport system envisioned by Elon Musk. A wave of international students striving to make it real. And a violent encounter in the Silicon Prairie
Christopher Nolan
A candid conversation with the filmmaker on the through-lines that bind his sprawling canon — from Memento to the Dark Knight trilogy to his new World War II epic