What’s the difference between experience and memory? I have never thought that this two words were in any contrast. Actually, experience is what actually happen and memory is what the brain chooses to remember about the experience.
We watched a local film, Autograph book (directed by Wee Li Lin). Basically, I found the film entertaining as I always admire children who can act so well(especially the vulgar girl!). The story of the two girls were mostly narrated by dialogues. I still remember in secondary school, our teachers would advise us to never write dialogues. However in film, it seems like the most essential thing. By using dialogue, it not only shows the personality of the character by the way he/she talks, it can also express emotions(although I feel that actions is the best way to show emotions). It also helps us to understand the film better by telling us past or future events. It can be used to reveal a new information(twists) to the audience and express a culture(Singlish shows Singapore’s culture).
Here are the notes!
Elements of Dialogue
Dialogue reveals character.
>A character talks about himself or herself
>Other people talk about the character.
Dialogue establishes relationships between characters.
-Characters express attitudes and opinions that are in opposition to one another.
[Like in the scene where the 2 girls were on the bus...]
Good effective dialogue will move the story forward.
Dialogue communicates faces and information to the audience.
-It conveys essential exposition.
-Characters will talk about what happened, establishing the story line.
[When there are important details that the audiences have to understand,that they cannot find out for themselves.] Plot based information.
Dialogue ties the script together.
BUT What are the bad things about dialogue?
Tells too much.
{Somethings are better expressed by actions rather than words!}
Dialogue should be used sparingly, never telling the audience what they can see for itself.
-Dialogue is no substitute for action!
Dialogue should not match conventional spoken dialogue, “real talking.”
Dialogues do not have to be real, but realistic.
I feel that if a cast speaks too formally in a casual conversation, it will not feel realistic to me as I can feel that it is scripted as a casual conversation will not sound like that.
I am still wondering why was it so difficult to write the dialogue of my mother and father speaking instead of a husband and wife speaking to each other.
