Every good project starts with the text. Myrl A. Schreibman shows directors how to read a screenplay for character, subtext and the story underneath.
Where does one begin when working on a project? Well, with the text of course! The text of the narrative should be the basis of any good project. And any good project involves character and plot. And theme underlies the elements of character and plot in stories. Determining the theme or themes is the foundation from which any person must work, as it evokes an interpretation or a message that is intended throughout the story. It may not necessarily be the primary message that the screenwriter intended, but it might be the message that is substantially at the center of the vision for the filmmaker or collaborative producer. When analyzing the material, the director reads each scene in the screenplay with an eye towards the theme and determines its direct or indirect relationship to that theme. Does it relate during the moment the scene exists in the story? Or does it have a relationship to other scenes, that when joined together, develop the theme? Does it connect through character, through plot, or through the subtleties that join the two together? How does it work in the development of a character’s arc in the story? And how can it be translated to a visual arc to enhance the story?
Some filmmakers go through and analyze a script from several perspectives. What is the dramatic history of the story? Does the story take place over a few hours, a few days, a few years or over decades? This may have an impact on the characters and what they say and feel. Not all screenplays are fully developed or realized, and therefore, deep analysis in terms of the purpose of each scene or the characters’ embodiment of the scene may not be realized. When that is the case, you would closely work with the writer to further develop the characters and plot. This takes the form of script notes intended to point the writer in the right direction, and these are discussed with the writer during various phases of the writing/ development or rewriting of the screenplay.
This is important because the characters must become fully developed so that the screenplay will appeal to actors. Producers especially need this, since they are concerned with the financing and marketing of the project, and oftentimes, having an actor who has marketability becomes important to getting the project financed. The key to getting an excellent (and marketable) actor is to have a screenplay which is driven by characters that are well-defined and multi-dimensional. A tight, character-driven screenplay will always appeal to the actor’s ego, and it becomes a project that they must do no matter what!
Sometimes this requires you to work with a writer and provide notes on the text. Script notes should be constructive and not destructive. They should be suggested so that the writer will feel that the story and script is still theirs. Script notes should never be given in writing but during a meeting with the writer. If they are given in writing, the writer often interprets them negatively and sometimes finds them offensive since they may not clearly understand where they are coming from. Script notes should be phrased in such a way as: “What do you think about…?” or “Do you think the character should say… in the scene?” In this way, you will be implanting your idea into the writer’s creative mind, and they will usually shape the idea and consequently make the idea their own.
Structure of the script is one thing, but the true nature of a good story lies in the characters and what they say to one another through the use of dialogue. Dialogue is not the impulse itself but comes out of the impulses happening to the character causing them to say the words. Dialogue must pattern real life in which people say things at a certain time in a certain way because of the urges which motivate them to say the words. Some may call it the subtext.
The structure of the dialogue will provide clues as to what the impulse may be. One of the first clues is what the author indicates for the actor to do in the text and the structure of the text that comes after it. For example, the author may write in the word (coldly) or (quietly) after a line of dialogue. This provides an indication as to the impulse that motivates the line of dialogue.
A second clue rests with what the character says about himself or herself at any moment in the dialogue. Lines such as, “I’m angry,” “I’m embarrassed,” or “I’m hurt,”… are examples of that dialogue impulse.
A third clue as to intent within the dialogue will come from what one character says to the other character in a scene. Dialogue such as, “Don’t cry,” “Stop yelling at me,” and “Can you speak up, please?” tell an actor how they are to play a moment. From that bit of dialogue, they can determine what impulse they are to play that will result in a specific response from another character.
A fourth clue rests with any physical activity that exists along with a line. The writer may indicate that the character “throws open the door as he hurriedly rushes into the room” before saying a line. The description of this physical activity clearly points to the subtext for the dialogue. The way the dialogue is played by the actor is decided by the actors and the director in conjunction with the physical action that is written in the script.
Finally, the word structure and author’s punctuation will give the director a hint as to the character’s intent in a scene. Italicized words in the dialogue indicate that the writer wanted those words to be emphasized in the speech which may put a certain spin on the line of dialogue. Of course, when the scene is rehearsed, the director and actors may find other subtle ways to shade the moment, but the italicized words are clues for the director in terms of the impulse for the character. The same holds true for punctuation. The line may have a question mark at the end rather than a period. That clue alone is telling about a line of dialogue.
Remember, dialogue is created in the minds of writers, who have strong ideas about the impulses the characters should feel. The writers put these clues on the page for the director to look for. Examining the choice of words, their intent, and their structure in the line offers directors (and actors) the prospect of seeing the rhythm (if any) in the dialogue and opens up the possibility of multiple shadings for the characters. The director may even make suggestions to the writer to enhance the dialogue once they get into the soul of the character.
Working with and analyzing the text is at the heart of any good filmmaking. It provides the jumping off point that eventually becomes the wonderful thing we call movies. It all begins with the text and ends with the audience. Remember, where the writer’s job ends (the text), the director’s job begins. Where the director’s job ends, the actor’s job begins. Where the actor’s job ends, the audience’s job begins, thus bringing us to full circle starting with the text.
Myrl A. Schreibman is a Producer/ Director, professor at UCLA Film School, and author of the book, “The Film Director Prepares, A Practical Guide for Directing Film and Television.”
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