From shorts to features, there are entire films made today that have little to no dialogue. And the screenplays for these films are often the perfect example of what a screenplay should be, a demonstration of showing and not telling, using only visual storytelling techniques.
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We asked Screenwriter Doug Richardson (“Bad Boys,” “Die Hard 2,” “Hostage”) what he believes are the keys to success for storytelling without dialogue.
Screenplays are blueprints for a film, and so much more than dialogue. The theme, setting, sound, characters, expression, action beats, and more go into visual storytelling. You need all of this to work in tandem to tell the story effectively. Let’s not forget where it all began: Silent films, where they “didn’t need dialogue. [They] had faces,” as Norma Desmond proudly exclaims in Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard.”
Visual Storytelling Examples
Take “Shaun the Sheep” for example, written and directed by Mark Burton and Richard Starzak. The screenplay paints a vivid picture, sans any dialogue from the characters, except for a few grunts and mumbles. “WALL-E” written by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, and Pete Doctor, is a movie with a big message, but very little dialogue. And “A Quiet Place” is just that, a quiet movie void of dialogue and full of terrifying suspense if a character dares make a noise. Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski wrote the screenplay.
What is Visual Storytelling?
Describe what the audience is seeing, including the setting and any action that the character is taking
Include sounds, even when there are no words
Consider what your character is doing that could further the story
Separate every new location with a heading in CAPS that includes INT. or EXT (interior or exterior) – short location description – and time of day (MORNING, NIGHT, DUSK, Etc.)
Give your characters distinguishable characteristics
Keep action sentences short and to the point, so you script lines are more vertically oriented than horizontal
Now shhh, I’m writing over here.