Major Project Development Research (Show, Don't Tell)

Article:

Show, Don't Tell: Contemporary Screen Production Research by Susan Kerrigan (University of New Castle) Published online at 25 January 2016.


Screen writing and scripting is hard work and takes lots of detailed concentration to suss out and get to grips with.  This online article detail and explains the art of showing and not telling when it comes to film and other media productions. Showing and telling are two different ways of humanly transceiving information across to another human being so they understand to.

With a screen play and script it is essential that you describe and show what is in the scene and how the characters act when it comes to certain situations. Those little details can make such a difference to help other human see and understand your idea and story.


'Show, don't tell' is a well-known - is not cliched - screenwriting principle, ingrained in practitioners to encourage them to use the visuality of the screen to tell their stories rather than rely on dialogue. This includes using actions, objects, words, to create meaning and giving the performers things to do to show the backstory and inner landscape of their character.' Kerrigan, Don't Tell: Contemporary Screen Production Research [Online] at:  http://www-tandfonline-com.ucreative.idm.oclc.org/doi/abs/10.1080/17503175.2015.1133239 (Accessed on 28/11/2016).


'I admit when it comes to screen writing especially when it came to my 1st Draft of my script for Destination, Despicable Delinquents. I had the habit of writing so much dialogue that for one scene, more so when it came to the climax of the story, it just seemed to drag on and I didn't see or feel any of my characters as I read on. So I almost had to take apart my script and re do it again all from scratch except it had to be done correctly

Things I did wrong -

1. Not show any character development or their physical appearance.
2. I did not describe the location of where my performers were.
3. I used too much dialogue and not enough descriptions of what my characters do.

For the second draft I had to make sure all of these crucial things were imported and planned out through the script. Each of my characters had to have their individualities and quirks that made them stand out on their own. Kevin for example was a heavy metal rock star studying music. He is loud, strong, cool and wears black clothing as part of his appearance. Derek is a lazy sofa hogging potato who loves gaming rather then studying. 

Robert in a smart yet rudely sarcastic book worm and always gets picked on by the others. Agnus is a dark, dull, depressing artist who sees the world as a bad place. My main character Henry is a social awkward Jehovah's Witness who all of his life has been taught to do the right thing and not to give into any temptation of sin.  He is shy and bad at his job as he keeps on being rejected by home after home after home. 

There where sparks that make my characters come to life and stand out in their own way, it was just making sure to apply that in script for by describing and detail who they were and how to act when a certain situation happens.

'It is also a principle that a director or cinematographer might use on set during filming when they need to turn to scripted ideas into  performed and tangible scenes.' Kerrigan, Don't Tell: Contemporary Screen Production Research [Online] at:  http://www-tandfonline-com.ucreative.idm.oclc.org/doi/abs/10.1080/17503175.2015.1133239 (Accessed on 28/11/2016).