Writing Dialogue, 4 Minute Film School : Indy Mogul

[lilypil21]

Stop talking about your balls, you big ass!

[1Romstar]

Demand a script like a boss

[jihDCchillin]

IF.....i dont see anything

[MightyMasterMC]

for my balls are in danger!!!

[MDubBeezy]

"Or I will eat your testicles." ..Your boss is an asshole.

[morelikeyourface]

up this

[TheTutorialWorkshop]

i need that scene in four minutes or i will eat your testicales

[powerfulclown]

the main guy looks like hes the son of garey busey

[MusicBySav]

what's b roll?

[CorkyPictures]

@MusicBySav B roll is a term that refers to "alternate" shots. Basically, it's footage that you can cut to in order to disguise the cutting of unwanted A roll (or Main) footage.

[ImHomeAtLast]

please tell me that kids hair wasnt real

[csselement]

w t f - educational but odd.

[magic1995]

IF only i had $1,000,000......dang no fairy.

[tiarnan76]

Hey Indymogul - How did Emily Bronte write Wuthering Heights, did she have an iphone lodged up her cunt? (to record the conversations of nearby cafeterias and burger kingsesizz) Anyway she fuckin didnt !! How did she do it!! well back in the 1800s they used something u'll never understand....it was called the nokia 5100 - a piece fo shit phone, but whatever she got some great usage....now fuck off

[MrAnderson1985]

3:40 are you inadvertently doing a Walken impression?

[MrKohlenstoff]

Walken indeed

[the5chronicles]

now go %$*& yourself and get me that scene!

[moekanz]

i cant head over to the forum cos you banned me for telling someone they were fuckn awsome :( lol

[OmegaManATX]

"Smoothen everything out" I got your smoothen right here.

[rawfflecakes]

yeah thats what tarantino does but way more exaggerated

[ZombieGorePrincess]

major LOL from the phone voice...

"Now, Go F*** yourself and get me that scene!" HAHA!

[Sydpart2]

Dr..Strangelove FTW!

[kameshita]

so what was the fate of the testacles?

[NickWeber333]

they got eaten

[pu186]

meanwhile, what happened to your balls??!

[justinwilsonsinger]

LOL. HAHA. Balls in danger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA SOOOOOOOOO FUNNY!! Awesome vid guys. Helped A LOT!!

[PandiiMan]

retard!!! Dialog if 2 or 3 people? what a dumbass, dialog means a conversation between two people, how can you have three?!

[joesummerton]

actually dialogue is conversation between more than 3 people, duologue is between two.

[StuntmanJake]

Good stuff, but there was that part in the middle when you went on about how to shoot the scene. That is different from writing the dialogue of the scene. There were more tips in this video on the shooting as opposed to the actual writing process. I wish you had not gotten side tracked like that. More tips on the actual writing and creative process would have been better.

[xDATbOIChRISx]

at tha "crossing" commercial dude reminds me of david spade lol

[gothkid1]

good advice, but there was nothing about 3-d glasses!!! you lied to me!! I even made my self feel stupid and wore a pair through the whole thing!!

[thekeytarplayer]

haha thats a dif episode lol

[seventhentity]

Wow those forum members you used sure are smart...

[bunnyofwar]

you much teach me quickly, for my balls are in DANGER!!!! hahahaha

[Cirvin]

Without teachers, how would we have people who knew how to do?

Honestly, that saying is rubbish, I know plenty of professors who have done, and do teach as well. I also know teachers who could do better than some of the people actually out there doing.

Perhaps go troll some other place.

[stevenltucker]

He is kinda right though. These guys don't do anything that we can use in a real movie. It's kind of just for people who make movies for fun.

[stevenltucker]

Well, in their backyards "hint" with BFX.

[flannelking]

STEVEN NELSON I WILL EAT YOUR TESTICLES

hahahah! man i was just thinking what it would be like if indy mogul left in the f-bombs

[nbobski]

this is the funniest episode ever

[glideby7]

I love this. Steve Nelson is like the god of video.

[ThomasIsTired]

If, the If-fairy didn't show up!! jk:P

Good advices!

[ErgoPictures]

good advice. having a reading of the script before the shoot is also a good idea. then, any improv can be transcribed beforehand so every take has the same lines. it also lets you know if the lines sound awkward. if the actors start tripping over their lines, let them improv the lines a little bit so it sounds more natural

[roguestarproductions]

to my comments underneath...this is out of order . the directly underneath is to go between the other two.

[roguestarproductions]

He detested improve with a passion. He would have his students memorize their scripts by rote but only after making them do repetitions. Speeking from experience as one who did reps for many a month without ever so much touching a script your observation skills of the other person become hightened and you truly become...Connected with your partner. That way when you do get to script you are able to put more meat and substance out of your performance than were you to go straight for the lines

[roguestarproductions]

(without many of the head games that are involved with sub-dialog and tracking what your character is thinking from moment to moment. If the writer wanted to have 5 scripts he would have written them.

[tftws]

best advice ever. er. wait. most useful indymogul i've seen thus far.

[panag3]

Pulp fiction has some great dialoug and so does Clerks.

[gamexprt1]

Yep! Godfather too.

[gamexprt1]

Yep! Godfather too.

[TheDon415]

I suggest watching Pulp Fiction for a long dialouge movie. It's fantastic, and pretty much everybody loves it. It's the ultimate cult classic.

[SancWaltz]

Thank you

[darqsaint]

I find it helpful when writing dialog to base speech patterns on people you actually know. Ask yourself "what would (insert buddys name) say in this situation?" Helps alot. Unless of course you know nothing but really phony people. Otherwise it helps things sound a bit more natural.

[sebrules]

yeeeah thats exactly what i do

[cuntrytrash]

I agree, my best inspiration is sitting in public places. I like going to thrift stores, discount food stores, Wal-Mart and flea markets with a pocket recorder.

The best dialog is in places like this.

[codebreaker2001]

One of the better ideas, instead of using a tape recorder, go to a public place and keep your eyes and ears open. Sometimes you can find good bits and pieces of dialogue that you can use (if not on one project, than another). For example, this was a bit of dialogue I picked up from a cafe while I was at FSU: "There's a secret about the cat. I can't tell you that there's a secret, but there is a secret about the cat." (the topic was about a Harry Potter book)

[minxado]

dun dun dun dun dun tun dadadada dun dun DUUUUN dun dun dun dun

yay violin garageband

[nedarb0]

so.... does steve get to keep his balls? He never finished the script...

[maxytaxi]

lol

[Xenu]

Is that legal? The government does it all the time! lol

[notsostarvingartist]

Thirty seconds to at most a minute should be more than enough for recording background noise. A few minutes for each location could drain too much time if working with a lot of sets since everyone must stay silent and still when recording background, or even just two or three(if someone makes a noise, you may have to restart). Time that could be used taking down equipment for the next location.

[ShavosBlackJacket]

Uh, steve, is "smoothen" a word? haha

[satanHchrist]

4 minute film school is more useful then bfx. but you cant have one without the other!. keep it going man . you guys are my inspiration!

[OneRottenTomato]

Kevin Smith should watch this.

[urasai101]

Holly shit we were talking about DR Stranglove today in world history

[kamuran007]

at the end the audio was messed up his lips moved after a word

[obtree]

I swear I am going boycott 4 minute film school if you don't either adhere to the 4 minute limit, or rename it 6 minute film school!!

[gangstaafl]

whats that piano music?

[StevenAtkins]

For examples of "realistic" speech patterns in dialogue, I would also recommend Robert Altman films (especially M*A*S*H*).

[ProtoWeapon]

Dr Strangelove had an awesome script. read it like...3 times

[htmlbandit]

"He didn't know that did he?" Haha!

[blueblade50]

what microphones?

[JD1010101110]

Tie clip radio mics, also called Lavalier

[JD1010101110]

no but there is a sexual harrassment Panda

[brodie2121]

LOL, i love south park.

[deadbackman]

lol....we don't care...na just jk

[cptrecon]

lol! great tips

[robtran]

AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!

"Dr. Strangelove"?? Are you kidding me?! With a few exceptions nearly every scene was improvised on the set. Bad example. Better examples:

"Lawrence of Arabia" and "Beckett" - Robert Bolt was - and, I think, remains - the greatest screenwriter of dialogue in cinema history. Controversy aside, Mankiewicz's dialogue for "Citizen Kane." Mamet's for "House of Games" and "The Untouchables." Tarantino's for "Pulp Fiction." Comedy? Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Bros. Marx.

[AutumnDevi]

yeah, but the episode also talks about improv as a tool for realistic dialogue...so it actually is quite a good example.

[robtran]

Improvising does help. But it's also a way to drive your actors nuts, depending on their background. Writing good dialogue can't be taught, anymore than creative writing itself can be taught. Either you're born with the gift or you're not.

Now you CAN teach people how to AVOID writing shitty dialogue, which might have been a better subject for this video. And in that case the place to start is having your students read the classic scripts and then watch the movies.

[AutumnDevi]

on the improv thing: i'm fortunate to have a LOT of acting friends, so they're usually pretty good with improvisation. i usually let them adlib certain parts when i'm too lazy to script a specific scene.

I have to disagree with you on the "born with the gift" thing...i mean, its a given that it comes easier to some people than others, but overall it depends on what your influences are (in my opinion anyway).

[robtran]

I have noticed that more and more actors today have some improv background, but my own experience is that it was usually some seminar or night class they took to enhance their other studies/ambitions.

Now an actor who adheres to a particular school of acting is another story. They generally HATE improv. They want to come tot he set totally prepared and script changes tend to make their butt itch. But, again in my experience, these people give the best performances.

[MarkMikex]

yeah. I come from an acting school/background and while its true many schooled actors prefer to remain true to the script etc,. I've noticed that most "Method" actors are comfortable in improv. Meisner actors especially. But I believe whatever the background, improv is a necessary tool for any actor. If done properly it shows true understanding of the character, scene objective etc. I think the best actors out there all stay true to the script and prefer that, but can improv if needed

[roguestarproductions]

Obviously that is a bit of exaggeration on my part and script analysis should be a part of any actors job, this however can become very restraining to the actor and many times this is translated through the camera lens and straight onto the screen...where as with the meisner technique the words are a rail on which the scene rides. breaking away from that rail was not anything sanford suggested as the scene would go off course.

[ToasterPig]

I agree with AutumnDevi that writing isnt something you are born with or not. Writing teachers teach you guidelines to writing that help develope any natural talent you have. Of course if you dont have the imagination for it then chances are no school is going to help you. But good ideas still need structure to make a good story, and writing school teaches how to structure a story. That and many other things.

[zammeez]

did his balls get eaten or not?

[cvmyawg]

Good advice but it felt like this episode was just dragged out. I was a bit bored lol. Normally your chock full of good info!

But this will help me a bit. Thanks guys

[Shaggy72]

A book called 'Directing Actors' by Judith Weston.

It is INVALUABLE tool for directing actors to speak naturally. Well, 50% of it is EXCELLENT, the other 50% may sound like 'duh - don't take your contradictions so seriously' The contents of this book is some of the greatest knowledge a director can have to maniuplate/direct actors (mostly chp 1)

[whynotretake]

Man, that fairy had a few Christopher Walken moments...

[Micco6]

Jajaja, who comes up with the awesome little jokes? Is it Steve, or do you just read them?

[wannasodaGJ]

I love this guy! hahahha

[dangsterr]

This was the funniest 4 minute film school, I want a Macbook Pro, they're just awesome :)

[yofomojojo]

We made a script once, but the film was never finished. but, I couldn't figure out good responces for a few lines, so, I struck up a phone conversation with the actors (that knew nothing about the script) and waited for a way to discreetly say the lines before theirs, in ways that sounded like normal conversation.(it involved lying about my brother.) I took their responces, got the consept of how they react, and altered them to fit the script. The movie plot sucked. The dialoge was great.

[randomvidios]

at 4:45 steves head moves to the right then its to the left

[dionysus91]

Speaking of dialogue, who's seen Clerks?

[ToasterPig]

Clerks dialogue is actually kinda unrealistic. It is very clever, funny, and intelligent, but hard to imagine someone really saying. At times it seems forced. That being said I still loved that movie and found a lot of the conversations in it awesome.

[AutumnDevi]

really? 'cause i know a lot of people who's cocky way of talking is EXACTLY like Randall's.

[ToasterPig]

The thing is when Randall really gets going he starts talking in long speeches that flow almost too well. They seem rehearsed and written more like a thesis then dialogue. I find the conversation they have about the civilian workers on the death star very hard to believe as dialogue. Although I still find it very clever and funny.

[dionysus91]

I got ya'. How about Seinfeld? Now thats natural sounding dialogue.

[AutumnDevi]

i dunno, i know a lot of people who, when they really get going about something, can sound pretty elequant.

[mondaxkiller]

is it me or does this video cut off at :51

[hitmanbloodmoney777]

it's u

[ghostyfireXz]

Its you ^.^

[cvmyawg]

refresh the page

[blueeyes927]

awesomeeee x3

[acheronwalthers]

exciting

love 4 minute film school

[jacklawr]

one day I'm going to be the first person to watch an indy mogul video, I'll be waiting. then I'll get the first comment! Then I'll rate 1 star and it will actually turn one star!

[Poskusin]

Good video. I've been wondering about this topic for a while. :)

[speedcro]

nice video =)

[SmashTheStAte199]

i guess he got his balls eaten

[NoDookiePictures]

"Now go F*** yourself and get me that scene" Lmao!

[Likethelegos]

awsome guys!

[FLCProductions]

4th comment awsome video

[mrp4nts]

haha dumbass i got 4th

[mrp4nts]

i ment i got 3rd :P

[Devan1044]

LOL

[mrp4nts]

3rd

[EmperorEva0001]

1st

[WWJDfilms]

(: tee hee

[EmperorEva0001]

*writes dialog*