I always use three dots, but I use them way too much ...way too much.
How to write a 'pause' in dialogue? Page 2
Ellipsis!
Bless you!
Thanks marc, I just couldn't remember the word and tried to look up elipse LOL
Nice word. I had never heard it before but now it's added to my bank
And to confuse things further; Ellipsis Just been reading the 'Notting Hill' screen play and I'm pretty sure it's not a transcript as the dialogue is different all over the place and they used --- to indicate pauses.
Not only that, they use a - to join words to indicate a stacatto style of talking.
(I watched the movie while reading the screenplay)
Every time I come across a script with the word 'beat' in it I throw it in the bin. I remember reading something by Patrick Marber once years ago and it was full of them. You might as well write 'Read' before the first line.
Quote: Vince Ives @ October 17 2012, 12:12 AM BSTI read that if Kelsey Grammer saw an exclamation mark in a script, then he made a point in the table read of standing up and shouting the line out.
Twat.
Quote: Lee Henman @ October 18 2012, 12:31 AM BSTTwat.
I'd probably add pompous to that. That's more Frasier than Frasier.
Lots of interesting comments here proving there is no set way, find the one which suits you. What suits me is the old playscript format of pause/long pause.
'Beat' I just don't like, and surely that's for final production drafts only?
Ellipsis I don't use for dialogue pauses but for tail offs and interruptions. So to use it for both would be confusing for the reader.
So it's pause for me. When rehearsing it through I find pause encourages you to slow it all down a bit, because natural talking is SLOWER than reading and we're writing for characters who talk.
Because producers of different forms will use different formats I put a little key of my methods on the header page. To change my style for each one would be too too anal even for me.
When I want a pause in dialogue I just use the standard, "Sees bogey on other character's face" line. It's been standard theatre, film and television format since Pinter's days.
John
I love you Tracey. I love you more than life itself.
Tracey
I know, John. It's just that (sees bogey on John's face) I've got to go somewhere very far away.
John
Wait! Tracey! Come back!
Quote: Lee Henman @ October 18 2012, 12:31 AM BSTTwat.
Interesting observation. I can't think of a single occasion where a writer might need to use an exclamation mark except if a character is shouting.
Quote: evan rubivellian @ October 18 2012, 9:27 AM BSTWhen I want a pause in dialogue I just use the standard, "Sees bogey on other character's face" line. It's been standard theatre, film and television format since Pinter's days.
John
I love you Tracey. I love you more than life itself.Tracey
I know, John. It's just that (sees bogey on John's face) I've got to go somewhere very far away.John
Wait! Tracey! Come back!
works for me.
I tend to use ... for pauses. But sparingly.
But if there is a beat in the dialogue, i.e. a change of tone or a change of subject mid speech, I use --
For example, a recent script of mine has a mother catching her daughter with a spliff.
So she says:
TARA
That shit is no good for you. -- Give us a toke.
As you can see, I've used -- to separate her disapproval and the subsequent want.
Whereas, I use ... for pauses between sentences, or if dialgue trails off to nothing.
(Argh... spelling mistake. I meant dialogue)
Quote: Mikey Jackson @ October 19 2012, 9:53 AM BSTTARA
That shit is no good for you. -- Give us a toke.
That doesn't flow very well for me. For full comedy effect, I'd have it in one breath: "That shit is no good for you, give us a toke."
I understand the joke you're making even so -- it way to much of a stop. It would look and read better and be more natural if you added some action. "That shit is no good for you" Tara stretches nonchalantly "Give us a toke".
Agreed.
I think the full stop followed by a couple of dashes raises more questions than it answers, to be honest.
In fact the example you give is one of the the few times. IMHO, where (beat) is appropriate.
A beat, to my mind, should indicate a 'timed' gap, where the timing itself is important.
Beat is, understandably, about rhythm.
That shit is no good for you! Give us a toke.
(Exclamation mark for GT)