“Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow”
T.S. Eliot, ‘The Hollow Men’
In the realm of screenwriting, words spoken by characters often play second fiddle to an invisible yet more potent force – subtext. Just as Eliot alludes to an unseen ‘shadow’ existing between intention and action, so does subtext loom large between a character’s spoken words and their true intentions or feelings. The true masters of screenwriting understand that conflict, while it can be propelled through explicit dialogues and confrontations, often finds its richest expression in the quiet, unspoken tension brewing beneath the surface.
The Power of Subtext
Subtext is the unexpressed thoughts, desires, fears, and tensions that simmer under the exterior of a conversation or scene. It’s what characters are really thinking and feeling, often contrary to what they say. In its most potent form, subtext generates a level of conflict that dialogue alone often can’t.
Creating conflict through subtext is a delicate and nuanced art. It requires a deep understanding of your characters, their motivations, and the circumstances they find themselves in. Effective subtext results in the kind of scenes where two characters can be talking about the weather, but the audience can cut the tension with a knife. It’s in these moments that characters’ words often stand in stark contrast to their true feelings, leading to rich, layered, and complex exchanges.
Craft Your Characters
To write effective subtext, one must first craft well-rounded, multifaceted characters. Every character should have distinct desires, fears, secrets, and personal histories. These elements influence how they interact with others, what they choose to reveal, and what they leave unsaid. For instance, a character with a history of abandonment might resist expressing affection or attachment, leading to scenes filled with unspoken longing.
Show, Don’t Tell
‘Show, don’t tell’ is a common mantra in screenwriting, and it’s especially relevant when it comes to creating subtext. Instead of having your characters directly state their feelings or intentions, reveal them through actions, reactions, and choices. This can create a powerful disconnect between what a character says and what they truly mean or feel, contributing to the conflict.
Take the classic film “Casablanca” for instance. When Ilsa walks into Rick’s bar, their conversation is polite and trivial, but their shared history and unresolved feelings create a layer of subtext that charges the scene with emotional conflict. Neither character openly discusses their past relationship, yet it’s clear to the audience through their actions and reactions that their history is far from forgotten.
Dialogue as a Battlefield
In real life, people often use words to conceal, rather than reveal, their true feelings. This can be even more pronounced in situations of conflict. Characters might resort to humor to defuse tension, change the topic to avoid uncomfortable truths, or use double entendre to hint at hidden meanings.
Consider the acclaimed series “Mad Men.” The exchanges between Don Draper and Peggy Olson are often rife with subtext. When Don tells Peggy, “I will spend the rest of my life trying to hire you,” he’s not just talking about work. He’s also expressing his respect and admiration for her, even though he struggles to articulate these feelings directly. The subtextual conflict emerges from his inability to communicate openly, which is consistent with his guarded character.
Mastering Subtextual Conflict
Mastering subtextual conflict is no small feat, but with careful character crafting, strategic use of dialogue, and a focus on ‘showing’ rather than ‘telling,’ you can create narratives that resonate with depth and complexity.
- Spend time developing your characters. Understand their motivations, histories, and fears. This will inform their behavior, their dialogue, and, crucially, their subtext.
- Experiment with dialogue. Use humor, avoidance, and indirectness as tools to build tension. Remember, people rarely say exactly what they mean, especially in situations of conflict.
- Show, don’t tell. Let your characters’ actions, choices, and reactions reveal their true feelings and intentions. This can create a powerful contrast with their spoken words, enhancing the conflict.
- Use silence. Sometimes, what isn’t said can be more powerful than any dialogue. Use silence, pauses, and non-verbal cues to highlight tension and conflict.
Remember, subtext is all about what’s unsaid, unexpressed, and under the surface. It’s the unfulfilled desires, the unresolved tension, the unspoken truth. It’s the shadow that falls between motion and act, adding depth, complexity, and conflict to your narrative. And mastering it can elevate your screenwriting from the simply good to the truly unforgettable.
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A.I. in Screen Trade 