Film Flunky's SUBTEXT MAP
Empower YOUR Scenes with SUBTEXT Magic
So far, it's taken me 9 weeks to get from a vague concept—to write a pilot for a half-hour paranormal audio adventure series—to where I can actually START writing! We've gone from a hazy idea floating in the lagoon of my mind to an actionable breakdown, step by step, using simple writing tools to chart the course.
But looking at the breakdown, I'm a bit concerned about being able to fit all the story elements into scenes that are actually ENTERTAINING to listen to!
If I focus too much on telling the story through dialogue, I run the risk of boring my listeners with info dump after info dump after info dump...
I need a strategy.
Or a MAP! 😲😄😉
Enter Film Flunky's SUBTEXT MAP -- YOUR tool to empower YOUR scenes with SUBTEXT Magic (and mine too😉).
Audio adventures live or die by dialogue, and if I'm not careful, my pilot could drown in exposition. However SUBTEXT is the hidden MAGIC that lets your listeners feel the tension and CONNECT with your characters!
The SUBTEXT MAP is a treasure map, guiding you through the Shimmering Waves of your dialogue, the Hidden Currents of your characters' desires, and the Hidden Barracuda of what they're trying to avoid.
This week I'm giving you the Subtext Map to explore beneath the surface of YOUR scenes, as well as using it to tackle my own audio adventure challenges. We'll break down how it works, conjure SUBTEXT Magic with a before-and-after example, and invite YOU to try it YOURSELF. Ready to dive into the lagoon, navigate the Hidden Barracuda, and empower YOUR storytelling?
The Subtext Map
Occam's razor, applied to problem-solving, suggest that the most effective solution is likely to have the fewest moving parts to juggle.
The Subtext Map has three components: Shimmering Waves (what they say), Hidden Current (what they want), and Hidden Barracuda (what they avoid to escape its bite).
When I’m trying to convey A LOT of exposition to an audience, I try to figure out JUST HOW LITTLE I can get away with and still communicate the important points.
An Example:
Let’s say you’re telling the story of two young business men who co-founded a social media platform right out of college. Mark was a bitter, socially awkward dweeb, but Eduardo saw potential in Mark’s ideas, and stuck with him all the way! He put his own money into the platform, and he protected Mark as Mark rose in the tech world and became famous.
Then the two men are sitting across a board room one day because Mark has found legal means to edge Mark out of the company.
At one point in the proceedings, Eduardo can’t hold his tongue anymore. He let’s how he’s feeling slip out.
One way to do that line might be as follows:
And if you’ve got an actor as talented as Andrew Garfield, he might even pull an OSCAR nod out of his delivery of that line.
But let’s see how Aaron Sorkin wrote that in The Social Network (2010)…
The Social Network (2010) - I Was Your Only Friend Scene (9/10) | Movieclips
The line begins at the 1:39 / 2:56 mark.
Shimmering Waves
Eduardo is stating a simple fact.
Hidden Currents
Eduardo was the friend who stood by Mark and was loyal and supportive -- starting Facebook with his own money. Eduardo isn’t pointing out the HUGE, more IMPORTANT things he did for Mark. He’s pointing out what could be considered by those outside of the situation as a fairly insignificant contribution to Mark’s life.
Hidden Barracuda
Mark pushed Eduardo out of the company that he more than co-founded, betraying Eduardo's trust and loyalty. He is very carefully NOT saying, “You hurt me deeply”.
😜 YOUR Turn! ✍️
If you have a scene that feels overly burdened with expositional dialogue see if the Subtext Map helps your scene POP!
Or use one of the following SCENE PROMPTS to test-drive the Subtext Map:
A woman throws a farewell dinner for her brother, who is moving away. Both have been unfair to each other these past few years.
A nervous job applicant doesn't feel like he's qualified, but his boss secretly NEEDS someone to fill the underpaid position.
At a Parent-Teacher conference, a teacher isn't allowed to tell the parent that the child is a monster in class, and the parent doesn't seem to have any clue what's going on outside his/her job.
A doctor delivers good news to a patient about recent test results but isn't allowed to divulge bad news about the patient that he/she has just discovered.
Two neighbors chat over their fence about a noisy third neighbor but avoid airing their grievances about each other's intrusive habits.
Let me know how it turns out!
I would love to hear how the Subtext Map works for you!
Let me know in the Comments, or drop me a line with your scenes!
Also, if you know someone who’s struggling with on-the-nose dialogue, share this article with them! 😃
And may you have a GORGEOUS, FUN, INSPIRING weekend and week!!!