Dialogue: The Secret to Writing Spoken Action (Writing Advice)

Learn how to write strong and effective dialogue--with examples from The Dark Knight, Game of Thrones, The Godfather, and more!
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[@nintandem2119]

My favourite dialogue in any scene has to be the exchange between the lumberjack and the talking tree. Tree: "Don't cut me down, i'm a talking tree!" Lumberjack: "Then you will dialogue."

[@dfly27485]

Classic!

[@庫倫亞利克]

You will die a log. Hilarious.

[@cosmicspacething3474]

⚰️

[@johnbenischek5622]

I think I will just leaf now.

[@solomon4554]

HAHAHAHA

[@johnbearjunkyard]

at "avoid empty greetings," I immediately thought, "Oh, hi Mark." I was not disappointed.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Hahahaha!

[@etinarcadiaego7424]

"I deed nawt heet her! I deed NAWT!....Oh, hi Mark!"

[@WhiskiDev]

John Wick example in this video has the empty greeting but its all subtext. Sooo much better.

[@emeralddraegon]

Right?! That montage of "Oh, hi"s nearly did me in 🤣🤣

[@Thepopcornator]

But that moment is iconic haha

[@jonathanrichter4256]

That exchange in the Godfather is one of my all-time favorites. "Senators and Presidents don't have people killed!" "Oh. Who's being naive, Kay?"

[@Whookieee]

I burst out laughing at that line when I first saw the movie. Michael's response is perfect.

[@wadegolden3589]

The dialogue in the fencing scene of The Princess Bride is just as exciting as the fighting.

[@julietardos5044]

Have you seen Jill Bearup's videos on this movie? I think you'd like them.

[@wadegolden3589]

@@julietardos5044 I haven't. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@reubenmanzo2054]

"I'm not left handed." "I'm not left handed either."

[@JuryRigged]

@@julietardos5044 I was just going to link that when I saw their (then your) comment.

[@julietardos5044]

@@JuryRigged 🙂

[@WilliamReginaldLucas]

The “Chaos Is a Ladder” scene from early Game of Thrones. Littlefinger and Varys circle each other at the bottom of the throne, exchanging snippets of information as we ponder their true intentions, followed by a monologue about power and the throne.

[@HeatherHolt]

Always loved little finger and Varys trading clever jabs. That scene specifically was the first time I realized just how Machiavellian little finger would be - or should have been at least (we don’t talk about his ending in the show lol we don’t talk about it!)

[@nmappraiser9926]

Oh, hi, Brandon!

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Oh hey, commenter, what's up?

[@Whookieee]

​@@WriterBrandonMcNultywhat a story Brandon! (Inappropriate laugh)

[@terranceaddison4599]

Hi praiser

[@greggazro2389]

You are tearing my draft apart, Brandon!

[@ShinGallon]

Bonus tip #4 is incredibly important for dialog heavy scenes in a graphic novel, because several panels of just character heads with word balloons is boring to read AND to draw. I always try to have my characters doing something during these scenes: Putting on/taking off armor/weapons, walking, or things like interesting camera angles, etc. A couple of times I put dialog in a fight scene but sparingly, a pet peeve of mine is superhero comics where a character says 3 paragraphs of dialog while throwing a punch.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Yep, and creating a sense of motion is great for making those panels come alive "A couple of times I put dialog in a fight scene but sparingly, a pet peeve of mine is superhero comics where a character says 3 paragraphs of dialog while throwing a punch." Hahah this is a great point

[@lotharrenz4621]

a pet peeve of mine, too, maybe which is why I never dove deep into superhero comics at all. my problem is that timelines don't align at all, as explained thoroughly in Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" comic book.

[@ramonacosta2647]

The verbal sparring between Littlefinger and Varys in the throne room is a masterclass of good writing.

[@meh84f84f]

Also the scene when Tyrion rescues Sansa from Joffrey and berates him for treating her badly in throne room. Gods the writing was strong then

[@dawidwidera1819]

Your last tip is SO IMPORTANT. Recently I wrote a story that my friend wanted to make indie movie about. He got new cameras and he wanted to test how it works, which light is best and so on, but he didn't have actors yet at the time. So I agreed to improvise something based on my story and while I was writing it and reading it it sound ok, but when I said it, I was like: wait, did I really wrote that? It's so unnatural. I read it silently and it again seemed to be normal. So the thing to distinguish here is difference between novel dialogue and dramatic play/screenplay dialogue. There is plenty of examples for that, like in Witcher books by Sapkowski.

[@randomlyfactual1943]

Please excuse me, but I have to: So you're saying that you said the quiet part out loud?

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Yep, how it sounds in your head and how it sounds in reality can be two VERY different things.

[@to819]

One of my personal rules for dialogue is called, "Burn the house down." It comes from Batman Begins, where Ra's burns down Bruce's mansion. It adds a layer of intensity and intrigue to dialogue which could have otherwise been cliché. So when I write a scene that I know could potentially become boring, I ask myself if I'm burning the house down, and if I'm not, I ask myself how I could.

[@heavymetalelf]

This is fantastic! I'm taking this idea for my personal tips!

[@to819]

@@heavymetalelf Glad to hear it.

[@CooperWood-lf7ry]

This sounds cool! I haven’t seen the movie though, could you explain a bit more what this rule implies?

[@to819]

@@CooperWood-lf7ry So what the rule implies is that dialogue alone can get boring. In the background of a tense exchange between Bruce and Ra's, his henchmen are burning down Wayne Manor right in front of Bruce as an act of revenge. So you get a fantastic exchange of dialogue while other characters in the background are immediately raising the stakes by creating an incredibly dangerous and compelling setpiece. So my rule essentially implies that someone in the scene should be doing something more than just speaking. It obviously can't apply to every single scene, but it helps me to remember the importance of keeping the action moving.

[@reptiliannoizezz.413]

WITH COMBUSTIBLE LEMONS

[@jerrys1]

I never picked up on how many empty greeting there are in The Room. Now I can’t unsee it

[@freezingmoon75]

The Room is a masterclass in...everything. Oh hi Brandon.

[@capmango]

Ugarte: You despise me, don't you? Rick: Well, if I gave you any thought I probably would

[@paakdisayaniyom]

Andor have some of the best dialogue I've seen in any series, here's an example from my favourite episode... “I show you the stone in my hand, you miss the knife at your throat” -Mon Mothma, Episode 7 : The Announcement

[@juliegolick]

The Andor scene where Mon Mothma is bargaining with the crime lord is one of my favourite exchanges in the series. Such great subtext and subtlety.

[@МарияСерая-я8к]

(Sorry, I am not an English speaker, but I wanted to share that). So, writing dialogues was always my favorite part. Something I was... Well, not necessarily incredible at, but I felt like I had good instincts there and generally knew what I wanted. My idea of a story usually started with dialogues, and they were often even built around them. And I was thinking - "well, I am struggling with a lot of stuff, but dialogues feel like my thing at least." Then my friend, who was a much more experienced author and was pretty successful in his field, told me that in his circle, writing dialogues was considered ridiculously easy. Like, it's barely even a skill. He told me about his conversation with screenwriters who said, "We could take anybody from the street to write dialogue for us." Everybody generally knows how people talk, he said, describing stuff is what is actually hard, since we don't really have much experience with it outside of writing. He didn't know about my relationship with dialogues, so he didn't want to hurt my feelings or anything. But I felt discouraged and insecure after that. And watching this series helped me to regain a little bit of confidence, so thank you :)

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Thrilled to hear that this video helped! Thanks for watching, and best of luck with your dialogue!

[@gkoymnbxykfb]

Anyone who says "we could take anybody from the street to write dialogue for us" clearly does not know what they're talking about. Writing good dialogue must be hard. Example to the point, Rings of power. Very expensive show, still gave us gems like "Do you know why a ship floats and a stone cannot? Because the stone sees only downward."

[@joshuam2212]

also keep in mind the age of the speaker right now I'm writing a middle grade they have meaningful conversations but sometimes a little extra talking is good

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Great point. Wish I'd included that

[@Nahimokthanks]

Been using the 'Read Aloud' tip lately and it's amazing how different something can sound not being in your head.

[@paladox1771]

One of my favorite dialogue exchanges is Bilbo and Gandalf's bit about "good morning" xD

[@studiozealot]

There's a scene from one of the Witcher novels that flows into just pure dialogue between Ciri and Geralt at Kaer Morhen. It's been years since I read it, but I still remember the picture it paints of casual conversation while Ciri is training, with Geralt giving her advice and checking in with how she's doing, just nicely demonstrating the paternal role he's fallen into. And then at the end she finishes her practice and he says "All right, you can take the blindfold off now," and you realize she's been doing the whole obstacle course blindfolded. Just masterfully re-frames the whole sequence in a single sentence. So good.

[@randomlyfactual1943]

This guy keeps cutting to _The Room_ in all his videos and I'm so here for it 🤣

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Hahaha I had to restrain myself from including The Room as a bad example last week. Came dangerously close

[@wombat6]

"Dialogue is action" YES finally someone says it. You can have more tension in a movie that's just a bunch of people talking (like 12 Angry Men) than in an actual action movie. And I'm sad when an action movie doesn't have good dialogue that drives the action. Give me something better than one-liners. Quick example: the original Terminator movie. A dude who just arrived from the future has to manage to gain the trust of a woman he's never met before while explaining to her that he came from the future to protect her from the "guy" who just tried to kill her who also came from the future and happens to be a machine. The dialogue starts with "come with me if you want to live", a line so good they made a callback to it in the sequel, and then they have an argument in a car where Sarah might just run away from his protection before understanding the trouble she's in.

[@randomlyfactual1943]

How about this example: Pulp Fiction. Right at the start where Jules and Vincent are just talking about a Quarter Pounder in France and whatnot. That is probably the most natural dialogue I've ever heard in film. But it establishes a huge amount, storywise: - That this movie is going to have quite a few comedic elements - The bond between Jules and Vincent (which we would later see is fatal for Vincent when the bond is broken and Jules is "walking the earth") - The fact that they are men of the world. They aren't pretentious people who eat things they can't pronounce. They are good, old fashioned burger-and-fries loving Americans. - It also sets up the shock for what these people do for a living. We might have suspected them to be gangsters at first, but we had no idea that they would go from talking about the stuff they do in the car to an outright GTA killing spree in a matter of minutes - The contrast in the above also allows the movie to demonstrate how little life is worth in this world. The guys went to go to an apartment where they probably knew they were going to kill someone. And THAT is what they talk about

[@ludovico6890]

I remember something said in a foreword to one of Greg Rucka's Queen and Country graphic novels: any artist can crrate an action scene or draw a sexy woman. The real challenge is making a gripping scene with two people arguing while having coffee.

[@reubenmanzo2054]

Anne of Green Gables is another example. Nearly 4 hours of movie and almost all of it dialogue.

[@romanbruni]

in pulp fiction this scene is a brilliant advertisiment blended w audience empathy ( if you like le big mac, you'll like those 2 guys )

[@sarahsander785]

I want to add a little tip on how you can seperate an empty greeting from a meaningful one. Meaningful greetings show the same power dynamics as good dialogue (some of your chosen examples weren't actually that empty, as they established character relationships right from the start). The easiest way to spot it is mutuality. When both characters greet each other in the same way and tone than there is nothing to gain from it (aside probably world building). "Hello, Jack", said John. - "Oh, hi John", said Jack, is pretty boring. "Hello, Jack!" John stormed over, trying to give his brother a hug how he used to. Jack dodged him. He answered without looking at John: "Oh, hi", and continued reading the newspaper, brings tension to the scene (and also establishes that Jack and John are brothers, while in example 1 they could be anything). Also: Not answering a greeting with a greeting is a great way to show off (perceived) power. "Good evening, Sir, may I help you?" - "Get me to your manager, I have a complaint!", also brings out tension an dpower dynamics from the start. QotD: I think my favourite "dailogue" of all time is the Opening of Shingeki no Bahamut. Two guys riding over the roofs of a city, fighting, and one of them constantly shouts the other ones name. Probably one of my favourite opening scenes also.

[@zacharymorris1694]

Favorite dialog exchange, Beatrix Kiddo and Bill in Kill Bill 2. His comparison of her being like Super Man, her confessions of being pregnant and leaving- all of it was just beautiful to me

[@HeatherHolt]

Great scene! Clark Kent is the costume Superman wears to fit in is like 😮

[@Yearofthebows24]

One of my favorite dialog exchanges is from The Matrix. When Neo gets beat by Morpheus, he complains about how he's too fast for Neo. Then, we get a speech about how the world isn't real. All to be followed up by the simple, subtle, yet fully telling, "You think that's air you're breathing?" Pause. Look to the side. "Hmmp" Such an absolute masterpiece of a film

[@AnUndivine]

The opening scene in "Inglorious Bastards" is amazing. There seems to be a lot of filler, but as it progresses, you begin to realize that none of it was filler. Even them switching to English at first seems to be just for the audience's convenience, but turns out to be important for the scene.

[@HeatherHolt]

Was looking for this mention ❤

[@peregrine.somerville]

The “you complete me” exchange in The Dark Knight is tops. Best fight scene in the Nolan trilogy!

[@HeatherHolt]

I don’t want to kill you! What would I do without you?! So good. Also the introduce a little chaos scene with two face in the hospital

[@IridescentFalcon72]

One of my fav dialogue scenes is Top Gun Maverick. I love the initial introduction of the Top Gun candidates at the bar, because it's a great example of how dialogue and subtext can introduce a group of characters. And Mavericks conversation with Ice Man. Lot of other scenes in that movie too were just solid as ever. There's also an exchange in HTTYD 1 I really enjoyed between Hiccup and Stoic where Stoic tells him he can begin dragon training and all of a sudden, from Stoics point of view, the son who'd begged him to train is trying to dodge it. It highlights the gap in their relationship so well, especially the way Stoic is struggling to connect and Hiccup can't make himself heard "Finally we'll have something to talk about!" "....."

[@pitchforker3304]

"Good dialogue... is like speech that's getting ready for a dinner date." That's gold, baby!

[@Skittlestrooper]

Some of my favorite dialogue comes from the Star Wars show, Andor. I particularly like the conversation in the antique shop, where on the surface it appears frivolous, but underneath is a tense interaction regarding funding a rebel group.

[@errantwinds-up8uu]

I've just started The Half Murders at lunch break! Not much to say yet except that I know I'll enjoy it.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Thanks so much for checking it out! Hope you love the whole thing!

[@to819]

The Social Network has some of my favorite dialogue ever. "This building is older than the country it was founded in." "We're sitting in chairs."

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Lawyer: Your best friend is suing you for six hundred million dollars. Zuckerberg: I didn't know that, tell me more.

[@6thwilbury2331]

When he said "dialogue is action," Sorkin was my first thought

[@jerrys1]

It’s so good!

[@to819]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty "That's not the point." "Then please, arrive at the point."

[@庫倫亞利克]

What does the response mean? Is it the equivalent of "duh?"

[@cjkalandek996]

My favorite dialogue exchange in a story? The one that comes to mind is this one exchange plus inner monologue from the _Lightning Thief_ book. When Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are fighting the 3 Furies on that bus and towards the end of the scene, the leader of the Furies, Alecto (who was Percy's pre-algebra teacher Mrs. Dodds), said "Zeus will destroy you! Hades will have your soul!" To which Percy replies, _"Bracchas meus viscimini!",_ and his inner monologue chimes in, saying "I don't know where the Latin came from, but I think it meant _'Eat my pants'."_ Not only is it funny, but it expresses Percy's rebellious attitude. Even when he's facing certain death.

[@wemdoe]

Your writing advice is some do the best I’ve come across. If you were to write a book about writing, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Working on one right now actually! Hoping to release it by the end of the year

[@tattoodude8946]

When it comes to great dialog, nothing beats the diner scene in Heat between DeNiro and Pacino. Very minimal, but so powerful! I would also like to expand on that very last tip and say: read your entire book out loud or, better yet, have someone or an AI do it for you. I know AI readers aren't always great (and the ones that are can be expensive), but it makes a huge difference. It really helps you spot gaps and/or strange phrasings. I've had many instances where I was reading the dialog (or just a scene) a certain way, putting the inflection or emphasis where necessary, but when the AI or another person reads it, they read it flat, without knowing where those beats should be, and it becomes glaringly obvious that it needs rephrasing. It's just another way of removing yourself from the work and hearing it with a fresh ear and that is always helpful.

[@ludovico6890]

Favourite dialogue exchanged? The one in Amadeus when Salieri talks to the priest. Great way to introduce both characters and the main themes. Oh and i mentioned them before I'm sure, but there's two in The Godfather that come to my mind: when the Corleones decide to kill Solozzo (quite a challenge: five people in the scene, three of them talking) and the meeting of the families. It's a business meeting/peace negotiations, and it's not so much what is said than the way it's said that truly makes it special.

[@markalliksaar1605]

I agree. Salieri's confession to the priest is masterful dialogue.

[@adam-11herbs]

Daredevil and Punisher rooftop scene from S2 of Daredevil is fantastic dialogue exchange

[@PuppetMaster-Blade]

Hey Brandon, just binged all the videos ive missed the last few months. Super great seeing your channel explode in viewership, also didnt know you had a new book out, definitely going to buy that soon, i really enjoy your books and how you make the stories really digestible to bite into. Ik you've done a recommendation video of mine already in the past, but would you mind doing one about Zero Drafting or even 1st drafts, maybe give us some examples how you go through an early stage of your books. I feel alot of people get discouraged when all they see if final works from writers and expect their zeros and 1st even 2nd drafts to look as clean and polished as a finished product. Idk seems like it could help boost encouragement for new authors who dont really know what to expect or know where to start when writing a book. Kindof like looking at an unfinished drawing and then seeing the finished product helps the new aspiring drawer to see the stepping stones abit.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Hey, great to hear from you! Thanks for all the kind words and for signing up for a channel membership--really appreciate the support! I'll see about doing a "From Zero Draft to Final Draft" type of video in the near future. Might be fun (or embarrassing haha) to look back on those older drafts. Thanks for the idea!

[@hgman3920]

The scene between Jules and Brett in Pulp Fiction is the textbook example of how to write power relationships into dialogue

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Big brain on Brett!

[@champloo933]

great video as always brandon! here are some new and old ideas i have - inciting incidents - superheroes and supervillains - deuteragonists - 4 corner opposition simplified - writing women starting with the bechdel test - romantic conflict (love triangles and the like) - evil protagonists (not antiheroes)

[@doormatt72]

The long segment of many clips from the room had me laughing so hard. I love your channel and your sense of humor.

[@VolvoxSocks]

Best 'dialogue' is between The Doctor and Donna Noble in Partner's in Crime. All mouthed or pantomimed words, but it's hilarious, establishes why Donna's there, and builds bother of their characters and relationship. It's also great as the absurdity of it is recognized by the other characters in the scene.

[@MilkSteak55]

A couple of my favorite dialogue scenes: the Sicilian Scene in True Romance, and the egg rolling scene in Angel Heart

[@Nate-139]

Can you do a video on how to write complex characters?

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Way ahead of you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHiuq6xrjaydl7c

[@gloriafernandes276]

I love when Jeff Goldblum says, "Must go faster" in both Jurassic Park and also in Independence Day. Great dialogue like Arnold's "I'll be back" is worth repeating!

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Favorite dialogue exchange from a story? Let us know!

[@Nate-139]

You probably haven't seen them all but here's a few I like Avon and Stringer's rooftop conversation - The Wire I just saved myself - Monogatari series Kendall's breakdown - Succession I never cared about you Jimmy - Better Call Saul Diane and Bojack's rooftop talk - Bojack Horseman Don Draper and Peggy Oslen's phone call - Mad Men Armin and Eren's final talk - Attack on Titan I gave you a rare gift - Hannibal Elliot remembering the past - Mr Robot Zuko apologises to Iron - Avatar the Last Airbender

[@BigBoyJay_69]

"I did not hit her! I did noooot.... Oh, hai Mark"

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

@@Nate-139 Haven't seen them all, but the ones I do recognize are solid

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

@@BigBoyJay_69 Classic.

[@johnhughes2653]

Indy and Belloq discussing the Ark in the Marhala Bar just after Marion's apparent death, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

[@eugenetswong]

FEEDBACK: As a Canadian, I love your accent. The "dialog is action" really helps me. Thank you.

[@nickbrutanna9973]

There's a lot of great ones -- The "split" one in *Good Will Hunting,* where he nails down the college intellectual bully by citing an infodump revealing him to be a total poser reiterating stuff from his classes without adding anything, then the later interaction about "Liking Apples" -- the first part showed how brilliant he was, the second showed that he was also remarkably creative, too. Another great one is the corporate voting scene at the end of *Other Peoples' Money* -- Gregory Peck gets up there, and gives this truly *_wonderful_* "Mom and Apple Pie" speech in his spectacular voice, and, when he's done, you just KNOW Danny Devito's character is going to have to _cheat_ somehow, to win (you know he has to, that's where the movie has been headed all along) -- because there is no way in hell anyone is going to top the wonderful speech from Peck. Devito just gets up, and, I swear, he absolutely, _totally_ *carpet bombs* him. It's such a magnificent use of dialogue that you could probably do a piece on that short segment alone. Lastly, it's not so much the dialogue, but the scene -- "visual dialogue", if you will -- in *Dead Poets Society,* the very end, where Robin Williams is leaving, and, as he does, his students send him off with a wonderful, almost all visual, scene... it's so perfect because many are up on their desks, saying, "Oh Captain My Captain!", but, if you're paying attention, _the students who don't stand on their desks all have their faces down, looking at their desks, almost with blinders on._ This _feels_ like a *visual* version of what you are talking about... and feels like the entire reason the rest of the movie was written for... As though someone thought about that scene, then wrote the rest of the screenplay to justify it. It's one of the best single scenes in movie history. This last, also, would seem to me to be a great one to discuss at length... perhaps this and the OPM scene would be a great contrast in using minimal dialogue as a part of your point, vs. a lot of dialogue to make your point. ;-)

[@12345678901011213]

Col. Jessup Vs. Lt. Kaffee at the end of A Few Good Men is probably the best dialogue exchange in the history of cinema. It's really almost like a verbal swordfight. Kaffee attacks with Jessup skillfully defending with nearly contemptuous ease. But then by the end it becomes clear that Kaffee basically just let him dig his own grave by playing his hand as less than it was. Kaffee then goes into a blistering offensive, putting Jessup on the back foot with no way to defend himself Jessup gives his famous "You can't handle the truth" monologue in a last attempt at regaining momentum... Only for Kaffee to close the door, dismissing the speech with the same contemptuous ease Jessup had been giving him the whole time.

[@randomlyfactual1943]

A verbal swordfight.... With very high stakes. For the one, he could be disbarred and court-martialed. For the other one, it's a possible life sentence. Magnificent piece of dialogue, by magnificent actors in a magnificent movie.

[@constancegoldwing5867]

LOST, has to be the television show with the most brilliant dialogue. In particular, the episode 'The Man from Tallahassee' has an exchange between John and Ben that goes: Ben: You've been on this island for 80 days, I've lived here my entire life. What makes you think you know this island better than I do? John Locke: Because you're in the wheelchair, and I'm not. Lots of subtext here for those who have not watched. But if you want to be a great writer- this show will blow you out of the water! Very inspiring.

[@HeatherHolt]

Oof Ben’s face when he said that, knowing the island no longer wanted him to be leader. Lost is chock full of great scenes. My favorite is a pretty popular one but in the context of lockes tragic tragic history, Locke: why do you find it so hard to believe?! Jack: why do you find it so easy?! Locke: it’s never been easy!! Also when Locke says I hope someone does for you what you just did for me makes me tear up every time. Every time. But the whole final quarter of the last season does really 😂 and the constant is one of my favorite episodes of tv ever. Desmond had some real bangers on that show, brotha.

[@jenniferhanses]

I agree with most of what you're saying. I disagree a little on polished dialogue. Though maybe this truly falls into the old EB White category of once you truly and thoroughly understand the rules, you also know when and how to break them. Most times you want polished dialogue. Sometimes you want dialogue to be rough because you're either trying to convey 1) a point of characterization about how awkward and/or anxious a character is so that they can't get their words together, or 2) how awkward and uncomfortable a relationship or situation is in that the characters don't have a smooth line of patter ready to go. If the whole thing is awkward and uncomfortable, it won't work, especially as a performance (you can get away with a little bit more with a book since you have internal monologues and narration to fill spaces). But if there's a scene or two where people are uncomfortable, or if there's a character who is perpetually uncomfortable in an ensemble so that you aren't rely on him to be the center of things, it can be effective. But of course the rule is not to do it because if you don't have the rule and you do it all the time, it's like you've over-salted your food and now the whole thing is inedible.

[@chloemchll3774]

Not gonna go into all the detail, but Buffy The Vampire Slayer season 5 episode “The Body”, specifically the scene in Willow’s dorm between Willow, Xander, Tara, and Anya. I think it works on its own without committing to watching the 100 or so episodes that precede it but context helps, especially w respect to Anya.

[@HeatherHolt]

Oh man Anya saying she doesn’t understand why Joyce had to die and it’s stupid and human. And Xander puts his fist thru the wall 💔 I love Buffy. It’s so funny so action yet so emotional and heavy. I was a sucker for spikes redemption arc (pun intended lol)

[@chloemchll3774]

@@HeatherHolt Yeah, I’ve seen that episode at least 6x (probably more) and the Anya speech in that scene always makes me tear up, because her confusion about death is so human and we are all, at some point, as new to death as Anya is in that moment. And I am in complete agreement about Spike- team Spuffy all the way here. His arc where he actually seeks out a means to redemption is just so much more meaningful than it gets with Angel, who is only ever good because people force it on him. The contrast is interesting, but personally, the one who makes the active choice is always more interesting (and that’s leaving aside my opinion of the actors, as I generally think James is a much better actor with broader range than David had in that era.

[@MichaelJPartyka]

I can hardly remember a word of it except the expletives, but my favorite dialogue is pretty much everything in the 1992 movie adaptation of "Glengarry Glen Ross".

[@OratoryJamesIV]

"F*CK YOU. THAT'S my name!!"

[@LNSmithee]

I am delighted that “Seinfeld” dialogue is acknowledged in the video clips, but I was disappointed that they weren’t included in the good examples. “The Pie” was one of those times when you watch TV in amazement and during the commercial breaks think “I’m watching greatness!” 🙂‍↔️

[@hello_newman3116]

I love The Matrix's "Mr Anderson" because I'm one name, it conveys annoyance by Agent Smith by being in the matrix, but also an insult as that's not Neo's name

[@petehealy9819]

By now I should be used to the fact that your videos awe me with their concise, dead-on, and practical insights. Makes me even more eager to flip open the copy of The Half Murders that just arrived from Amazon!

[@crawler0095]

Between you and filmento, i think my writing has improved drastically. thank you!

[@Gottzchalk]

Fantastic lesson easy to grasp. Favorite dialogue exchange Goodfellas with Joe Pesci said, “ I'm a clown I amuse you” to Ray Liotta and Seinfeld when Jerry and George argue over Ted Danson, a constant great exchange.

[@mausandthimble]

I just started reading Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson and one dialogue scene that stood out to me is where the crew is in a meeting to plan the overthrow of the Final Empire. There are half a dozen characters exchanging ideas about how to execute each part of their plan, but the scene is not confusing at all! Every line portrays character, delivers worldbuilding information, and deepens the plot while STILL being easy to read and follow who is speaking! It's a challenging scene that's perfectly crafted. *chef's kiss*

[@scenesbyseren]

The joker and Batman in the Dark Knight interrogation scene! Top notch :)

[@palashhazra5597]

I cannot stop myself to subscribe this channel. I love this guy......

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Haha thanks! Glad you're finding the videos helpful

[@palashhazra5597]

​@@WriterBrandonMcNultyCan you make a video on how to write action lines in my novel. I got confused while doing that

[@YoursAnonymously]

I wanted to drop in and say I finished Entry Wounds yesterday, and I thought it was a great read. Those last few chapters really took me on a ride 😂😂😂 Well done!

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Glad you liked it! Thanks so much for checking it out! If you don’t mind, please leave a brief Amazon review-those help a ton

[@writerboy1011]

Thank you so much for the advice. I’ve been struggling a lot lately and you’re the first person to break it down for me to understand.

[@offrainc6455]

I love how your written dialogue tips also work for improvisation theatre - no greetings, no wandering conversations and action are some of the basics being taught to beginners 😅 Thanks for the video, which is as always fun and instructive, even to non-writers 😊

[@theAsperist]

Please don't cut yourself out of the videos I love watching you speak 🙏

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

I’ll try to work in some on-camera videos this month. They’re easier to make, which is a huge plus. The downside is that they get far less views than my video essays

[@theAsperist]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty oh, I get it now! Thanks for the reply 🥰 For a second I was worried all the videos from now on will be like this (you know, channel evolving, etc, understandable) and felt a bit sad about it, cause I absolutely love the usual format. Anyway, this format or other, can't wait to see you again! Wishing all the best!

[@glentz716]

My favorite film dialogue of all time is from Ordinary People, which is an entirely dialogue driven film. But the scene when Conrad is in turmoil because he found out that Karen killed herself and then he rushes to Dr. Berger's office is brilliant dialogue, even if it leans on the annoying movie trope of the one magical moment in therapy that magically fixes the patient. Both characters are attacking and defending their positions and then at the end, Dr. Berger gives Conrad the one thing he's needed throughout the whole story which is total acceptance and friendship. I have watched this scene a million times and when Berger says "I am. Count on it.", I am still moved every time. People complain about this movie winning Best Picture, but I'm convinced this scene was what won that film the Oscar. R.I.P. Donald Sutherland.

[@isabellagonzales7857]

I think my favorite dialog exchange in an animated movie is the argument between Helen and Bob in the first Incredibles movie. It really illustrates “dialog is action.”

[@RodVeal]

My favorite dialogue exchange is in Game of Thrones Season one when Cersei and Littlefinger discuss Power. Littlefinger says “Knowledge is Power” and after an awesome power move Cersei demonstrates then proclaims “ Power is power”. Love that scene.

[@28starwarsfan]

Read it out loud! Yes! So important.

[@mattt2277]

Between DS9 and B5 there's too many fantastic scenes to mention. Both shows are excellent

[@chriswest8389]

Attack and defend in the broader context of the scene. 3 types they say don’t they? A negotiation . A subduction. A fight.

[@reubenmanzo2054]

My favourite dialogue exchanges are the ones that result in plot twists. The cliffhanger to the Sarah Jane episode 'The Lost Boy' comes to mind.

[@Nerdrakere]

The dialogue in Arcane always did this just as well as its action. Even as far back as Powder being talked down to, and then later the council scenes where people have clear motives and attacks and defenses and manipulations. Also later on, Jinx’s conversations reflecting her chaotic nature and unpredictability. So definitely that show!

[@Achieme]

Personally the best dialog IMO is when 2 or multiple people debate on morality, social issues, idealism or when a villain is spitting nothing but facts to the hero often having them think and question themselves. Especially when you understand and agree with that villain. Even routing for the bad guy

[@Whookieee]

The spongeworthy clip!! God bless u, man!

[@dennisvh3811]

I love the dialogue from "Get Shorty". All of it is fantastic, and i especially love the scene in Gene Hackman's office where Chili meets the "investors" for the first time. And there's the scene where Chili meets Martin Weir as well. Just great stuff that brings a smile to my face every time i watch it.

[@lankylame8]

Liked Marriage story's dialogue exchange

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Great one for sure

[@mattsager914]

From Chuck Palahniuk's book "Rant:" Rant: Really, truly, with her whole heart, does Echo hate anyone? Shot: You mean love? Rant: Ain't it the same thing?

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

I need to read Rant! One of the few Palahniuk books I haven't gotten to yet

[@BigDaddyJinx]

I won't say it's my favorite dialogue, because I'd really have to put some thought into it...but one memorable dialogue exchange was between Doc and Ringo in the woods near the end of Tombstone. Both actors nailed their exchange perfectly. Act. React. The tension so thick you could touch it. It was music to my ears.

[@PyroOfZen]

Basically any conversation between Silco and any other character in Arcane is pure gold.

[@yilguy]

One of the best exchange is in Casino Royal. The dialogue between Bond and Eva Green about their potential background. Great back and forth with considerable shift of power in 2 minutes

[@Ari-jj9op]

The Supernatural episode titled "Don't Call Me Shurley" was extremely well written. The basis of the episode is a single conversation. It tied up loose ends, explained a lot of what was, previous to it, subtext, revealed a character's identity, introduced a new character along with a new paradigm, changed the entire dynamic of the series. I go to this series a lot because I paid close attention to the writers. They had various collaborations and guest writers and while a lot of story lines dropped out, I think due to the changing writers, they did some great work. The episodes that fell flat were the ones that didn't maintain continuity in the characters and injected comedy inappropriately.

[@vidadvocate9522]

#5, agreed; great advice. With any script, corporate or commercial; reading the it out loud helps you fix problems. I.e. if you stumble in spots...your talent probably will too.

[@mericet8610]

best video I've seen from you, and I've seen a lot

[@loganroy3381]

The entire small council scene at the end of season 3 of GOT is great, probably my favorite dialogue scene. It goes on for about five minutes and is GOT at its absolute peak.

[@wombat6]

One of my favourite dialogues (besides the scenes I always mention in the comments under your videos) might just be the few scenes in Ocean's Eleven where George Clooney's and Brad Pitt's characters talk to each other in isolation from the rest of the crew. The fact that they can finish each other's sentences tells you a LOT while speeding up the dialogue in a comedic manner.

[@PaulRWorthington]

The best O11 exchange: Danny: You think we need more guys? Pitt says nothing. Danny: You think we need more guys... Pitt says nothing. Danny: We need more guys. Pitt says nothing.

[@KevinOShaughnessyGuitar]

I don’t have a favorite dialogue exchange off the top of my head, but Star Trek came to mind when you brought up dialogue contributing to world building. I’ve never really been able to get into new Trek because it doesn’t sound like Star Trek. Older Trek characters spoke with a bit more formality (for lack of a better word) and newer Trek is filled with modern day colloquialisms.

[@OneJWCraig]

One of my favorite exchanges comes from the film L.A. Confidential. There's plenty of solid writing there, of course, but the scene where Pearce and Spacey's characters first begin to work together is among the best. I appreciate any bit where two or more very different characters butt heads before coming out with a stronger understanding of each other, for better or worse. And then seeds planted here pay off later, lending ever more significance.

[@staretimecomics]

Great video. Seriously good insights. Best dialogue exchange? Probably the Princess Bride.

[@julietardos5044]

The book Taking Care of Terrific by Lois Lowry has lots of great dialog between the narrator/main character and her housekeeper. Tells a whole story in one conversation, a very amusing conversation.

[@thelog7161]

Pretty much any convo in Logan, but especially toward the end when he talks to Laura about what he's planning to do once the kids are safe

[@silvonias3985]

There's so much nuance and subtext in The Avengers (2012) movie when Black Widow meets Bruce Banner (Hulk) for the first time in that village. It's such an incredible scene overall, especially the dialogue.

[@davidnoel9355]

"Where's Papa going with the axe?" Opening line of Charlotte's Web (I'm not a fan of E.B. White's stories but I love his writing style.) I also make it a point to read my ENTIRE story or novel out loud at some point during the revision process. It is a very powerful technique for readability. If I'm stumbling over my own sentence when I read it aloud, my readers will struggle with it when they are reading it to themselves.

[@maggot1111666]

my fav dialogue has gotta be anton chigurh, several of his scene in no country for old men are goat

[@SiliconRiot]

I LOVE the scene in Jaws where they are sitting on the boat at night telling war stories, and you hear the whale song in the back ground.

[@simonnaylor3536]

I think the diner scene in Mulholand Drive might be my favorite scene/dialogue example of all time. The film itself is full of absolutely incredible scenes with wonderful action and dialogue in so many of them.

[@racheltheradiant4675]

I love the dialogue in Jurassic Park. It is informative without being too scientific.

[@TheDukeofMadness]

Pretty much all of Sweet Smell of Success would qualify as my favorite dialogue.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Ah, another classic I need to add to my list. Thanks for bringing this up!

[@hannnnahhahhahha]

I love the dialogue from Fury, specifically the scene about the horses. The men are mad at their captain for excluding them from the meal so they try to wound him by bringing up his trauma. I also adore all of the dialogue from The King. One of my favorite movies but so many people hate it.

[@davidfox7359]

"Did I do something wrong?" Alex to Prince Henry at the New Year's Eve party in Red White and Royal Blue. That one question heralded a shift in the relationship and demonstrated a depth to Alex's character that hadn't been visible before.

[@vulkanofnocturne]

Attack: "Nothing justifies genocide!" Defend: "What you call genocide, I call a days work."