Every Scene You Write Has Subtext - Judith Weston

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Judith Weston has, for 35 years, brought tools and confidence to filmmakers and actors, with books, workshops, and one-on-one consultations. In 2015, after 30 years of teaching in-person workshops and classes to thousands of film and television directors, screenwriters, writer-directors, and actors around the world, Judith closed her studio space and shifted her focus to one-on-one consultations with directors and writer-directors of film and television as they prepare to bring their projects to life. She can be available for Zoom Q&As and workshops with schools, festivals, and organizations.
Judith Weston has been a teacher of directors, actors, and writers since 1985.
She has written two books DIRECTING ACTORS: 25th Anniversary Edition: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television and THE FILM DIRECTOR'S INTUITION: Script Analysis and Rehearsal Techniques (via Michael Wiese Productions).
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[@cruxofthecookie]

2:07 "The emotions of the scene are a river, the words are boats that float on that river."

[@LouisWritingSomethingCrazy]

I have to say, that although this channel is aimed at screen writing, these videos have helped me out a lot in my own personal writing. Almost everything you talk about on these things also applies to writing novels and short stories too. Thank you for doing this channel. It has helped alot.

[@cjpreach]

As a novelist, I often lean on screenwriters for some great insight into storytelling.

[@jasoncoopersmith]

@@cjpreach that’s awesome

[@jasoncoopersmith]

I’ve been doing the same thing with this channel-gleaning a lot from it for my personal writing!

[@CooLin1stPlace]

This channel is so helpful.

[@MaxChina3]

Me too! The future of fiction writing is leaning more and more towards the cinematic. Top-quality interviews, conducted by a brilliant interviewer!

[@rogerdsmith]

There have actually been studies done about films that offer deep subtexts in their stories. The deeper the subtext, in the story, the better the film does, financially.

[@Lilliathi]

Guess I need to rewatch the Transformers movies.

[@virginiacharlotte7007]

@@Lilliathi just a heads up: they are robots…but they are in disguise!!!!

[@Lilliathi]

@@virginiacharlotte7007 Jeez, spoilers..

[@cjpreach]

CON-text is the environment for SUB-text. The audience can discern the subtext by understanding the surrounding circumstances.

[@jmwvirgil]

Important thing I got from this video was that subtext is often implied in tone, so the writer may mean it one way and the actor may read it in a completely different way.

[@skarf1428]

What an absolute boss this woman is. She’s describing what (more or less) every movie the past 3-4 years have missed. I wish more people in the movie industry were like her, or at least listened to her.

[@thelionofthenorth]

"To make the unconscious conscious..." Carl Jung.

[@karenkueter8975]

What a wonderful description of the subject of subtext. This is one of my favorite.

[@aisle_of_view]

The business card scene in American Psycho is teaming with subtext.

[@AnnoyingMoose]

By emphasising different words one can entirely change the meaning behind the same sentence: /I/ never said we should kill him. I NEVER said we should kill him. I never SAID we should kill him. I never said WE should kill him. I never said we SHOULD kill him. I never said we should KILL him. I never said we should kill HIM.

[@KEP1983]

Good point. They all have entirely different meanings. What's a good way to indicate which meaning you intend in a script? Or should it simply be evident solely based upon context?

[@careylove]

@@KEP1983 I usually italicize the word I want emphasized

[@coffeecreateconnect]

An example of sub text from my book would be when the father, who knows he's dying, but hasn't told his wife or daughter yet -brings them out to a field to look at stars. He explains how even during the day when you look up and don't see the stars, they are always there with you. What he's trying to tell his family without actually saying it is that even though they won't see him anymore, he will always be with them.

[@MrMisanthrope84]

Subtext is great in horror too. What's not being said can be utterly terrifying. Movies like Get Out or Midsommar.

[@Ruylopez778]

There's a McKee dialogue analysis of a scene in Casablanca on youtube, where he expertly breaks down the beats and subtext.

[@tangyorangegames7488]

Subtext is partly why it's so hard to read Facebook messages properly lol.

[@LongShotfilmz]

Always learning something new.

[@Keemy28]

6:10 she killed it 🔥

[@nickybjammin7629]

I understand this! So important in real life and everything. I’ve often Imagined how hard this is for those who speak with their hands/sign language, having to actually express themselves with strong Facial expressions so others will understand what they are saying. And this is why people get crazy ones social media it’s because they can’t hear how you’re saying something. Face to face you would have them laughing and understand or point or what ever it may be.

[@charlinwillis5577]

I used to not believe in this message. Now, after looking at so many horrid films, subtext is a film saver.

[@jacqueslohier2710]

When I see Judith get excited at you reading lines, I feel something…stir in myself. Like seeing a sunset for the first time, or a kiss from a lover who felt excitement from my lips. It’s exhilarating…!

[@john94949]

3:41 A backhanded compliment. It was on the tip of the interviewer's tongue

[@skollrum]

People get subtext so easily in movies. In real life I guess they purposely ignore it.

[@user-gb7ji6xy5d]

To do them justice, (1) real life doesn't have an author (that we know of), so coincidences and random human behaviors do happen and trying to intuit some deep hidden meaning from them would just be conspiracy theories. (2) Humans are actually surprisingly good at reading social cues, which are analogous to subtext in real life.

[@Bloodark124]

Real life is a lot more difficult because of social anxiety, managing physical movement...etc. If brain is a computer CPU, you would dedicate a good chunk of your memory to lots of other things beside trying to understand subtext of what the other person is saying/not saying. Not to mention it's a skill to be taught for people to actually start observing and analysing people's behaviour to try understanding their subtext. While watching movies, you can spend a good chunk of your memory to analysis subtext. You're not distracted by your own physical movement since you're just watching a movie (you're most likely stationary), and since you're so focus on your eyes, your observation is already focussed. This is why people get subtext easily in films, but not so in real life. Very very different environment despite how simple they both sound on paper.

[@ronstero]

I've participated in a Judith Weston zoom workshop for directing actors and I wholeheartedly recommend her book "Directing actors". It's a book that reduces the Stanislavsky method down to the main principles that are much easier to understand and implement. If you only write scripts then you can life without this book but if you also wish to direct, then this must become your bible. She has other books also, including one for script analysis, however I haven't read those yet and can't be sure if they're worth a read.

[@john94949]

I'll take that recommendation on _Directing_ _Actors_ I'm more interested in novel writing, but I'll look into this. The fact that I'm unfamiliar Stanislavsky intrigues me all the more. Thx

[@CasperLCat]

This lady has a wonderful smile.

[@TransistorSounds]

Useful video! I'm learning a lot about dialogue and also allistic people... 😅

[@MLM_EC]

very well presented

[@filmcourage]

Glad you liked it

[@davidhoffman6980]

Does it really count as subtext, when the meaning is the most obvious thing you can infere? With some of these examples, I felt like no other meaning can be reasonably inferred from the words and context and in some cases a line reading isn't even needed to understand the "subtext".

[@filmcourage]

Best example of the subtext in a movie? Which film has a great use of it? Eg., Sideways [2004] and the conversations between all of the characters.

[@KreatedbyKrause]

Chinatown.

[@yosconisi]

Dad knows, he want the money put back immediately. Dad is a co-conspirator. Dad did something wrong and wants to make amends

[@filmcourage]

Hmmm...how the world turns. Thank you.

[@PhantomFilmAustralia]

The Godfather: The Sollozzo restaurant scene when Michael Corleone returns from the bathroom.

[@askarsfan2011]

It's impossible to extrapolate subtext from text without context. We can only guess as it.

[@JayTaylor3dollarfilms]

Okay, but 80% of movies dont do this. They tell dont show. They explain. Clearly. Multiple times.

[@mackdmara]

I often find in movies subtext isn't a strait forward thing. It comes at you from many angles. In fact, as many angles as there are people in a scene. Often there is a conflict that requires you rewatch and focus ln different people to gather it all. But I get her over all point. Of course, can't you interpret my cadence, intonation, or facial cues from text. I guess I wonder how much harder this is in print media vs visual media. Maybe it is adjectives more than verbs there.

[@LFXMEDIA]

im looking for the proper way to place my thoughts into the screenplay.

[@sytonicflux]

2:48 Subtext by example.

[@EasyZee69]

Is subtext written into the script or is the reader supposed to figure it out for themselves? Where and how would it be noted in the script?

[@SHONNER]

The interview with Jack before he takes on the job as caretaker of the hotel in The Shining.

[@stephen1Oace]

Don't just hate it when people only talk in subtext? I've known a few.

[@remus4283]

"Subtext is for cowards." - Garth Marenghi

[@juliettespoon]

More women representation pls the men have weird povs

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[@juliettespoon]

@@filmcourage THANK YOU

[@juliettespoon]

@@filmcourage great channel btw keep up the great work !!!

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Thank you! We appreciate you wanting to see more of our videos.

[@joemorgenstern9846]

More trans representation pls the women have weird povs

[@callinglast]

She's no good. Maybe she is but she can't express what subtext is.

[@coachbeef7890]

Try “Nice to FINALLY meet you”. “Nice to meet you, I think.” “Nice to meet you for the last time.”

[@psychbomb7543]

Yahhhh buddy! Subtext rulez.🤟🏻