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Lesson 3 Assignment
Reply to post your assignment.
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12 Replies
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Farrin Rosenthal loves Anticipatory Dialogue!
Farrin’s Vision: To do what it takes to become a highly paid A-List Hollywood writer whose produced movies will entertain audiences around the world.
What I learned doing this assignment is how Anticipatory Dialogue keeps the reader and audience engaged. You never want to bore the audience or reader, so this type of dialogue is crucial.
Hal gives examples for these 11 different types of Anticipatory Dialogue:
1. Direct prediction.
2. Indirect prediction.
3. Countdown.
4. Imply consequences.
5. Imply hopelessness.
6. Shield from consequences in advance.
7. Warnings.
8. Create reputation for the villain.
9. Confront someone hiding from a future consequence.
10. A challenge issued.
11. Silence at a strange time.
I looked through my script and not only do I have Anticipatory Dialogue in every scene, but I have it in almost all of my dialogue.
I knew my thriller was structured like this with the protagonist in almost constant danger against a running clock, but did not realize the extent to which I use Anticipatory Dialogue.
In the first two pages of my script, every single line of dialogue is anticipatory.
Every one! Those two pages include eight different anticipatory types.
Here is an example from my script. There are five seconds left in a football game and the announcer says this:
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
It’s come down to this. (Warning) The last play of the game. (Warning/Countdown) Van Nuys is down by one point. (Warning/Challenge) Here comes the Wolves’ star kicker, 16-year-old sophomore, Daniel Carter to attempt the game-winning field goal. (Create Reputation/Challenge)The Anticipatory Dialogue above creates interest by engaging the audience.
After reading those four lines, don’t you want to know what happens next?
I know I do. 😜
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Farrin Rosenthal.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by
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Jeffrey Alan Chase loves Anticipatory Dialogue
My vision: I am an “A” list writer who is known for high concept ideas, great execution, a string of successful movies and is always ready to share his knowledge and do what he can to help another writer on the way up.
What I learned from doing this assignment is: My script is a Psychological Suspense Thriller and I worked hard to put a reader on the edge of their seat and then keep them there. So I was amazed when I went through the script again with a focus just on the dialogue and was able to find several places where I could elevate it. Always room for improvement. Very cool.
Title: Shards
Genre: Psychological Suspense Thriller
High Concept Logline: A young, pottery restoration expert with no memory of her childhood pieces together a dark past to discover her hypnotherapist’s ties to her father’s murder and a Conquistador treasure.
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Rebecca Loves Anticipatory Dialogue
VISION: My success from this program will lead me to be the go-to writer for producers looking for incredible scripts for successful movies enjoyed by a vast viewing audience.
What I learned from doing this assigment is that I found anticipatory dialogue in most of the scenes. After all the lessons on writing this script, I learned that if I followed the process thus far, that anticipatory dialogue would be there. This lesson allowed me to add it to the few lacking scenes. Interesting how this all works together.
I found a place in scene 8 that needed this, so I added one.
Direct prediction:
LUDIE I fear this strike will change all our lives. It’s already disrupted mine. I shared this duplex with my family for all of my married life. Tomorrow we move to his parent’s farm.
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Eclipse Neilson loves Anticipatory Dialogue.
I want to be a great award-winning writer, known for my genre, who creates the most beautiful films that inspire others to feel deeply, pause, and ponder ways to make the world a better place as I make happy money to continue my career.
THE NUN AND THE WITCH genre: Mystical Sci-fi
Concept: A dedicated nun destined to become a saint in this lifetime, bonds with her beloved soulmate – the village witch to help battle the evils of hatred consuming the heart of humanity, only to discover that time is running out and hell has permeated their village.
What I learned from doing this assignment is that I have a lot of setups. The opening and first 10 pages give you a good idea of the tragedies these two souls have had lifetime after lifetime. So by the time we get to the present, we are wondering and worried that this lifetime might be the same.
Many many scenes have clues and warnings something could happen- between teens wrecking Lunea’s store, Athena’s constant bullying and fears from having escaped the war in Ukraine …..
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WIM MODULE 8 LESSON 3 11823
ROBERT SMITH’S ANTICIPATORY DIALOGUE
MY VISION FOR SUCCESS AFTER THE PROGRAM:
I am a great writer who delivers entertaining, informative, and uplifting scripts that sell and get produced.
WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT IS …?
The variety and uses of anticipatory dialogue.
REVIEW OF PROJECT
CONCEPT: The soul of a slain Cosa Nostra mobster (Lou Tasca) cannot get into the World to
Come because of his life of crime. His only hope to redeem himself is to do an act of nearly impossible supreme good, namely, persuade the wiseguy who killed him (Carlo Vizzini) to quit the mob, trash his oath of silence about mob activity, surrender to the FBI. and enter the Witness Protection Program.
TITLE: “ANGELS IN GANGLAND”
GENRE: GANGSTER-COMEDY
ANTICIPATORY DIALOGUE IN ‘ANGELS IN GANGLAND”
Direct Prediction: Dying gangster Frankie Gazzo hears a voice telling him to tell Rabbi Solomon that God has given him a special charge to rescue the souls of gangsters. This sets the direction of Solomon’s journey throughout the story. Including the set-back that he cannot save his own son (SAM) from pursuing the life of a gangster which leads him to the despair that he has failed as a father and as a rabbi – to fulfill his charge of rescuing the souls of gangsters. He will compensate for this by being spirit guide to mobster Lou Tasca and leading him to getting to the World to Come by persuading his killer (Carlo Vizzini) to flip and join Witness Protection, with the collateral good that his wayward son (Sam), Carlo’s friend will follow him and do likewise..
Indirect prediction/Warning/imply consequences: Rabbi Solomon alludes to a Talmudic story about how King Solomon allied himself with demons only to be harmed by their shapeshifting leader. He uses this story as a allegorically to warn his son, Sam, about the harm that will come to him because he became an associate of the Giordano Crime Family.
Countdown: Lou to Solomon: “We have to get Carlo to flip and join Witness Protection before Tony Rizzo gets to him with a gun”
Countdown: Sam to Carlo, to quit talking about flipping in 3 seconds or he’ll shoot him. Tension builds, of course he doesn’t and joins Carlo and flips. Much to the relief of Lou and Sam’s father Rabbi Solomon.
Create a reputation for the villain: Antagonist Tony Rizzo, makes unwanted sexual advances on a waitress of his Cocktail Lounge, namely, Michelle Ippolito, who is in a major reveal, happens to be Gina Saviano, FBI undercover agent spying on the Cosa Nostra’s activities in Tony’s Cocktail Lounge, owned by Tony Rizzo, crew captain in the Giordano family. Crew members include: Lou Tasca (deceased), Carlo Vizzini (his killer) and Sam Levitsky (associate) who is Carlo’s friend and the wayward son of Rabbi Solomon Levitsky, spirit guide of the spirit of Lou Tasca. Tony Rizzo’s idol is ‘70’s gangster Crazy Joe Galo who is his idol. He even dresses like Gallo, all black clothing, including sun glasses indoors.
Create a reputation for another character: Carlo Vizzini feels pressured into a mob role and to become a Made Man, because he is a descendant of the family of the late Don Calo Vizzini, a Mafia boss of bosses in Sicily which means Carlo is in the Mafia royal family.
Shield from consequences in advance: Solomon assures Lou that although his mission is tough, he will be with him coaching him. He will make it to the world to come because he will get Carlo to flip and go into Witness Protection.
How?
Confront Carlo who is hiding from future consequences: Carlo doesn’t want to flip because it will set him up for assassination, so Lou assures him that his place of refuge from the mob is in the FBI Witness Protection Program.
Imply hopelessness: Lou balks at his mission and believes it is Mission: Hopeless because Carlo is not going to flip, as he is just as hard wired to the oath of Omerta (silence) as he (Lou) was, moreover, Carlo is motivated by keeping a Cosa Nostra family tradition as he is a descendant of the family of Sicilian boss of bosses, Don Calo Vizzini. Rabbi Solomon says there is always hope.
Confront someone hiding from a future consequence: Antagonist Tony Rizzo will go to prison but everybody in the cast who has already flipped confront him and can’t get him to flip.
A challenge issued: To antagonist, Tony Rizzo. To convince him to flip along with Oleg, Carlo, and Sam, and it turns out Don Primo Giordano who was arrested has flipped and will ‘rat out’ his crime family, including Tony.. Tony finally trashes the oath of silence when his own wife (Lisa), who has become an FBI informant, says he should do it for their marriage and the kids. He finally flips.
Silence at a strange time: Zoey the spirit medium who led the Séance in which she talks with the spirit of Lou Tasca and he spirit possesses Carlo.
ZOEY
I was going to move out to Jersey and open
my own Psychic Reader business. But I couldn’t.
TONY
How come?
ZOEY
My neighborhood isn’t zoned for
Psychic Readers.
TONY
You mean, you didn’t know that?
SILENCE
After Zoey exits. Tony mocks the Séance
TONY
(mocking.)
“Talking to the dead”! Hah!
Then Tony turns his swivel chair around, faces the photo portrait of his idol, ‘70’s gangster Crazy Joe Gallo.
TONY
W-W-J-D. What would Joey do?
Come on Joey, talk to me.
,
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Jen loves Anticipatory Dialogue
I will write every day, producing not only high volume, but high quality screenplays that ultimately become popular television shows and movies. I will be invited to be a mentor on retreats and summits.
What I learned from this assignment is what I have been learning from many of the assignments – I think my stuff is good, I apply these assignments and it just gets better.
SPLICED: A psychiatrist nurse, accused of the brutal murder of the patient who visited her uninvited at her home the night he was killed, must fight to maintain her family, her job, her freedom and her sanity.
1. Direct prediction – Looking possessed, with her eyes rolled back and her face slack, Shyanne gets on her chair and points at Tom.
SHYANNE
I’ll tell you the routine! They’re gonna kill you! Torture and kill you. They’ll start with your fingernails, or maybe your toenails, they’ll pull ’em out one by one and then –
2. Indirect prediction: DACEY
I don’t have the confidence we’re equipped to help her –
3. Countdown. WARD
You know what? I’ll cook, but you need to pull yourself together. This has gone on long enough.
DACEY
Ward –
WARD
You have two days, Dacey. Then, I can’t speculate what will happen.
4. Imply consequences. WARD
Good, because whatever you’re seeing, I just want you to know that nobody else sees it. You’re showing your unbalanced side and you understand why you can’t do that, right? I can help you if you’ll just let me. Drink your tea.
5. Imply hopelessness. WARD
There is obviously nothing going on here that I can help you with. Maybe you should talk to that doctor from work. What was his name again? Dr. Greene? He helped last time. I’m afraid it’s gone too far this time, but you should at least try. I need to get to work.
6. Shield from consequences in advance. DACEY
But it all falls apart when you leave – every time.
WARD
It won’t, Dacey. I checked everything. The batteries in the smoke detectors, the pilot light in the furnace. It’s going to be fine this time. I promise.
DACEY
I don’t think you can promise something like that.
7. Warnings.
8. Create reputation for the villain. BEVERLY
Do you know what his problem is? I’ve never trusted that man.
DACEY
What does that mean? You love Ward!
BEVERLY
Only on a surface level. He’s the type who’ll say one thing to your face and do the exact opposite behind your back. What has he said?
DACEY
Nothing to me, but apparently, he’s been telling Lana, and even Meg and Jimmy all kinds of things.
9. Confront someone hiding from a future consequence SHYANNE
Christina! Wait!
Dacey/Christina turns to Shyanne.
DACEY/CHRISTINA
What, Shyanne? You got a doom and gloom prediction for me?
SHYANNE
No. Well, maybe. Yes, okay. You shouldn’t trust him. Don’t go with him. Call your family, an uber, anything. I’ve heard things and I think he has another plan for you besides taking you home..
10. A challenge issued.
11. Silence at a strange time. PETER
Dacey?
She doesn’t answer.
PETER
Are you coming?
Dacey snaps out and looks up at Peter.
DACEY
Guess they weren’t sleeping after all, huh?
Rising from her chair, she follows Peter down the hall.
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Leona Heraty Loves Anticipatory Dialogue
What I learned from doing this assignment is…adding anticipatory dialogue makes the lines and the scene much richer and more fun to write and read!
Title: Tara vs. the Termo-Lytes
Genre: Comedy (Sci-fi)Concept #2: A lost teenage tour guide who’s petrified of bugs must lead her tour group in a battle against mutant killer termites at an abandoned country club.
3. For any scenes that don’t have anticipatory dialogue, use one of these methods to rewrite or add a line.Direct Predictions
OLD VERSION
10. EXT./ GARDEN CLUB PARKING LOT – SAN DIEGO – DAY
Tara arrives at the garden club in her station wagon. The garden club is a small Tiki hut thatched with palm fronds.
Tara’s Mom and Dad come out of the thatched hut and rush up to Tara.
JOAN
Thank you so much, sweetie! We owe you one!Tara looks at Tad, who is passed out drunk on the front seat of his van. She rolls her eyes and SNICKERS.
TARA
I’ll say you do, Mom. You know how I go
into withdrawals. It’s not healthy.KENT
True. But not going on the Haunted
Mansion at Disneyland isn’t exactly
like the D-T’s.Kent gestures towards the Tad. They walk closer to the van and Tara peers inside at the passed out drunk.
TARA
If I don’t get my Haunted
Mansion fix, I just start wearing my
Minnie Mouse ears twenty-four-seven.
I’ll even sleep with them. Can’t be
helped.Tara pulls her Minnie Mouse ears out of her backpack and puts them on.
MEG, 70, an old hippie chick, and Davy’s grandmother, comes outside of the hut with her grandson, Davy. She peaks in the van too and shrugs and smiles.
MEG
That’s my new boyfriend, Tad.
I was hoping he would be more…
(pause)
…productive than the last one
Jerry.TARA
Oh, I remember Jerry. The guy
who never left his house. He had
some kind of weird business.MEG
Well, it wasn’t that weird.TARA
He made little houses out of
popsicle sticks. How can anybody
make a living doing that? I really
think you need to upgrade your choice
in boyfriends, Meg.JOAN
Tara, how rude! Apologize at once!
You’re eighteen. You know very little
about relationships and the world in
general.Tara hugs Meg.
TARA
I’m sorry, Meg. That was rude.
I just think you deserve better
than a lush and a popsicle dude.KENT
She’s right, Meg. We all hope you
get a good man someday.TARA
You better hurry up, Meg. You’re
no spring chicken.KENT
Tara, you’re so rude. What’s gotten
in to you today?TARA
Sorry, Meg. Let’s just say I didn’t
get my fix at the Happiest Place on Earth.KENT
Well, we don’t have time to
waste. We need to get a move
on…
(pause)
…Tara, your Mom and I are
going to each be driving a
group. You can take your
golf cart if you want.MEG
Thanks for helping us out,
Tara. I would drive the van,
but I’ve got cataracts…
(pause)
…I’m having surgery soon, but I
just don’t see that well.DAVY
(to Tara)
See, I told you I was going on
the garden tour.TARA
Why me? Ugh.Kent hands the tour map to Tara.
KENT
Here. There are ten houses on
each route. But we’re spacing
them out by having each group
visit the houses in different
orders.DAVY
Grandma Meg, why don’t didn’t
you guys just hire a bus and
everyone go together?MEG
Well, it’s a long story.JOAN
Well, some of the roads to
these old houses turns into
really narrow lanes. They’re
too narrow for a bus…
(pause)
…And, we wanted to space it
out so all fifty members don’t
descend on one house at a time.DAVY
I guess that makes sense. Tara,
can I drive the golf cart?JOAN/KENT/MEG/TARA
NO!Davy frowns and pouts.
DAVY
Not even in the drive way here?JOAN/KENT/MEG/TARA
NO!MEG
Sorry, Davy. You gotta get
a license first.NEW VERSION
10. EXT./ GARDEN CLUB PARKING LOT – SAN DIEGO – DAY
Tara arrives at the garden club in her station wagon. The garden club is a small Tiki hut thatched with palm fronds.
Tara’s Mom and Dad come out of the thatched hut and rush up to Tara.
JOAN
We owe you one, sweetie.
The check’s in the mail.Tara looks at Tad, who is passed out drunk on the front seat of his van. She rolls her eyes and SNICKERS.
TARA
Let’s hope it covers the cost of my
therapy. I’m gonna need it ‘cause you
you know I go into withdrawals if I
don’t get my fix. It’s not healthy.KENT
You’ll be fine. Not going on the Haunted
Mansion at Disneyland once a month isn’t
exactly the D-T’s.Kent gestures towards the Tad. They walk closer to the van and Tara peers inside at the passed out drunk.
TARA
It is for me. If I don’t get my monthly
fix, you know what happens.JOAN
You’ll wear you Minnie Mouse ears
twenty-four-seven.KENT
We know. You’ve been doing it since
you were five. It’s happened before……
(pause)
…and it’ll happen again. Soon.Tara grins, then pulls her Minnie Mouse ears out of her backpack and puts them on.
MEG, 70, an old hippie chick, and Davy’s grandmother, comes outside of the hut with her grandson, Davy. She peaks in the van too and shrugs and smiles.
MEG
That’s my new boyfriend, Tad.
I was hoping he would be more…
(pause)
…productive than the last one
Jerry.TARA
Oh, I remember Jerry. The guy
who never left his house. He had
some kind of weird business.MEG
Well, it wasn’t that weird.TARA
He made little houses out of
popsicle sticks. How can anybody
make a living doing that? I really
think you need to upgrade your choice
in boyfriends, Meg.JOAN
Tara, how rude! Apologize at once!
You’re eighteen. You know very little
about relationships and the world in
general.Tara hugs Meg.
TARA
I’m sorry, Meg. You’re getting’ on.
I’m just a kid. But I think you need
to start picking better men.KENT
Tara, that’s none of your business who
Meg dates. She a good person, who just
tries to help out guys who, let’s say,
have issues.
TARA
Issues? Meg, if you don’t watch it,
you’ll turn out to be a life-long
enabler.KENT
Tara, you’re so rude. What’s gotten
in to you today? And how do you know
what an enabler is?TARA
Sorry, Meg. Dad, I learned about it
in my psych AP class.JOAN
Well, miss smarty pants, that’s no
excuse to be rude. We need you to
be a driver today and that’s that.TARA
Sorry Mom. I’m being a brat. This day
is gonna suck since I can’t be at
the Happiest Place on Earth.KENT
Well, we don’t have time to
waste. We need to get a move
on…
(pause)
…Tara, your Mom and I are
going to each be driving a
group. You can take your
golf cart if you want.MEG
Thanks for helping us out,
Tara. I would drive the van,
but I’ve got cataracts…
(pause)
…I’m having surgery soon, but I
just don’t see that well.DAVY
(to Tara)
See, I told you I was going on
the garden tour.TARA
Why me? Ugh.Kent hands the tour map to Tara.
KENT
Here. There are ten houses on
each route. But we’re spacing
them out by having each group
visit the houses in different
orders.DAVY
Grandma Meg, why don’t didn’t
you guys just hire a bus and
everyone go together?
MEG
Well, it’s a long story.JOAN
Well, some of the roads to
these old houses turns into
really narrow lanes. They’re
too narrow for a bus…
(pause)
…And, we wanted to space it
out so all fifty members don’t
descend on one house at a time.DAVY
I guess that makes sense. Tara,
can I drive the golf cart?JOAN/KENT/MEG/TARA
NO!Davy frowns and pouts.
DAVY
Not even in the drive way here?JOAN/KENT/MEG/TARA
NO!MEG
Sorry, Davy. You gotta get
a license first.-
This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Leona Heraty.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Leona Heraty.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Leona Heraty.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Leona Heraty.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Leona Heraty.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by
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Andrew Kelm loves Anticipatory Dialogue
Vision: I am going to do whatever it takes to be a great writer of TV and movies who is sought after by people I respect within the industry and has multiple successful TV series produced.
What I learned doing this assignment is… I was happy to discover that I have anticipatory dialogue everywhere. I added a little more here and there.
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CJ loves anticipatory dialogue
Vision: I am a confident and empowered writer who embraces challenges and changes and writes produced highly sought-after projects with fresh and exciting ideas.
WIL: A fun way to update dialogue. As I went through the script I was pleased to see that I had employed many of these already – but as always – there were many missed opportunities that I needed to address.
Title: MEMORY HUNTERS
Concept:
In a future with technology to retrieve memories, a Memory Hunter, caught in the mind of a psychopath struggles to find a way out before he destroys her mind and kills her.
ASSIGNMENT
Your goal: Have at least one anticipatory dialogue line in every other scene. That way, you are constantly pointing the mind of the audience toward the future of the story.
Skim each scene and ask these two questions:
A. Do I have any anticipatory dialogue here?B. Can I add a line that creates anticipation for some future event?
3. For any scenes that don’t have anticipatory dialogue, use one of these methods to rewrite or add a line.
1. Direct prediction.2. Indirect prediction.3. Countdown.4. Imply consequences.5. Imply hopelessness.6. Shield from consequences in advance.7. Warnings.8. Create reputation for the villain.9. Confront someone hiding from a future consequence.10. A challenge issued.11. Silence at a strange time.
4. Continue through the entire script, adding anticipatory dialogue to any scenes you can.
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Joe McGloin loves Anticipatory Dialogue
Vision: I am a talented, highly regarded, efficient, relaxed, happy screenwriter
What I learned doing this assignment is that I already do that – a lot. I didn’t mark down the few places I could add something. I’m happy to see it is a strength of mine as I tend to be dialogue heavy and that is always a concern to me.
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Tom Loves Anticipatory Dialogue
My Vision: I’m quick to write brilliant alternatives that improve material I’m developing with a producer.
Doing this assignment, I learned to project fears and good times into the future to build audience interest.
EXT. WALTER REID HOSPITAL FRONT DOORS – DAY
A worker places a speaker’s podium that faces the crowd.
Reporters and TV camera people take positions on the steps.
President Ratkin propels the wheelchair he sits in out the door.
His head is bandaged. DOCTOR and NURSE flank him.
Two Secret Service AGENTS flank them.
Reporters, camera people jam the front steps.
RATKIN
I’m gonna be fine.
REPORTER
When’s he get out?
Ratkin glances left and right.
RATKIN
She’ll be along directly.
REPORTER
So, Doc, how long you give him?
DOCTOR
Give who what?
REPORTER
POTUS won a four year term. What’s
the warranty on your surgery?Doctor looks at his watch. Reporters chuckle.
DOCTOR
Just kidding. We expect he’ll be around for quite a while.
REPORTER
Did he pay you to say that?
DOCTOR
Not enough to listen to your shit.
He spins the wheelchair around. The doors open.
REPORTER
Whatcha doing? We just got here.
Nurse shoves the wheelchair over the threshold. Ratkin nearly bounces out of the chair.
REPORTER
She must be Nurse Ratched!
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Lori Lance loves Anticipatory Dialogue
Vision: I want to be a professional screenwriter recognized by the industry as the go-to for family-friendly scripts and have multiple successful movies produced.
What I learned… I had heard this before but needed the reminder that producers and other script readers often read only the dialogue. This makes dialogue even more important. I also learned to make sure that at least every other scene has anticipatory dialogue to keep the reader engaged and point “the audience toward the future of the story.”
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