They say silence is golden. While this is not necessarily always true in real life, in films, it is a mighty storytelling tool. How so? Let’s discover why together! A disclaimer first. Under “silence,” we don’t mean “silent films.” That’s an entirely different topic and a crucial part of the motion picture’s history. However, on this occasion, we dive instead into silence as an abstract concept, observing it from different angles. This might sound a bit abstract at first, but stick with me – by the end, you’ll have a set of clear, practical techniques you can apply to your films, scripts, and stories. Why is silence as a storytelling tool so impactful? There is an excellent exercise for directors to try out whenever they notice something is off in the dynamic between the actors. (We discuss these kinds of techniques here, but let me tell you about this one anyway). Imagine you’re rehearsing a dialogue scene, but for some reason, it sounds like characters spill out lines one after another, and that’s it. No tension. No connection. Dull. Now, try this: Take one of the actors to the side and tell them to count silently to five once their partner has finished talking and before they respond. Repeat the scene and observe how everything changes. We didn’t give them any new direction. No emotion was inserted into the scene, merely the silence. Yet, it profoundly affects both of the actors. One will have to deal with an uncomfortable pause...
Published By: CineD - Friday, 14 February