Importance of cadence in screenplays?

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  • Importance of cadence in screenplays?

    I think cadence and voice are closely related. I think cadence should come naturally when writing. And I think this is also something else that the "never do" screenplay gurus "short circuit" for new writers.

    I think the following description of cadence in writing (not specifically screenplay writing) pretty much nails it ...

    Cadence in writing is a sense of rhythm and pace, it lifts the narrative from the page and makes it dynamic; brings a certain tempo to the words and sentences; it’s what makes prose poetic, layered and fluid without it being extravagant. Cadence makes the writing visual and evocative, and to an extent, beautiful. It’s an important element in fiction writing, because without it, narrative certainly won’t be as effective.
    ...
    By combining many of the elements listed here, a writer can create cadence, something that would emphasise mood, tone and fluidity of prose. Done properly, the reader won’t know that the rhythm, pitch and flow of the prose is cadence at work, but they’ll read it and enjoy it. Without cadence, narrative wouldn’t be half as effective or indeed as beautiful to read.
    http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspo...n-writing.html

    I maintain that "ing" verbs, the "ly" adverbs, the using "is" and "are" come naturally when writing establishing shots, introductions, or building suspense. And that the gurus' "never dos" work better when the action starts. That those who try to follow the "never do" gurus' advice often try to apply the action style of screenplay writing to the whole script. So what you end up with a soulless, step-by-step, "mechanical," "paint-by-number" (boring) script – where your character's actions don't stand out from the background because everything is written in the urgent now. I think new writers need to know that using the "never do's" advice is not how you break in. And that, no, this is not something experienced writers can "get away with" – good, "evocative" writing is how they got noticed in the first place.

    At any rate, just curious if you notice cadence when reading or writing screenplays.
    STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

  • #2
    Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

    Yes -- cadence is important. Not only in screenwriting -- in all forms of writing including non-fiction and journalism.

    The reason: our first experience with language is the spoken word. And there's cadence in human speech. It sounds natural to us even when we're reading print on a page.

    That's why a lack of cadence in a written piece is far more noticeable and, well, irritating. Without cadence, the reader is thrown out of the narrative, wondering, "Wait. What did I just read?" And they return to the beginning of the passage to read it again. Or, worse, they zone out completely and stop reading. "Boring."

    When I worked on staff at ad agencies I was often tasked with training junior copywriters. Many would hang in my office and tell me stories about things that happened to them. Interesting stories with a natural cadence. Using a mix of long sentences and short sentences they created a rhythm infused with the emotion they wanted to elicit in me.

    Yet, when they handed me their work it was often one long drone. I found myself constantly advising, "Write the way you speak." Some got it immediately. Others didn't. That's when I told them to close their eyes and listen as I read their work aloud. It always drove the point home.

    The Lethal Weapon pages you posted in the other thread are a perfect example of spoken-word cadence in action lines. You can imagine Shane Black sitting at a table with friends telling this story over cocktails. He's writing the way he speaks.

    I'm a passionate lover of language and evocative writing. When I read a piece of kick-ass writing like this I mentally high-five the writer. I'm seduced by their fearlessness and want to read more. And learn all I can from what their writing can teach me.

    I'm not talking solely about action lines. Skilled plotting. Out-of-the-box twists and reversals. Brilliantly-drawn characters and the strategy of the words coming out of their mouths.

    Yet, after far too many years here on Done Deal, it still surprises me to find a number of aspiring writers appear unable to discern kick-ass writing from horribly bad work. As a result, they can't be objective about the quality of their own work. Lack of objectivity is the kiss of death for a writer.
    Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

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    • #3
      Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

      I find when I'm rereading what I've written, parts of it need to be faster and tauter to project more urgency, while other parts need to be slowed down to give enough weight to an emotional moment.

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      • #4
        Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

        I don't drive myself nuts thinking about cadence. It's difficult enough to write the exact words I want the actor to say without the way I want the actor to say them.

        I can point the actor in a certain direction with what happens before or next. I trust the actor to do it right, or even better.
        "I am the story itself; its source, its voice, its music."
        - Clive Barker, Galilee

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        • #5
          Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

          For me, that's not about how fast or slowly I want the actors to say the words. I choose to use more sparse and staccato words and phrases when conveying urgency, and I tend to use more lines of dialog -- sometimes incomplete thoughts -- and take more time when I want a character or characters to have trouble saying something difficult for them to say.

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          • #6
            Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

            The importance of cadence in life; a cadence-related article: “The Surprising Benefit Of Moving And Grooving With Your Kid”
            “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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            • #7
              Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

              Originally posted by sc111 View Post
              Yes -- cadence is important. Not only in screenwriting -- in all forms of writing including non-fiction and journalism.

              The reason: our first experience with language is the spoken word. And there's cadence in human speech. It sounds natural to us even when we're reading print on a page.

              That's why a lack of cadence in a written piece is far more noticeable and, well, irritating. Without cadence, the reader is thrown out of the narrative, wondering, "Wait. What did I just read?" And they return to the beginning of the passage to read it again. Or, worse, they zone out completely and stop reading. "Boring."

              When I worked on staff at ad agencies I was often tasked with training junior copywriters. Many would hang in my office and tell me stories about things that happened to them. Interesting stories with a natural cadence. Using a mix of long sentences and short sentences they created a rhythm infused with the emotion they wanted to elicit in me.

              Yet, when they handed me their work it was often one long drone. I found myself constantly advising, "Write the way you speak." Some got it immediately. Others didn't. That's when I told them to close their eyes and listen as I read their work aloud. It always drove the point home.

              The Lethal Weapon pages you posted in the other thread are a perfect example of spoken-word cadence in action lines. You can imagine Shane Black sitting at a table with friends telling this story over cocktails. He's writing the way he speaks.

              I'm a passionate lover of language and evocative writing. When I read a piece of kick-ass writing like this I mentally high-five the writer. I'm seduced by their fearlessness and want to read more. And learn all I can from what their writing can teach me.

              I'm not talking solely about action lines. Skilled plotting. Out-of-the-box twists and reversals. Brilliantly-drawn characters and the strategy of the words coming out of their mouths.

              Yet, after far too many years here on Done Deal, it still surprises me to find a number of aspiring writers appear unable to discern kick-ass writing from horribly bad work. As a result, they can't be objective about the quality of their own work. Lack of objectivity is the kiss of death for a writer.
              Worth repeating! I've never actually read anything by Shane Black before, but I was blown away by the excerpt quoted in the other thread. Not necessarily by the style but by the result, how clearly you could SEE what he was describing. The purpose of that post was not to get people to write like Shane Black – I think that would be as useless and silly as slavishly following the never do "rules" – the purpose is to let people know that using your own voice (with confidence and honesty) is WHY people break in. Again, ignoring the "never do" rules and having confidence to use your own voice is not the exception, it's the rule for those who break in.

              As for your last paragraph ... "can't be objective about the quality of their own work" ... it was the reading another break-out script is that basically made me figure out that I probably didn't "have it" (when I had thought I was getting close). I realized I wasn't writing near that level. (Still not.)
              STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

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              • #8
                Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

                Originally posted by TwoBrad Bradley View Post
                I don't drive myself nuts thinking about cadence. It's difficult enough to write the exact words I want the actor to say without the way I want the actor to say them.

                I can point the actor in a certain direction with what happens before or next. I trust the actor to do it right, or even better.
                There's a lot more to cadence than dialogue.
                STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

                  I just wrapped up a viewing of Rod Serling's "Patterns", which I'd never seen:

                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMnU4faUMUY

                  Brilliant pacing, not to mention a master course in conflict. Cadence? You're carried along in one furious debate after another, and then total silence takes over to let it all sink in. Your ears pop.

                  And all without a single left hook or a display of pyrotechnics or a dollar in CGI:

                  To my mind, as good as "12 Angry Men".

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                  • #10
                    Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

                    Wast a single satyr e'er to play Pan's wanton pedant, then such a ragged faun may wonder wherefore thee drapeth 'cadence' upon Dionysus, our premier patron, whilst dost not fervent quills more gaily tailor 'prosody' to fit his form most fair?
                    Know this: I'm a lazy amateur, so trust not a word what I write.
                    "The ugly can be beautiful. The pretty, never." ~ Oscar Wilde

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Importance of cadence in screenplays?

                      Originally posted by Crayon View Post
                      Wast a single satyr e'er to play Pan's wanton pedant, then such a ragged faun may wonder wherefore thee drapeth 'cadence' upon Dionysus, our premier patron, whilst dost not fervent quills more gaily tailor 'prosody' to fit his form most fair?
                      That's the ticket. Yessirree Bob. You betcha. Sho' 'nuff.
                      “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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