An increasingly common trend I'm seeing in books, games and movies these days is having characters banter with or snark at each other.
In the middle of combat.
This is utterly ridiculous.
/1
In the middle of combat.
This is utterly ridiculous.
/1
The idea of casual danger dialogue stems from comic books.
With only a couple dozen pages per issue, the creators have to cram as much plot and personality into every panel as possible.
/2
With only a couple dozen pages per issue, the creators have to cram as much plot and personality into every panel as possible.
/2
This works because every panel is a slice of frozen time.
Every panel represents a beat.
Talking is a free action contained within the beat.
This is unique to the medium, not seen in other media.
And for good reason.
/3
Every panel represents a beat.
Talking is a free action contained within the beat.
This is unique to the medium, not seen in other media.
And for good reason.
/3
Here's an example.
This banter only works because every panel is frozen in time.
The action and dialogue takes on a timeless quality, with every panel isolated from each other.
It's how you can stuff lots of text in a single page and still retain coherence.
/4
This banter only works because every panel is frozen in time.
The action and dialogue takes on a timeless quality, with every panel isolated from each other.
It's how you can stuff lots of text in a single page and still retain coherence.
/4
Every panel in a comic book is a slice of time.
This property does NOT exist in other medium.
Taking bantering and other casual danger dialogue and transferring it to other media doesn't work.
That's because actions take place in real time, as part of a sequence of events. /5
This property does NOT exist in other medium.
Taking bantering and other casual danger dialogue and transferring it to other media doesn't work.
That's because actions take place in real time, as part of a sequence of events. /5
Take this clip from Spider-Man 2.
In a comic, Spider-Man would be casually dropping insults with every blow.
Here he can't.
/6
There is no time for snarking.
Time will not stop in the middle of a fight for the MC to insult the villain.
Unlike a comic panel, where every action and line is a single beat, in other media every action and every line is a separate beat.
/7
Time will not stop in the middle of a fight for the MC to insult the villain.
Unlike a comic panel, where every action and line is a single beat, in other media every action and every line is a separate beat.
/7
Outside comic books, having dialogue in a fight slows it down.
It distracts from the raw physicality of the scene.
Significant dialogue should take place in natural pauses within the fight.
In between blows, while characters are maneuvering, during a release of tension. /8
It distracts from the raw physicality of the scene.
Significant dialogue should take place in natural pauses within the fight.
In between blows, while characters are maneuvering, during a release of tension. /8
In this scene from Ip Man, notice that the dialogue takes place before and after the exchanges.
Not during them.
Even the interruption in between the fights occurred during a natural pause, when both fighters were preparing to square off.
/9
Action and dialogue within a story must obey the rules of timing.
In a comic book, an action and a line of dialogue exist in the same beat, the same slice of frozen time in a panel.
Outside comics, every action and every line is a separate beat.
/10
In a comic book, an action and a line of dialogue exist in the same beat, the same slice of frozen time in a panel.
Outside comics, every action and every line is a separate beat.
/10
Bantering DURING action is a distraction from the action.
The audience wants to see the action play out to the end.
Not only that, bantering gives the other side time and opportunity to act.
If you're snarking, you're not acting.
If you're not acting, he is.
/11
The audience wants to see the action play out to the end.
Not only that, bantering gives the other side time and opportunity to act.
If you're snarking, you're not acting.
If you're not acting, he is.
/11
In combat, you must be focused on defeating the enemy.
If you spend time and energy thinking of witty lines, you're not focusing on the enemy.
If you're not focused on the enemy
You
Will
Die.
/12
If you spend time and energy thinking of witty lines, you're not focusing on the enemy.
If you're not focused on the enemy
You
Will
Die.
/12
Military and police units recognize this.
When it is go-time, they are all business.
They are so focused on the job, even the thought of snarking won't enter their minds.
They cannot afford to be distracted.
He who is distracted will die.
/13
When it is go-time, they are all business.
They are so focused on the job, even the thought of snarking won't enter their minds.
They cannot afford to be distracted.
He who is distracted will die.
/13
Mid-combat banter is a sign of utter immaturity.
Of someone who does not take the situation seriously.
Such a person will die. And that in turn will compromise everyone around him.
Banterers are among the first to be booted from a unit, or else ostracised.
/14
Of someone who does not take the situation seriously.
Such a person will die. And that in turn will compromise everyone around him.
Banterers are among the first to be booted from a unit, or else ostracised.
/14
There is room for humour... BEFORE the job.
The team gears up. The team joker cracks a joke. Everyone smiles grimly and continues the job.
The idea here is to safely blow off tension while still focusing on the mission.
But this is limited. They still have a job to do.
/15
The team gears up. The team joker cracks a joke. Everyone smiles grimly and continues the job.
The idea here is to safely blow off tension while still focusing on the mission.
But this is limited. They still have a job to do.
/15
Everyone is alert.
But if they are TOO tense, they will fall apart.
The joking and the bantering takes place before the job to help ease the tension, but not relax so completely they lose the edge.
Banter here regulates emotion, so that everyone can stay focused.
/16
But if they are TOO tense, they will fall apart.
The joking and the bantering takes place before the job to help ease the tension, but not relax so completely they lose the edge.
Banter here regulates emotion, so that everyone can stay focused.
/16
You can have banter AFTER the job too.
When everyone is back at base, when they are stood down and can relax.
THEN they can banter and snark all they want.
The mission is over. Tension is over. They can joke and horse around to relax.
/17
When everyone is back at base, when they are stood down and can relax.
THEN they can banter and snark all they want.
The mission is over. Tension is over. They can joke and horse around to relax.
/17
Humour is a pressure release valve.
It blows off excess tension while keeping everyone in the game.
Humour is also meant to test everyone, especially newbies, to see how they perform when mildly stressed, and weed out the uptight.
In-story humour must serve a purpose.
/18
It blows off excess tension while keeping everyone in the game.
Humour is also meant to test everyone, especially newbies, to see how they perform when mildly stressed, and weed out the uptight.
In-story humour must serve a purpose.
/18
What about mid-combat humour?
Not going to happen.
Again: if you are distracted, if you are thinking of anything other than defeating the enemy,
You
Will
Die.
Unless...
/19
Not going to happen.
Again: if you are distracted, if you are thinking of anything other than defeating the enemy,
You
Will
Die.
Unless...
/19
Something out of the ordinary happens.
Something that shakes up everyone who sees it.
A white donkey wandering into a middle of a firefight.
A breaching charge that blows down the door...and the nearby operators.
Events so surreal you can't help BUT laugh.
Even so...
/20
Something that shakes up everyone who sees it.
A white donkey wandering into a middle of a firefight.
A breaching charge that blows down the door...and the nearby operators.
Events so surreal you can't help BUT laugh.
Even so...
/20
No snarking.
No bantering.
Get back to the job the second you recover your senses.
If not...
You.
Will.
Die.
/21
No bantering.
Get back to the job the second you recover your senses.
If not...
You.
Will.
Die.
/21
Outside comic books, mid-combat banter and snarking is annoying.
It is distracting.
It is unprofessional.
It is a violation of the rules of timing.
And in the real world...
It gets people killed.
/22
It is distracting.
It is unprofessional.
It is a violation of the rules of timing.
And in the real world...
It gets people killed.
/22
Avoid unnecessary banter and snarking.
Emphasise the drama and the physicality of the moment.
Leave humour for when it is appropriate.
Respect the timing of action and dialogue.
This is how you craft a superior story.
/end
#PulpRev #Writing
Emphasise the drama and the physicality of the moment.
Leave humour for when it is appropriate.
Respect the timing of action and dialogue.
This is how you craft a superior story.
/end
#PulpRev #Writing
amazon.com/gp/product/B07…
Want to see snark and humor done right, while respecting the rules of #superhero battles?
Check out my superhero vigilante novel HOLLOW CITY!
Want to see snark and humor done right, while respecting the rules of #superhero battles?
Check out my superhero vigilante novel HOLLOW CITY!
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