Untitled Flashcard Set

Figurative Language

Using words or expressions that go beyond their literal meaning to create vivid imagery or emotional impact.

Metaphor

A comparison without 'like' or 'as.' Example: 'Her heart was a locked room.'

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as.' Example: 'He ran like a storm through the crowd.'

Personification

Giving human traits to nonhuman things. Example: 'The wind whispered secrets through the trees.'

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds. Example: 'Silent seas shimmered softly.'

Imagery

Language that appeals to the senses. Example: 'The coffee’s bitter steam curled into the cold morning air.'

Use of Figurative Language in Screenwriting

Adds rhythm, tone, and emotional texture to dialogue and scene direction—makes writing visual and alive.

Benefits of Reading Poetry for Screenwriters

Trains sensitivity to word rhythm, compression, and emotion; teaches how to say more with less; enhances sense of imagery and symbolism.

Dialogue vs. Conversation

Dialogue is purposeful expression of character, conflict, or theme; conversation is small talk or filler.

Purpose of Dialogue

Every line should reveal something, move the scene forward, or create tension.

'Dialogue is Action, Not Talk'

In screenwriting, dialogue acts as a move in a power dynamic, driven by what characters want.

Charged Dialogue

Dialogue that carries unspoken tension, subtext, or emotional stakes, where words contrast with feelings.

Empty Talk

Dialogue with no emotional weight or story function, often can be removed without changing the scene.

Active Voice

The subject performs the action. Example: 'The detective solved the case.'

Passive Voice

The subject receives the action. Example: 'The case was solved by the detective.'

Scene Description Technique

Write active, present tense, lean, and specific scenes.

Weak vs. Strong Scene Description

Weak: 'It’s a messy room.' Strong: 'Clothes spill from drawers, and a pizza box slumps on the bed.'