Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

Do Now
What have you completed so far in your script? What are your next steps? What happens next in your story?
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15. What is your phone number? _________________________________________________

Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
Do Now
cinquante-neuf onze Allons-y ! quarante-six Comment allez-vous ? treize quatre-vingt-seize
A plus tard A demain quatre-vingt-onze Je suis dsol(e) A tout l'heure cent
quatre-vingt-deux A bientt Pas mal soixante-dix-neuf S'il te plait Pardon!

Please (informal) ___________________________ See you in a little while ____________________________

Im sorry ___________________________________ See you soon ___________________________________
See you tomorrow _______________________________ See you later _______________________________
How are you (formal) ______________________________ Excuse me! _______________________________
Lets go! _____________________________________ Not bad ______________________________________
79 _________________________________________ 91 _________________________________________
46 _________________________________________ 13 _________________________________________
11_________________________________________ 82 _________________________________________
96 _________________________________________ 100 __________________________________________
59 ________________________________________
Vocabulary

What's your name? (informal)

My name is...

Nice to meet you Enchant(e)

Where are you from? (formal) Vous tes d'o ?

Where are you from? (informal) Tu es d'o ?

I am from...

Where do you live? (formal) O habitez-vous ?

Where do you live? (informal) Tu habites o ?

I live in... J'habite ...

How old are you? (formal) Quel ge avez-vous ?

How old are you? (informal) Tu as quel ge ?

I amyears old J'aians

Do you speak French? (formal) Parlez-vous franais ?

Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
Do you speak English? (informal) Tu parles anglais ?

I don't speak Spanish. Je ne parle pas espagnol.

Do you understand? (formal) Comprenez-vous?

Do you understand? (informal) Tu comprends?

I don't understand Je ne comprends pas

I don't know Je ne sais pas

Can you help me? (formal) Pouvez-vous m'aider ?

Of course Bien sr.

I beg your pardon? / I'm sorry? Comment?

Where is... ? O est ... ?

Where are... ? O sont ... ?

Here is / are Voici

There it is. Voil

There is / are Il y a

There was / were Il y avait

Dialogue
Scenario: __________________________________________________________________________________
A thinks B is having an affair with his/her partner Visiting the Dentists Boarding a bus First day in a new job
Emotions: _________________________________________________________________________________
Fear Anger Sadness Joy Disgust Shame Kindness Pity Envy Hatred Nervousness
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Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
French Curses
1. Merde!(maird)
This translates quite literally as shit. Youll definitely hear merde used in France in as wide of a context as
shit in English. Sometimes, for extra emphasis, youll hear people say MAIR-duuuhhhh instead of the more
accurate maird.
2. Putain!/Pute!(Poo-TAHN)/(poote)
This word packs a serious punch, so use it with caution (and maybe not in mixed company). Putain literally
translates as whore, but tends to be used more like the word fuck in English. Not only can it be used as an
emotional reaction to something, like Fuck! in English, you can also direct it at someone in particular, a
pute (that whore). People joke that the word fuck can be used as every part of speech in English, and in
French, putain functions much the same way.
3. Chiant/a me fait chier(CHI-ant)/(sa meh fey CHIay)
This word is most commonly used in the context of a me fait chier, which translates as a more vulgar
version of that pisses me off.
4. Salope! (sal-OPE) *salop (pronounced sal-OH) is the masculine version
Youll most likely be directing this one at someone in particular, rather than as an angry expletive shouted in
response to something. It translates as bitch, and is used pretty much exactly the same way the word is used
in English. Also, like in English, you can incorporate this word into a a phrase like fils de salope (son of a
bitch).
5. Foutre/ Je men fou (FOO-truh)/(Juh men foo)
Again, although you may hear this dropped around a lot, use it with caution as foutre is the verb for to
fuck. Youll most often hear this in the phrase je men fou, which essentially means I dont give a fuck.
This also became one of my favorite phrases while I was living in Pairs and it was another one that would make
my grande tante (great aunt) cringe when it slipped out at home.
6. Con/conasse/connard (cohn)/(con-ASS)/(con-ARD)
This is often used as ass in French, though it is also sometimes translated as a milder idiot. There is a
famous movie in French titled Le Dner des Cons, which is about a group of Parisian businessmen who each
bring a con, or an idiot, to dinner and then the favorite con is chosen at the end (i.e. the guy who makes
the biggest fool of himself). If this sounds familiar, its because it was remade in America as Dinner for
Shmucks with Steve Carrell and Paul Rudd.
7. Nique ta mere! (neek tah mare)
Watch out for this curse, as it literally translates as fuck your mother. This phrase is not only extremely
vulgar, but also very offensive and should be reserved for situations when only the most extreme curse is
needed.
8. Ta Gueule! (ta-GOOL)
This is just about the rudest way possible of telling someone to shut up. While it does not really have an exact
equivalent or translation in English, its kind of like saying shut the fuck up, or shut your trap. Youll
definitely hear this in banter among friends, but it can also be used in a really insulting way.
9. Casse-toi! (kass-twah)
This French curse became the center of a French controversy when President Sarkozy was caught saying this
to a French citizen who had refused to shake his hand at an agricultural fair in France. This insult is kind of like
a very rude way of saying bugger off, or maybe even fuck off.
10. Cest des conneries! (Say-day-KOHN-ree)
Clearly this curse is related to #6 on this list, and can be translated best as this is bullshit. I particularly enjoy
this phrase and find it very useful in my daily life. I also like to throw in extra words for emphasis like Cest
vraiment des conneries! (That is REALLY bullshit).
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
Dialogue
Scenario: __________________________________________________________________________________
A thinks B is having an affair with his/her partner Visiting the Dentists Boarding a bus First day in a new job
Emotions: _________________________________________________________________________________
Fear Anger Sadness Joy Disgust Shame Kindness Pity Envy Hatred Nervousness
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Amelie
In the English section, write down the words you know and want to know
French English
Bretodeau -Un cognac, s'il vous plat. C'est incroyable, ce qui vient de
m'arriver. Ce doit tre mon ange gardien. C'est pas possible
autrement. C'est comme si la cabine m'appelait elle sonnait, elle
sonnait.

Le patron du bar -Justement, voil le micro-ondes [micro-wave] qui

m'appelle!

M. Bretodeau -Je peux avoir encore un petit cognac? C'est drle, la

vie. Quand on est gosse, le temps trane et un jour, on a 50 ans. Et
l'enfance, tout ce qu'il en reste, a tient dans une petite bote rouille.
Vous n'avez pas encore d'enfant, mademoiselle? Moi, j'ai une fille. Elle
doit avoir peu prs votre ge. a fait des annes qu'on s'est pas
parl. ll parat qu'elle a eu un enfant, un garon. ll s'appelle Lucas. ll
serait temps que j'aille leur rendre visite avant de finir mon tour
dans une bote. Vous croyez pas?
Les amoureux aux Deux Moulins

Un client -On voit que vous n'avez pas connu le grand amour.
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
Mme Suzanne -Si je l'avais pas connu, on m'aurait pas raccourci la
jambe droite.
Gina -C'tait pas en cheval?
Mme Suzanne -Oui, justement. J'tais amoureuse d'un trapziste.
J'aurais d me mfier, ils vous lchent au dernier moment! Lui, il m'a
lche quand j'entrais en piste. J'tais toute retourne et du coup, le
cheval aussi. Malheureusement, j'tais dessous! Allez! La Moresque.
Le client -Les coups de foudre, a existe.
Mme Suzanne -Je sais. Aprs 30 ans derrire un zinc, je peux mme
vous donner la recette du coup de foudre! Vous prenez deux habitus
[regular clients], vous leur faites croire qu'ils se plaisent. [they like
each other] a marche tous les coups. [every time]
Joseph -S'il vous plat! S'il vous plat!
Gina -Non!
Amlie [ Gina] -J'y vais. [ Joseph] -Vous pensez pas que vous avez
fait assez de mal comme a?
Joseph -Gina est assez grande pour se dfendre toute seule.
Amlie -C'est pas Gina que je pense, mais Georgette.
Joseph -Georgette?!
Amlie -Ouvrez les yeux! Elle vous espre et vous n'aimez que Gina!
La pauvre! Regardez ce qu'elle fait pour essayer d'attirer votre
attention. Vous tes aveugle!
Gina -Je file [Im out of here], j'ai rendez-vous. Salut!
Georgette -Au revoir. Je sais pas comment sera le nouveau, mais ce 16
sera jamais pire [worse] que l'autre timbr [nutbar] avec son
magntophone.
Amlie -Joseph est pas si timbr que a. ll souffre, c'est tout.
Georgette -a fait deux mois que c'est fini entre eux, et il vient tous
les jours. ll aime souffrir!
Amlie -Ne me dites pas que vous vous tes rendu compte de rien.
[you havent noticed]
Georgette -Comment a?
Amlie -ll s'assoit toujours l?
Georgette -Oui.
Amlie -Asseyez-vous, Georgette. Vous voyez quoi, l?
Georgette -Mon tabac.
Amlie -Et il manque rien? [Anything missing?]
Georgette -Ben, non.
Amlie -Faites un effort.
Georgette -Ben, non. Y a rien, je ne vois pas!
Amlie -Je vous laisse rflchir. Bonne nuit.

What part does the voice-over commentary play in helping us to establish the genre? What type of films do
we associate with voice-overs? Does Amlie follow the pattern of our expectations with regard to this?
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Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
What other films does Amlie remind you of? In what ways?
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We, as the audience, are captivated by the story of Amlie as its very difficult to predict what will happen
next. Were also never sure whether what we see will be part of the real world or fantastical in nature
the first time an element of the unreal is introduced we are delighted and surprised and from then
on we watch intently in case we miss another magical moment.
Amlie counts the orgasms of everyone in Paris
the cat likes to listen to childrens stories
What is another example of this?
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How does the theme music for the film add to the overall fairy tale quality?
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What is the tone of the narrator? What does this add to the tale? What information does he give us that we
would not otherwise know?
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Would you use a narrator in your film? Why or why not?
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Which scenes do we see through windows, binoculars or video cameras and what effect does this have?
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Where in the film is TV footage used and why?
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Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

Do Now
1. Write in figures cent soixante-quinze.

2. Youre told an item costs quatre-vingt-quinze euros. Is that 4,25, 85,00, 95,00 or 40,15?

3. Whats 78 in French?

4. How would you write 65 in words on a cheque?

5. Fill the gap to say that the CD costs 17,49: Le CD cote ________euros __________.

6. Whats the total cost in French of two tickets, one costing 5,20 and the other 7,75?

French Phrases
Hello / Good day / Good morning

Good evening

Good night (only said when going to bed)

Hi / Bye

Goodbye

Please (formal) S'il vous plat

Please (informal) S'il te plat

Thank you (very much)

You're welcome. (formal) (also Go ahead/After Je vous en prie.

you)

You're welcome. (informal) De rien

Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
Welcome (also You're welcome in Quebec) Bienvenu(e)

See you in a little while A tout l'heure

See you later A plus tard

See you soon A bientt

See you tomorrow A demain

Yes

No

I'm sorry Je suis dsol(e)

Excuse me! (pushing through a crowd) / Sorry! Pardon !

(stepped on someone's foot)

Let's go Allons-y !

How are you? (formal) Comment allez-vous ?

How are you? (informal)

Very good

I'm fine (in response to a va ?)

Bad

Not bad

Dialogue
Scenario:__________________________________________________________________________________
Emotion: __________________________________________________________________________________
Dialogue: __________________________________________________________________________________
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Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

Le fabuleux destin d'Amlie Poulain

How does the title give us clues as to what the story will be about?
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How does the tag line Shell change your life? add more information?
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The main image what is the expression on Amlies face and where is she looking?
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What are the main colors used?
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What fonts are used?
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1. Describe the character of Amlie.
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2. Do you think it is a problem that the film presents a highly-stylized image of Paris? Why might the filmmaker
have done this?
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3. How does the film try to engage our senses? Why might the director do this?
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4. Is the film realistic? Why?
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Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

French English
la gare [train station] Un mendiant [qui refuse
daccepter largent dAmlie.]

-Non merci,ma petite dame. Je ne travaille jamais le

dimanche.

Le narrateur -Souvent le week-end, Amlie va voir

son pre en train.

Amlie -Profite de ta retraite pour . . .

M. Poulain -Pour quoi faire?

Amlie -Pour voyager, Tu n'as jamais quitt Enghien.

M. Poulain -Quand on tait jeunes, avec ta mre, on

aurait bien voyag, mais on ne pouvait pas. cause
de ton coeur.

Amlie -Oui, je sais.

Poulain -Maintenant, euh, maintenant . . .

Le narrateur -Parfois, Amlie va au cinma.

Amlie -J'aime me retourner dans le noir pour voir le

visage des autres. Et puis j'aime reprer [to spot] le
dtail que personne ne verra jamais. Mais je n'aime
pas quand les conducteurs regardent pas la route.
[Elle regarde un film en anglais.]

Le narrateur -Amlie n'a pas d'homme dans sa vie.

Elle a essay mais a n'a pas t la hauteur de ses
esprances. [She was disappointed.]
Le narrateur -En revanche, elle cultive le got des
petits plaisirs, plonger la main dans un sac de grains,
briser la crote d'une crme brle avec la pointe
d'une cuillre. Et faire des ricochets [to skip stones]
sur le canal St-Martin. Lui, c'est l'homme de verre.
cause d'une maladie, ses os se cassent comme du
cristal. Ses meubles sont donc molletonns
[cushioned]. Une poigne de main [handshake ]
pouvant lui briser les mtacarpes, il ne sort pas. Le
temps n'a rien chang. Amlie se rfugie toujours
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
dans la solitude et se pose des questions sur le
monde et sur cette ville. Par exemple, combien de
couples ont-ils un orgasme cet instant? [Quinze!]

Dialogue
Think about two characters.
Who are the two characters? What is the relationship between them?
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How do the characters feel about each other?
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What are the characters hiding from each other or trying to tell each other?
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Script
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Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
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Seven Game
Fly Swatter
Phonebook

Seven Game
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
Do Now
What qualities do you think makes the dialogue of a movie interesting?
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Screenwriting Advice
Which 3 pieces of advice do you want to remember for your own screenplay?
1) ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2) ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3) ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Screenplay Rubric
Criteria Target Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Below

Good Screenplay includes a large
Dialogue amount of dialogue. The
dialogue between
characters seems like
genuine talk that would
occur between people. It is
engaging and is consistent
with the characters
personality.
Screenplay has a sufficient
amount of dialogue roughly
40% minimum, and is close to
what it would sound like if
people were talking to
eachother. It is engaging but at
times may not be consistent
with the characters personality.
Screenplay has a minimal use of
dialogue and does not read as is
does not read like genuine
talking. It does not help the
story and there is considerable
inconsistency with the
characters traits.
Screenplay has little to no
dialogue and it is written
without considering how
people talk to eachother. It is
incoherent, does not fit with
the story and it does not
consider the characters
personality.

Coherent The story is an engaging tale
Story and is creative and thought-
provoking. The story keeps
the reader in suspense,
makes sense, and helps to
promote the core message.
The story has elements that
keep the reader interested. The
story does not trail off in a
direction that leaves the
message behind.
The story is somewhat boring
and the reader may not find it
worth their time. The story
doesnt entirely make sense
and there are areas that dont
seem to suggest a real scenario.
The message is muddled but
can still be recognized.
The story is boring or has no
real direction to keep the
audience interested. There
are many parts that dont
make a lot of sense. The
message is lost and there is
no reasoning behind why
things are happening.

Core The core message is clear
Message and concise. It addresses
some sort of social or
psychological truth found in
humanity.
The core message is well The core message is nearly lost There is no core message
known but somewhat hard to and may not be a message that and the writing has no true
pull out of the writing. It does has any real meaning in our life. purpose or reasoning that
address some truth in our lives. makes valuable.

Grammar Students are considerate of
grammar and make sure to
write all aspects of the
screenplay with sound
punctuation, sentence
structure and spelling
Students make a good effort
towards grammar and most
aspects have good sentence
structure, correct punctuation
and spelling.
Students make little effort to
focus on good grammar but the
story is written with grammar
that is good enough to allow
people to understand.
Many errors in sentence
structure, punctuation, and
spelling.

Characters The characters are well
Developed developed and they are
believable and genuine in
their makeup. The writer
provides many specifics to
make aware what the
characters personalities
looks like.
The characters are believable
and are consistent in their
makeup but lake details. The
writer does not provide enough
specifics to create a well
rounded understanding of the
characters personalities.
The characters do not seem real
and are superficial or artificial.
There are few details that
address who the person is and
they do not make a well
rounded or believable
character.
Characters are not
developed and there are no
details as to what the
person likes, or who they
are. There is no real identity
that speaks to the people in
the story.
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
Screenplay Analysis
Circle the elements that you would like to focus on for your own movie Evidence from Amelie
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
French Review
Quel ge avez-vous ? J'habite ... Tu habites o ? Tu es d'o? De rien
Tu t'appelles comment ? Je m'appelle... Enchant(e) Tu as quel ge?
Je vous en prie. O habitez-vous ? J'aians Vous tes d'o ?
A bientt S'il te plait Je suis dsol(e)

What's your name? (informal) ____________________________ My name is... _________________________

Nice to meet you _____________________ Where are you from? (formal) _____________________________
Where are you from? (informal) ____________________________ I am from... _________________________
Where do you live? (formal) ________________________________ I live in___________________________
Where do you live? (informal) ____________________________ Please _______________________________
How old are you? (formal) ______________________________ Im sorry ______________________________
How old are you? (informal) ___________________________ I amyears old __________________________
See you soon ____________________________ You're welcome. (formal) _____________________________
You're welcome. (informal) ______________________________ Please _______________________________
New Vocabulary

Do you speak French? (formal) Parlez-vous franais ?

Do you speak English? (informal) Tu parles anglais ?

I don't speak Spanish. Je ne parle pas espagnol.

Do you understand? (formal) Comprenez-vous?

Do you understand? (informal) Tu comprends?

I don't understand Je ne comprends pas

I don't know Je ne sais pas

Can you help me? (formal) Pouvez-vous m'aider ?

Can you help me? (informal) Tu peux m'aider ?

Of course Bien sr.

I beg your pardon? / I'm sorry? Comment?

Where is... ? O est ... ?

Where are... ? O sont ... ?

Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
Here is / are Voici

There it is. Voil

There is / are Il y a

There was / were Il y avait

Answer and Response
1) Ask someone if they know how to speak a strange language. Write their response.
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2) Ask someone if they understand a strange language. Write their response.
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3) Ask someone if they can help you do something outrageous. Write their response.
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4) Ask someone where something difficult to find in the room is. Write their response.
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Dialogue
Write a dialogue using vocabulary from today and the past. The more vocabulary you include, the more points
you get for this activity. Include an interesting scenario and emotion for additional credit.
Scenario:__________________________________________________________________________________
Emotion: __________________________________________________________________________________
Dialogue: __________________________________________________________________________________
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Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

Do Now
Which of the elements of developing a good dialogue below do you think your screenplay does effectively so
far? Which do you think you need to work on? How do you plan on working on it?
Strong dialogue does the following:
1) Combines distinct voices
2) Reveals character and character relationships
3) Propels the action forward
4) Conveys pertinent information or exposition
5) Prepares an audience for events to come
6) Grows out of events in the past

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Strategies to Improve Your Dialogue
Speak it out loud. Always test your dialogue by speaking it out loud yourself. If you stumble over the
words, an actor will, too.
Let other people read it out loud. Sometimes, you cant tell whats wrong with an exchange until
youve heard it. The dialogue may sound great in your head and lousy out loud. See what an objective
reader has to say.
Build your scene toward some point. Every line, every speech, and every scene culminates in some
resounding moment. Know what shift your scene is building toward and eliminate any detail that
distracts an audience from it. If the man gets the girl at the end of the scene, make it difficult for him
to do so, but not impossible.
When in doubt, cut it out. Too many images, silences, or words clutter up the action. You have
minutes (sometimes seconds) of screen time for every scene. One image can speak volumes; one
well-phrased line may resonate for pages. Try not to repeat yourself. Keep your story moving
aggressively forward.
Avoiding Bad Dialogue
If you know what kind of dialogue to avoid in advance, you may be better equipped to write a convincing
scene. Take a look at these top five dialogue offenders, so that you can avoid these pitfalls:
1) Too on the money
This type of dialogue tells rather than suggests. In these scenes, characters divulge information with seemingly
no reason to do so. As a result, the dialogue sounds manufactured instead of organic.
A: Dad, I cant tell you how glad I am that you called. Ive been waiting all these years for some sign that you
missed me.
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
B: Of course I missed you, honey. Ive been so miserable here alone. Just hearing your voice makes me want
to cry.
The conversation would sound more natural with silences, hesitancy to speak, or awkward stops and starts.
Theyre speaking for the first time after an extended absence how comfortable can they be? Heres how I
might rework it:
Dad, I cant tell you how . . . I mean, its been so long, you know? I guess Im just really glad you called.
I know. Ive missed you too.

2) Too repetitious
Repetition is a great tool for crafting rhythms. However, like any technique, it can become overbearing.
Repetition of first names, phrases, or ideas has a tendency to slip into first-draft dialogue uninvited and
overlooked.
A: Larry, can you hand me that wrench?
B: This wrench? Sure thing, Phil, Id be happy to.
A: Thanks, Lar, this wrench works on everything.
B: No problem, Phil. Ive got a wrench like that at home.
We rarely use first names more than once or twice in everyday conversations. They slow down your line, so
strike them whenever you can. Also, make sure every line of the dialogue takes you somewhere else. This
exchange sounds better if you keep the first line and a few words more and then alter the rest. For example:
A: Hey, Larry. Can you hand me that wrench?
B: Sure thing. Careful though, its Dads.
A: Right. He used this to fix just about everything when we were young, didnt he?
B: Pretty much. Everything except his marriage, that is.

3) Too similar
When characters begin to sound alike, scenes become about information and not about people. If I can close
my eyes and identify a speaker by the sound of her voice, youve done a good job crafting the dialogue. If all
the characters sound alike, youve got work to do.
A: Did you go to the party last night?
B: Yeah. Were you there?
A: Yeah. It was great, huh?
B: Pretty great, yeah.
Heres a potential rewrite:
A: Did you go to the party last night?
B:Hell yes. Never miss a party, man. Never, never miss a party. Were you there?
A: Yeah. It was okay
B: Okay? Man, whats wrong with you, that party was stellar from jump.

4) Too long or wordy

Lengthy dialogue often suggests a novice writer. You dont need many words in film because pictures do most
of the work. Opinionated discourse and philosophical discussions have no place in drama unless the fate of the
world rests on the outcome of that debate. Characters raving about a cause or standing on a soapbox should
be sent home.
The campus didnt act on this one because the administration doesnt care. Most large organizations are so
adept at sending messengers to do their work for them, or putting someone on hold while they grab lunch, or
nodding and looking the other direction that theyve forgotten how to act. Nothing happens anymore without
red tape. If a question doesnt come with red tape, theyll put some on it and hire someone to take it off. This
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
wasnt always the case, but it is now. Good luck trying to get the campus to act; Ill be surprised if you even get
a foot in the door.
This entire speech is one opinion. Nothing new is said after the second line. If you cut it by a third and give the
person a clear reason for ranting, the speech may get interesting. Heres a potential reworking:
The campus didnt act, because the administration doesnt care. You think theyll listen to you now? No way.
Theyll get some secretary to intercept you, theyll put you on hold, by the time theyre done with you, youll
be nothing but a mound of red tape. No, its a lost cause tryin to get this administration to act. Wont even
get your foot in the door.
5) Too flat
By flat I mean that no ones in control of the scene. When characters have the same amount of power, their
conversations tend to be dull.
A: He shouldnt have gone behind my back.
B: Thats true. He shouldnt have done that. And well tell him.
A: Yeah. Well show him whos boss.
Active dialogue often depends on two people vying for control of the scene. If you pit these two characters
against each other, the scene is more exciting. Notice how conflict enhances dialogue as vividly as it enhances
action.
A: You had no right to go behind my back.
B: Youre right. Im sorry. It was stupid to even try.
A: Damn straight. And youll pay for it, too.
B: Or you could just let it go. After all, you owe me. Remember?

Whos in control? Letting status enhance your scene

Power dynamics and the changes therein are the most important elements of any cinematic exchange. Why?
Because the moment status shifts between two people is the moment a scene becomes active. We dont go to
the movies just to hear people talk; we go to watch them win or lose or both in rapid succession. And while
you can always go back and revise scenes with status in mind, it helps to spin a scene around it from the start.
The following exercises are meant to help you do just that.
One-Upmanship
The formula for this scene is simple. Create two characters, quickly imagine what their relation- ship is, and set
them in a location. Public locations are often better when you start, as the possibility of humiliation is high,
but really any space will do. Now I want you to imagine that status will shift in this scene EVERY TIME a
character speaks. In other words, if Character A begins in control of the power, shell lose it or gain more the
moment Character B opens his mouth. For example, consider this dramatic set-up:
Amy is head librarian at a prestigious university. Ben is her relatively new assistant. The two of them are
placing labels on a large stack of books at the main desk. The following are five lines of dialogue in which
status shifts every time:
AMY: Ben, really, you might consider taking some pride in your work.
BEN: And you might consider loosening up.
AMY: And you might consider that I am your superior, and insubordination is not tolerated here.
BEN: So fire me. I dare you.
AMY: Dont think I wont. Just because your father owns this university does not mean there wont be a
consequence for your every action.
In this example, each character regains power on their line. Bear in mind its just as much fun to let one
character continue to relinquish power while the other continues to take it:
AMY: Ben, you really might consider taking some pride in your work.
BEN: Youre right. Im a complete failure at orga- nization.
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
AMY: Ive tried not to mention it, but its true. I dont know anyone less competent at his job than you are.
BEN: Oh it doesnt stop there. Im a failure at everything I attempt. Look at me, Im a wreck!
One Swipe at a Time
The formula for this scene is similar to One- Upmanship, with one exception. You allow Character A to remain
in power for a little while, script in a natural pause, and then let Character B take control immediately after.
For example:
AMY: Ben, youre completely inept at this job. And Im sorry, really, to have to be the one to tell you this. Im
sorry to rain on your seemingly unending parade, but if not me, then who? Are you listening to me?
BEN: Im listening, yes.
Ben begins to stamp library books with surprising gusto. One after another after another after. . . .
AMY: Because thats another thing. Your attitude is pathetic. We took a chance on you here, and it was a gift,
let me tell you. There were other people up for this job, people more qualified and, frankly, more interesting.
People Id be happy to see on a daily basis.
Ben pushes the pile of books off the desk with one swipe of his hand. The resulting crash echoes through the
space for a moment.
BEN: Were you born a monster, or is that an acquired skill?
In this scenario, Ben has just taken control of the scene. He may remain in control for awhile before Amy
regains it, or this line may mark the end of the moment.
Both formulas can be attempted at any stage of your writing process. Theyre helpful when youre just
beginning to flesh out your characters, and when youre trying to revise a scene that seems stagnant. The
important thing is that power is always changing hands. If a characters actions are motivated by a desire to
win or a fear of losing, something will always be happening in each scene.

French Review
O est ... Comment? Tu peux m'aider ? Pouvez-vous m'aider ? Je ne comprends pas
Parlez-vous franais ? Bien sr. O sont ... ? Voici Tu parles anglais ? Voil Il y a
Il y avait Je ne parle pas espagnol. Comprenez-vous? Tu comprends? Je ne sais pas

Do you speak French? (formal) ________________________________________________________________

Do you speak English? (informal) _______________________________________________________________
I don't speak Spanish. ________________________________________________________________________
Do you understand? (formal) __________________________________________________________________
Do you understand? (informal) ________________________________________________________________
I don't understand __________________________________________________________________________
I don't know _______________________________________________________________________________
Can you help me? (formal) ____________________________________________________________________
Can you help me? (informal) __________________________________________________________________
Of course __________________________________________________________________________________
I beg your pardon? / I'm sorry? ________________________________________________________________
Where is... ? _______________________________________________________________________________
Where are... ? ______________________________________________________________________________
Here is / are _______________________________________________________________________________
There it is. _________________________________________________________________________________
There is / are _______________________________________________________________________________
There was / were ___________________________________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

Do Now
How does your film follow or not follow the Three-Act Structure?

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Script Analysis
Go to http://www.imsdb.com/ and choose a scene from a movie to analyze
A. Choice of words and sentences: Everyday or formal? long or short? _________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
B. Choice of peculiar characteristics -- dialect? ____________________________________________________
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C: What emotions do you think characters are expressing themselves with? ____________________________
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D: Which character dominates the scene? How do you know? _______________________________________
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E: What is the setting and location of the scene? How does it impact the characters? _____________________
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F: What new information do you learn from the scene about the characters and scenario? ________________
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue
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G: What is your favorite line from the scene? Why? ________________________________________________
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H. Structure of lines and speeches -- how does it support the delivery of the message of the film? How so?
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I: Does the scene help move the story forward? How so?
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J: What is the structure of the script like? How is it different or the same from your structure?
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Amelie Discussion Questions
What other films does Amlie remind you of? In what ways?
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We, as the audience, are captivated by the story of Amlie as its very difficult to predict what will happen
next. Were also never sure whether what we see will be part of the real world or fantastical in nature
the first time an element of the unreal is introduced we are delighted and surprised and from then
on we watch intently in case we miss another magical moment.
Amlie counts the orgasms of everyone in Paris
the cat likes to listen to childrens stories
What is another example of this?
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How does the theme music for the film add to the overall fairy tale quality?
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What is the tone of the narrator? What does this add to the tale? What information does he give us that we
would not otherwise know?
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Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

Would you use a narrator in your film? Why or why not?

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Which scenes do we see through windows, binoculars or video cameras and what effect does this have?
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Where in the film is TV footage used and why?
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Do you think the film represents France today? How would you explain its success outside of France?
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What do you think of Amelies spying and meddling in other peoples problems?

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What is the message you think the film is trying to communicate?
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What elements of this film would you want to use (or not use) in your own?
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If you would give the movie a score of 1 (worst) -10 (best), what would you give it? Why?
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Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

Jeopardy
Words I Know Words I Dont Know
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue

Fly Swatter
Phonebook
Count to six
Name: __________________________________ French Dialogue