Film Courage: What is subtext?
Judith Weston, Coach, Teacher and Author: The subtext is the thing that is not being said. If I say:
I’m very happy to meet you.
What am I not saying? The thing I’m not saying is:
I’ve been waiting for this appointment for six months and I can’t understand why it took so long?
And then:
Or is it something else? It’s the thing that’s not being said and so that can come in a lot of forms. It can be the history. Again somebody asked:
How are you?
And I say:
I’m fine.
I don’t give you my whole medical history. It’s a long one and so I don’t give that to you but that’s always behind every time I say:
I’m fine, I’m a little bit grateful that I’m still alive.
That’s the subtext for me.
Here’s a great way to explain subtext, let’s say that you have renovated your house, renovated your living room and put a lot of time and energy and money into it and then a friend comes to the door for the first time and they come in and they say:
Oh, you changed everything around?
What’s the subtext?…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
BIO:
Judith Weston has, for 35 years, brought tools and confidence to filmmakers and actors, with books, workshops, and one-on-one consultations. In 2015, after 30 years of teaching in-person workshops and classes to thousands of film and television directors, screenwriters, writer-directors, and actors around the world, Judith closed her studio space and shifted her focus to one-on-one consultations with directors and writer-directors of film and television as they prepare to bring their projects to life. She can be available for Zoom Q&As and workshops with schools, festivals, and organizations. Judith Weston has been a teacher of directors, actors, and writers since 1985. She has written two books, DIRECTING ACTORS: 25th Anniversary Edition: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television and THE FILM DIRECTOR’S INTUITION: Script Analysis and Rehearsal Techniques (via Michael Wiese Productions).
CONNECT WITH JUDITH WESTON
BUY THE BOOK – DIRECTING ACTORS: 25th Anniversary Edition: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television
BUY THE BOOK – THE FILM DIRECTOR’S INTUITION: Script Analysis and Rehearsal Techniques
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