DZ-38: Excelling at Exposition (Part 2)

Listen to learn how to use exposition as dramatic revelation rather than mere information delivery.

In the second part of Draft Zero's two-part episode on "Exposition", Stu & Chas take an even deeper look at this notoriously challenging part of screenwriting. For many stories there are pre-existing facts (or given circumstances) that need to be communicated to an audience, and often we rely on dialogue to do it. But exposition can do more than just communicate, it can serve as dramatic revelation that twists a story into a new direction or provides an emotional payoff - or both!. So how do great writers make exposition work for the story, rather than just tell audience stuff they need to know? And how can writers go wrong?

To that end, we look at GONE GIRL, SHUTTER ISLAND, GHOSTBUSTERS: ANSWER THE CALL, THE MATRIX, THE MATRIX RELOADED, and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER. Audio quotations are included for educational purposes.

It should go without saying but in case you missed it SPOILERS AHEAD.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

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FILMS

• GONE GIRL (2014) — (w) Gillian Flynn, Gillian Flynn (d) David Fincher
• SHUTTER ISLAND (2010) — (w) Dennis Lehane, Laeta Kalogridis (d) Martin Scorsese
• GHOSTBUSTERS (2016) — (w) Katie Dippold, Paul Feig (d) Paul Feig
• THE MATRIX (1999) — (w) Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
• THE MATRIX RELOADED (2003) — (w) Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
• CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014) — (w) Christopher Markus, Stephen Mcfeely (d) Joe Russo, Anthony Russo

SCRIPTS

• Study the script: GONE GIRL (2014) — Gillian Flynn, Gillian Flynn
• Study the script: SHUTTER ISLAND (2010) — Dennis Lehane, Laeta Kalogridis
• Study the script: THE MATRIX (1999) — Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
• Study the script: THE MATRIX RELOADED (2003) — Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski

LINKS

• Read: Compiled PDF of all screenplay excerpts for Part 2

EPISODES IN THE EXPOSITION SERIES

• DZ-58: Game of Thrones - Character Exposition
• DZ-37: Excelling at Exposition (Part 1)
• DZ-38: Excelling at Exposition (Part 2)

RELATED EPISODES

• DZ-37: Excelling at Exposition (Part 1)

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Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2016/dz-38/