Dialogue or no

[scroll-lock]

I hope you understood my question - The question is: Do you think it`ll be easier to make a short with dialogue or without. Without dialogue: Easier to make /because I don`t have to record voices/ but harder to achieve the same effects I want to say. With : Easier for animation /or not:eek:/ but harder to script it.... I have been thinking about that for 3 months now.. and I can`t decide :(

[mindsample]

I hope you understood my question - The question is: Do you think it`ll be easier to make a short with dialogue or without. Without dialogue: Easier to make /because I don`t have to record voices/ but harder to achieve the same effects I want to say. With : Easier for animation /or not:eek:/ but harder to script it.... I have been thinking about that for 3 months now.. and I can`t decide :(

I think deciding what kind of film to make based on whether to use dialogue or not is the wrong approach and not worth the hassle. Instead think about what kind of film you want to make, what you want to achieve and then you will automatically know whether dialogue is necessary or not. If you create something like Baginski's "Cathedral" you wont need dialogue as it is entirely event and environment driven, if you choose to do a more pixar or disney kind of short you will most likely need it.
Lipsyncing can be hard to animate, but it can be even harder to express a character just through facial expressions. There is no answer to your question unless you figure out what kind of film you want to make.
Good luck!

[pgraham]

if you choose to do a more pixar or disney kind of shortLike Luxo Jr, Knick Knack, Tin Toy, Geri's Game, For the Birds? No dialogue in those...
I don't think it's wrong to set a dialogue requirement before writing the story. Depending on resources, it may not be feasible to write, record, and animate dialogue. It's often hard enough to write dialogue that sounds natural. I do agree that the decision to use dialog will usually be obvious once you decide on a story concept.

but it`ll be much more harder to write it If i don`t use dialogueThat sounds to me like you have a concept in mind that requires dialogue. You've also spent 3 months thinking when you probably could have written a lot of story. Just use dialogue and get moving.

[mindsample]

Like Luxo Jr, Knick Knack, Tin Toy, Geri's Game, For the Birds? No dialogue in those...

... as opposed to their feature films. And shorts like Geri's Game might not have a conversation using spoken words, but the old guys character is strongly supported by the choice of sounds and mumbles and laughs he makes, in fact it is something that makes this character unique and supports the whole internal monologue/dialogue he is having. Same with the birds, without their gossipy, bitchy chirping they would be half as funny.
I believe all these things should be considered dialogue and I dont think such examples can be put on the same level as i.e. "The Cathedral" which simply has no dialogue.

[pgraham]

I believe all these things should be considered dialogueI would guess that's a gray area when you consider both story and production cost. I think it would be much easier to add grunts, breathing, maybe a dramatic scream or groan at the end of The Cathedral than it would be to write and produce a spoken dialogue or monologue for it. And some grunting wouldn't change the story at all, because music and lighting drive the story. It's different in Geri's Game, where the music and lighting don't change; the story is communicated by editing and voice work. In the case of either short, the story doesn't really have room for spoken language.

For scroll-lock, if your story idea needs dialogue then I think you should commit to it. If you think it will cost too much then you should write a story that doesn't require dialogue.

[scroll-lock]

Thank you for your answers! My idea really needs and developed as dialogue one, but I`m really considering to redo the idea because it`ll be much more cheaper. I still don`t know If it`s a good decision to remake it though :( But I guess I`ll listen to pgraham and just stick to my original idea.

[mindsample]

Thank you for your answers! My idea really needs and developed as dialogue one, but I`m really considering to redo the idea because it`ll be much more cheaper. I still don`t know If it`s a good decision to remake it though :( But I guess I`ll listen to pgraham and just stick to my original idea.

I really dont think that making a story with dialogue is harder than without. What is going to make it hard or easy is how well developed and technically challenging whatever it is you are going to do. Dont strip the dialogue because you think it might be too much work, in fact in my opinion dont even think about the technical side of things while you develop the story. Instead figure out the technical stuff based on your story once it is finished and "perfect" ...
There is always a way to cheat, trick and solve technical problems, and it won't matter as long as the story is great.

[scroll-lock]

....dont even think about the technical side of things while you develop the story. Instead figure out the technical stuff based on your story once it is finished and "perfect" ...

:) Very nice advice... I guess I`m looking at it too technical /I`m 3d artist at first place, not a storyman :( /. In fact.. I always think first how it can be done in 3d and after that I make and modify the story... I guess it`s a wrong aproach. Thanks for your time. Hope I`ll be here soon with finished script ;)

[CG_Fan597]

You can most definitely make a short without dialogue. Just use a lot of mime and gestures. Remember, gestures often speak a lot louder than words. Just make sure they are clear gestures, though. If it's something that the viewer doesn't understand, you might lose them. But there are a lot of good cartoons out there that often go minutes without dialogue. Think about Fantasia and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Without even knowing what they're saying, we know what the story's about. And if we took away the introduction to that segment and the music, we'd still be able to figure it out. So if you want to do a story without dialogue, go for it! :)

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