Learning How to Read What Isn’t Written

Actors spend a lot of time learning dialogue, but some of the most useful information in a script never appears in the dialogue at all. It lives underneath what the characters are saying.

People rarely say exactly what they mean in real life. We soften things, avoid subjects, change direction halfway through conversations, and sometimes say the opposite of what we actually feel. Characters do the same thing. If an actor only works with the literal meaning of the words, an entire layer of the scene can disappear.

This is where subtext becomes important.

Subtext does not mean inventing a secret meaning for every sentence. It means paying attention to the circumstances surrounding the words. If someone says, “I’m fine,” the line itself gives you very little information. The relationship, what happened immediately beforehand, and what the character stands to lose may tell you much more.

The script usually gives you clues. A character changes the subject at a strange moment. Someone answers a question with another question. A seemingly unimportant comment gets repeated later. The writer may never explain why, because the explanation is meant to come through behavior.

This is why I encourage actors to spend time reading a script without immediately deciding how they are going to perform it. Look at what is actually happening between the characters. Notice where the conversation changes and what caused it. Pay attention to the places where a character could say something directly but chooses not to.

Once you begin working this way, dialogue becomes much more interesting because the words are no longer carrying the entire scene.

It also keeps actors from overplaying. If you understand what is underneath a moment, you do not necessarily have to show the audience that you understand it. You can allow the information to affect you and trust that the camera or the audience will pick up more than you think.

Some actors make the mistake of trying to demonstrate subtext. They emphasize a word or add a look because they want to make sure everyone understands the hidden meaning. Usually, that makes the moment less interesting. In life, people often work very hard to hide what they are thinking. Allowing that tension to exist without explaining it can make a scene much richer.

Learning to recognize subtext takes time because every script handles it differently. The more material you work on, the better you become at noticing what a writer has given you and what has deliberately been left unsaid.

At TLS Acting Studio, script work is an important part of training because understanding the text gives actors more freedom once they are on their feet. You do not have to manufacture complexity when you have learned how to recognize what is already on the page.

Enrollment is currently open for online classes and in-person training in North Hollywood. If you are interested in joining class or learning more about training with me, reach out for current scheduling and enrollment information.