Planning · ScreenwritingNO.158 / 166
01
When to use it
Goodbyes, reconciliations, confessions, secrets; any emotionally heavy conversation.
02
Prompt template
Rewrite this dialogue with subtext: characters never state their feelings directly, expressing them through avoidance, changing the subject, small gestures, or saying the opposite. Keep the meaning, make lines shorter, and note in brackets what each line really means. Dialogue: [write here]
03
Sample prompt · ask a chat model
This one is written for chat models like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini: replace the ideas in brackets with your own and it will help you write the story or revise the script.
Rewrite the dialogue below with subtext: the characters don't say their feelings directly but show them by avoiding, changing the subject, small gestures or saying the opposite. Make the lines shorter, note in brackets what each line really means, and finally give the expression and action that go with each line so I can write them into the video prompt. Dialogue: Mother: “Did you lose your job? I'm so worried about you.” Son: “Yes, I was let go. I feel terrible and I didn't dare tell you.”
04
Common pitfalls
- Characters say “I'm so sad” or “I love you” outright, like reading an instruction manual.
- Subtext so obscure the audience can't follow at all.
- No matching expression or action, so the emotion can't be read once AI generates it.
05
Parameter tips
Keep lines short; in the video prompt, write the real emotion into the performance (for example, “eyes look away as she says she's fine”).