How to Shoot and Edit a Dialogue Scene

Learn to shoot dialogue on set, advanced techniques for manipulating the pacing and emotional intensity of the scene, how to work with changing background ambience, and techniques to improve actors' performance.

How to Shoot and Edit a Dialogue Scene

Developed by Jason Tomaric, FilmSkills
ABOUT THIS LESSON
The power behind a performance isn’t limited to an actor’s work on camera, but how the editor cuts the performance in the editing room.  The pace at which you edit a scene, whom you choose to show on screen, the degree of overlap of dialogue, and a narrative understanding of the scene are tools that help you mold the scene into a visually arresting moment with just the right emotional intent.
 
In this module you will learn the correct and incorrect ways of shooting dialogue on set, advanced techniques for manipulating the pacing and emotional intensity of the scene, how to work with changing background ambience, techniques for balancing the visual performance with the dialogue, how to mix the audio, ultimately how to get the best performance through the edit.
 
Learn the techniques to direct the scene after it was shot and improve the performances in the editing room.
  • 34:27 video that teaches you how to properly shoot and edit a dialogue scene
  • Complete companion guide
  • Guide on time management as an editor
  • A complete walkthough of how a dialogue scene is edited
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
  • The incorrect way and the correct way to shoot a dialogue scene
  • How to properly edit a scene between two people
  • How to mix the audio between two actors
  • How to create L-type and J-type edits
ABOUT THE LESSON AUTHOR
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Jason Tomaric

Jason Tomaric

Director, Cinematographer Los Angeles, California
Jason J. Tomaric is an Emmy, Telly, and CINE Award-winning director and cinematographer of four internationally-distributed feature films, dozens of national television commercials, music videos, and the largest film training content library in the world, published author of 8 books - used in many top universities, and creator of AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform. 
 
Jason has worked in Los Angeles and around the world in over 20 countries. His clients include Disney, NBC/Universal, National Geographic, McDonald’s, Toyota, Scion, Microsoft, and Paul Mitchell, with narrative work screened at Sundance, Slamdance, and South by Southwest film festivals as well as on Netflix and on all broadcast networks.
 
Jason has taught and/or guest lectured at some of the nation's most prestigious film schools including UCLA, Columbia College, John Carroll University, Kent State University, San Francisco State, University of Notre Dame, and numerous film festivals.
 
Jason has written eight industry-defining books, all sold in bookstores, and used in film schools around the world. The American Society of Cinematographers hails Jason's books - "There are no wasted words in Tomaric's tome, which concisely summarizes each facet of the director's craft.  It's difficult to think of a step in the process that Tomaric fails to address." 
 
Jason’s DVD training series on Hollywood film production have trained filmmakers in over 40 countries, with distributors in Europe, Hong Kong, New York and Australia.
 
In 2010, Jason launched FilmSkills, which combines the world’s largest film training video library with his proprietary learning management system.  Adopted by 47 universities within the first year, FilmSkills is now the leading industry-standard training solution for motion picture and television production.
 
In 2015, Jason launched AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS LESSON
Brad Schwartz

Brad Schwartz

Editor, Emmy-winning "Top Chef"
Brad Schwartz is a TV & Film Editor whose credits include Top Chef (season 3): winner of the 2008 Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Editing. He is also noted for his work on the the acclaimed documentary Rebirth of a Nation, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Commissioned by STARZ Entertainment, Brad was priveleged to be the first editor to ever recut D.W. Griffiths’s Birth of A Nation – often considered the most seminal film in American history. Brad holds a B.A. in Film Studies from Weslyan University and an M.F.A from the American Film Institute (AFI Conservatory), where he
was recipient of a Sloan Scholarship.
Jason J. Tomaric

Jason J. Tomaric

Emmy-winning director/Cinematographer
Jason J.Tomaric is a multiple Emmy, Telly and CINE Award-winning director and cinematographer. With four feature films, sixty commercials, music videos and an educational DVD series on the market, Jason's approach to filmmaking has made for a successful, fulfilling career. Jason has worked in over 20 countries as a director and has taught at some of the nation's most prestigious film schools including UCLA and the New York Film Academy. Jason's book, "Filmmaking"(Focal Press) is available in bookstores worldwide.
 
Jason is also the creator of FilmSkills.