As screenwriters we have to find ways to tell the audience the information that's crucial for them to know to understand the story. The easiest way to do this is to have one of your characters share that information in dialogue so the audience can hear it. That's called using expository dialogue, and when done right it's a great solution. Problems arise, however, when there is not a good reason in the scene for the character to say the information. In these cases screenwriters sometimes try to shoehorn the information in anyways and end up with bad expository dialogue.

For example, imagine you have two siblings talking to each other and you want the audience to know the names and occupations of their parents. If you were using bad expository dialogue you might end up with a line like, "What time are our parents, John and Mary, getting home from their jobs as lawyers?"

Why is bad expository dialogue a problem?

The answer is simple, bad expository dialogue is a problem because people don't talk that way! They audience can tell that your characters, who are supposed to be talking to each other, are really talking for the benefit of the audience. In the example above, the siblings would both know their parents names and the fact that they're lawyers. There is no reason for them to mention that, so it's clear that line of dialogue only exists so the audience will learn the parents' names and the fact that they're lawyers.

That example is obviously exaggerated, but it illustrates the point that bad expository dialogue breaks the reality of the scene. Movies and TV shows are built on the suspension of disbelief. Audiences know they're watching something fake, but they can suspend their disbelief and feel like they're watching something real. This lets them invest emotionally in the characters and the stories. Bad expository dialogue reminds them it's fake and ruins the illusion.

How do you know you're using bad expository dialogue?

You'll know you're using bad expository dialogue when it's not motivated by anything in the scene that you're writing. That means there is no reason for the characters to be saying this. If you find yourself writing a line of dialogue just for the audience's benefit, alarm bells should be ringing in your head.

Here are a few warning signs:

• A character uses a phrase like "as you know" or "as you remember"
• A character asks a question they already know the answer to
• A character explains something to another character who already knows that information

A test is to pretend like there is no audience. If this was just two people talking and no one was watching them on a screen would they actually say the dialogue?

How do you avoid bad expository dialogue?

The trick is to find a way where the characters can share the information that is motivated by the scene. You can do this by flipping a couple of the warning signs above on their head. If it's bad to have a character asking a question they already know the answer to, then have a character who doesn't know the information ask the question. And if it's bad to have a character explaining something to another character who already knows that information, then have them explain the information to a character who doesn't know the information.

The simplest way to do that is to introduce a new person. That's why countless TV pilots and movies have a character who is new to the team, job, friend group, or living situation. Since this person doesn't know anything it's natural for them to ask questions and for other people to explain things to them. They're learning the same things that the audience is learning, so they're acting as the "audience surrogate."

Give it another job

Another strategy is to give the dialogue another job besides explaining the information. The character could be sharing their opinion on the information, or they could be revealing an aspect of their character, like their optimism or cynicism. You can also create a conflict or disagreement about exposition, use it as a joke, or countless other things.

This is a reminder that not all expository dialogue is bad. Take the movie The Martian as an example. Most of the dialogue in that movie is expository, but it's still really fun. Matt Damon's character is constantly explaining what he's doing to survive on the planet Mars when there isn't really a reason to do that, but the expository dialogue is also revealing his character (showing how he's staying optimistic), his sense of humor, and his commitment as a scientist to expanding human knowledge. Plus, it's life and death so as an audience we're invested in the stakes. He's using the exposition to set up the challenges he's facing, which keeps us hooked because we want to know the outcome.

It doesn't have to be dialogue

Finally, remember that film and TV are visual mediums. There are other ways of sharing information besides characters saying it aloud. Don't be afraid to show things to expand the audience's knowledge of the story.

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