Duet Acting Scripts - Write Your Own!
Duet acting scripts are difficult to find on the Internet. If
you've done any poking around at all in search of one, you
already know this. But there is an alternative. More important,
it's an alternative that will not only help hone your acting
skills, but also aid you in understanding your characters even
better.
The solution?
Write your own duet acting scripts.
I know. I know. Writing's scary. But this doesn't need to be a
painful process or even a particularly difficult one. In fact,
it can and should contribute to your inventory of acting skills
by forcing you to become more in touch with and more observant
of the world of characters already all around you. Especially
those who might otherwise go unnoticed.
And that's the key to writing your own duet acting scripts:
observation. The better you are at observing, the easier the
writing is going to be.
Ready to get started?
The easiest, most direct path to writing your own scripts is to
start a swipe file. If you aren't familiar with a swipe file,
this is a term that's often used in marketing and copywriting
circles. A good copywriter will save ads, brochures, and mailers
that he comes across so he can learn from them and refer back to
them when he's developing his own ad campaigns. Now, he doesn't
just copy this material and present it as his own. He simply
draws upon it for inspiration and guidance.
This is what you should be doing, too. You won't be looking at
ads, of course, but you will be carefully observing the
interactions of the people around you and recording your
observations.
For example, you're in the checkout lane at the store, picking
up a few groceries, and the checker is chatting with the bagger.
They're talking about the date the checker went on the night
before and how it was a dud. That's a duet script.
For example, you take your dog into the veterinary office for
his annual series of shots and there are two other dog owners in
the waiting room. One has a dog with a broken leg that's
healing. The other has a puppy that's tugging on the chain, full
of energy, wanting to play with the healing dog. Gradually, you
see the tension growing between the two dog owners until it
suddenly spills over into a conversation about responsible dog
ownership. That's a duet script.
For example, you're at the local bookstore, reading a mystery
and enjoying a cup of coffee, when a woman comes through the
door, admonishing her elderly mother about the fact that she
doesn't get out enough. That's a duet.
These are everyday occurences. They happen all around you. But
you know what makes them worth your attention? They reveal
character. Each and every one reveals character. And that's what
a good duet script should do.
It won't take you long before you'll have a fairly weighty file
of these situations, trust me. Most of the writing is already
done for you. The words that are exchanged in these situations
are honest words. They cut into the heart of each person. And
they're all right there for the taking.
Now, there's a very simple technique you can use to take a
single situation and turn it into multiple duet acting scripts.
You change the characters. Instead of the mother and daughter
coming through the door, it's a mother and son. Instead of the
daughter concerned about her mother not getting out, have the
mother concerned about her daughter. Try a bitter daughter. Try
a meek daughter. Try a guilty daughter. Try a blind daughter.
The potential for unique characters is endless. You already have
the foundation in hand. All you need is to explore the
possibilities.
Writing a duet acting script doesn't have to be overwhelming.
Using the techniques we've touched upon here, you'll not only
build a great library of scripts, you'll expand your
understanding, empathy and awareness of character.
It's worth the extra effort. Try it. You'll see.