The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

When a scene suffers because the players are talking too much, this is “talking heads.” Talking a lot isn’t inherently bad, but if it impedes the story, it helps to know how to address the issue.

Go to the action – When talking about doing something gets in the way of actually doing it, go to the action. Stop talking and start doing. If the action can’t be done in the immediate moment, do something that moves you closer to what you’ve been talking about.

Elma and Roz have been talking about going snowboarding. They’ve discussed where they’re going, whom they’ll see, and where they’ll stay. When Roz realizes that they’ve become talking heads, she pulls out a suitcase and starts packing her snow gear.

Raise the stakes – Another way that excessive talking can be problematic is when it feels like marking time. When this is the case, raise the stakes. Reveal something important that lies beneath the surface. Conversations become compelling when something matters.

Troy and Alondra are discussing the merits of a painting hanging in a museum. After a while, Alondra realizes that they’ve become talking heads. She raises the stakes by telling Troy, “Keep an eye out for the guard.” Then she pulls it off the wall and starts removing the canvas from its frame.

When a scene suffers from talking heads, physical action or emotional engagement will make it compelling again.