The Writer’s Playground Series – Screenwriting: The Silent Scene

Screenwriting: The Silent Scene

• Objective: To practice visual storytelling and conveying emotion and plot through action alone.
• How to Play: The group is given a simple scenario (e.g., “A character is waiting for an important phone call,” “Two characters have a fight and one decides to leave”). They must then write a one-page scene in proper screenplay format with no dialogue. All information must be conveyed through character action, expression, and interaction with the setting.
• Best for: Visual storytelling, screenwriting fundamentals, and subtext.

Example:

Prompt: “A character is waiting for a very important phone call.

[SCENE START]

INT. APARTMENT – NIGHT

SOUND of pouring rain, distant city traffic

A cluttered, lived-in apartment. A single, warm lamp cuts through the gloom, illuminating a worn-out SOFA and a COFFEE TABLE covered in mail, a half-empty mug, and a single, half-taped CARDBOARD BOX.

LEO (40s, face etched with worry) sits on the edge of the sofa. His eyes are locked on the smartphone sitting face-up on the coffee table.

The PHONE remains dark. Silent.

Leo gets up. He paces the small room like a caged animal. He stops at the window, peers out at the rain-slicked street below. Nothing. His reflection in the glass is tired and pale.

He returns to the phone. Picks it up. Checks the signal bars. Full. Checks the battery. 82%. He puts it back down with exaggerated care, as if it might break.

He sees a half-finished book on the end table. He picks it up, opens it to a random page, and stares at the words without reading them. After a moment, he snaps it shut. Useless.

His gaze lands on a pile of mail. An envelope with a red, angry-looking “FINAL NOTICE” stamped on it peeks out from underneath a takeout menu. He quickly looks away.

The phone suddenly BUZZES and LIGHTS UP.

Leo flinches, snatching the phone in a heartbeat. His eyes scan the screen.

It’s a push notification: “Your food delivery is approaching!”

A wave of pure frustration washes over his face. He stabs a finger at the screen to dismiss the notification, his hand trembling slightly. He sets the phone down, harder this time.

He collapses back onto the sofa, defeated. He runs a hand through his hair and stares at the ceiling, letting out a silent, exhausted breath.

And then…

The phone RINGS. A jarring, generic ringtone that shatters the quiet.

Leo freezes solid. He stares at the vibrating phone. The screen glows with an incoming call from an “UNKNOWN NUMBER.”

One ring. Two rings. He doesn’t move. He just watches it, as if it’s a snake.

On the third ring, he takes a deep, shuddering breath. A decision made. He leans forward, picks up the phone. His thumb hovers over the green “accept” icon.

He swipes.

He brings the phone to his ear.

We watch his face. It’s a mask of pure, neutral tension. His eyes are wide, listening. His knuckles are white where he grips the phone. A bead of sweat trickles down his temple.

Five long seconds pass.

Then, something in his expression shifts. The tension in his jaw slackens. His eyes soften, then squeeze shut for a moment.

A slow, incredible smile spreads across his face. It’s not a happy smile; it’s a smile of pure, unadulterated relief, as if a great weight has just been lifted from his soul.

He leans his head back against the sofa, eyes still closed, the smile fixed on his face as he continues to listen.

FADE TO BLACK.

[SCENE END]