Information Dump

Exposition is a powerful and oft necessary tool for the fiction writer. Whether you’re writing a novel, movie or short story, exposition is an effective means of conveying necessary facts and background information. This can be achieved through a diary, a note, newspaper clipping, a picture, message on a phone, through the narrative or any number of other ways. But beware of going overboard. Too much exposition can lead to an “information dump,” or “idiot dump.”

One of my numerous pet peeves with many of the shoddy movies coming out of the Hollywood money making machine these days is over using exposition. It’s frustrating to be watching an otherwise average or decent movie then all of a sudden, through the course of what feels like an eternity of dialog, a character reveals in brutal, painstaking detail, all the backstory of a person, organization or event. In one fell swoop we know everything there is to know. This information dump is sometimes referred to by those in the field as an “idiot dump” for obvious reasons. It’s an insult to the viewer’s intelligence. It’s lazy writing. It’s ugly. Don’t do it!

One humorous example was demonstrated on the series Mystery Science Theater 3000. In Parts: The Clonus Horror, there is a scene where a character watches a tape that explains a company’s background and plans in meticulous detail. Tom Servo chimes, “Good thing he wandered into the Department of Backstory!”

So, we get the idea. Don’t treat the viewer, or reader, like an idiot. Don’t be lazy. For a great explanation of exposition and its proper use, please refer to pages 66-68, 103, 173, 206 and 208 of David Trottier’s The Screenwriter’s Bible, 4th Edition.