Why Every Screenplay Needs Subtext for Everything

A single image can express deep meaning, speak to the story's theme and communicate a character's inner emotions more powerfully and eloquently than words.

This is how subtext works. It's not just for dialogue. I find it really helpful to 'watch' my characters in a situation, and then wait. Wait for them to tell me what to write. It can be speech, of course, but very often I find that one simple image can express what my character is feeling without having to tell the audience.

Nuanced development of a character often means letting your visual storytelling powers take over.

That wonderful scene in La Dolce Vita at the Trevi Fountain - look how eloquent that visual subtext communicates everything we need to understand and most importantly, feel the characters' emotions.