Recognizing Films with Aside and What it Means

Have you ever watched a movie in which the character is deep in thought. And then all of a sudden he or she speaks directly to you? It’s totally out of the original context of the film. But the character says just a few words to help you, the audience, know what’s happening in his or her mind? Many films have what is known as an aside which is also sometimes called breaking the fourth wall in filmmaking. Learning how to recognize films aside and what it means to the overall narrative is important for anyone that is new to screenwriting.

What is an Aside?

An aside is a technique used in screenwriting and literature in which characters break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience, albeit, just for a quick second or two. In film, an imaginary wall exists between the character and the audience.

Most of the time, there is no direct communication between the two, but every once in a while there is an aside in film and the character will express his or her inner thoughts to the audience, acknowledging that they are currently in a film, but otherwise venting to the camera and, the audience, in the process.

What Happens when a Character Breaks the Fourth Wall?

The fourth wall represents the imaginary wall that exists between the camera and the audience or the character and the audience. This wall is rarely broken, as to do so would render films not so much movies but more a two way or one way conversation — it would be much different than the current, most common narrative that is used.

Breaking the fourth wall occurs when a character decides to clue the audience into what they are thinking, by simply telling them rather than by using the typical character narrative and acting the scene out.

They do this so well, that you may not even realize that it happened — that is unless you’re a filmmaking professional or an aspiring screenwriter that understands these kinds of things.

Films with Aside

So what are some films that feature an aside? There’s actually many more than you may realize.

Classics include:

• Annie Hall
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• American Psycho
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• Spaceballs
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• Fight Club
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• Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
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• Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
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• High Fidelity

There are many many more films aside and if you haven’t noticed them, you certainly will now!