History Main / DramaticDownstageTurn

*** Perrin actually does the exact same thing during her first episode ("Sarek"), when Picard comes to her quarters to confront her about her husband's illness.

* Quite common in the original ''Franchise/PerryMason'' television series. Especially frequent during the courtroom scenes to add movement and interest during witness testimony.

** One occurs in "Unification I" from season 5. Amanda (Spock's mother) performs it during her scene with Picard. She goes for more of a "preoccupied" kind of downstage turn, but it's understandable since she is distraught over her son's apparent [[spoiler:defection]].

A Dramatic Downstage Turn is a theatrical method used for forcing the focus onto one of the characters, creating a dramatic effect. In theater, the character usually moves slightly downstage (i.e., toward the audience), and may even move into a spot that has more stage lights illuminating it, emphasizing her over other characters in the scene. This maneuver is an extreme version of "Cheating Out", where actors orient their bodies unnaturally so as to be more visible to the audience. In TV or film, where the camera replaces the audience, the character may turn directly to the camera, away from the other characters, or walk closer to the camera while other characters remain slightly behind in the background (and possibly out-of-focus).

Please note: This is not an InternalMonologue! The characters are still having a conversation here; it's only that one character is drawing focus by no longer facing the others.

A Dramatic Downstage Turn is a theatrical method used for forcing the focus onto one of the characters, creating an artificial dramatic effect. In theater, the character usually moves slightly downstage (i.e., toward the audience), and may even move into a spot that has more stage lights illuminating it, emphasizing her over other characters in the scene. This maneuver is an extreme version of "Cheating Out", where actors orient their bodies unnaturally so as to be more visible to the audience. In TV or film, where the camera replaces the audience, the character may turn directly to the camera, away from the other characters, or walk closer to the camera while other characters remain slightly behind in the background (and possibly out-of-focus).

Please note: This is not an InternalMonologue! The characters are still having a conversation here; it's only that one character (for no good reason other than the RuleOfDrama) is drawing focus by no longer facing the others. It's an unnatural positioning, which is usually very noticeable. Most viewers will simply [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality accept it]], if the scene is gripping enough.

''Alice and Bob are having a discussion or argument. In a moment of pure angst, Alice turns away from Bob towards the camera, walks a short distance forward, and continues the conversation — now facing ''away'' from Bob (and toward the audience), breaking any sort of eye contact with him. Surprisingly, the conversation continues as though nothing happened.''

A Dramatic Downstage Turn is a theatrical method used for forcing the focus onto one of the characters, creating an artificial dramatic effect. In theater, the character usually moves slightly downstage (i.e., toward the audience), and may even move into a spot that has more stage lights illuminating it, emphasizing her over other characters in the scene. This maneuver is an extreme version of "Cheating Out", where actors orient their bodies unnaturally so as to be more visible to the audience. In TV or film, where the camera replaces the audience, the character may walk closer to the camera while other characters remain slightly behind in the background (and possibly out-of-focus).

For 500 extra cliché points, television gives us the possibility of a Downstage Turn Volley: Alice does a Downstage Turn, now facing the camera, with Bob in the background. Bob then moves in front of Alice and turns to face her, forcing eye-contact. The camera then jumps to a different position, and Alice makes ''another'' Downstage Turn in this new direction. Repeat for more {{Narm}} as required. A variation on the above is when a furious Alice Turns while [[IFeelAngry explaining that she's furious]] with Bob, then whips back around when he asks why, to give the dramatic {{Reveal}} that she knows about his affair... and an ashamed Bob Turns the other way to mutter his excuses.

Since [[SeenItAMillionTimes this trope appears constantly]] in almost every SoapOpera in existence, as well as SoapWithinAShow shows, examples from such shows are not required here. Please list only parodies or examples from other genres.

** Also ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', usually when Sisko is having a long, involved chat with someone.

[[AC:Film]]

* Quite common in the original ''Series/PerryMason'' television series. Especially frequent during the courtroom scenes to add movement and interest during witness testimony.

* In a recent episode of ''CovertAffairs'', Auggie and Parker, by this time [[spoiler:his fiancée]], have such a moment when he "reveals all" while [[spoiler:being held hostage]].

For 500 extra cliché points, television gives us the possibility of a Downstage Turn Volley: Alice does a Downstage Turn, now facing the camera, with Bob in the background. Bob then moves in front of Alice and turns to face her, forcing eye-contact. The camera then jumps to a different position, and Alice makes ''another'' Downstage Turn in this new direction. Repeat for more {{Narm}} as required.

The Turn is practically ubiquitous in melodramatic works, where it is used in order to show that a character (usually female) is in a very emotional state. It also gives the actress a chance to ham it up a little, and may even be used to break into a soliloquy.

* Quite common in the original ''PerryMason'' television series. Especially frequent during the courtroom scenes to add movement and interest during witness testimony.

* Parodied in ''GreystoneInn'', when the main characters are interviewing a woman who used to work for a soap opera; she keeps Downstage Turning, and they react the way one might expect if someone tried this in real life. Argus finally gets fed up and forces her to resume normal eye contact, at which point she admits that she can't work for a comic strip.

* A staple in British soap operas, particularly Eastenders.

* In a recent episode of ''CovertAffairs'', Auggie and Parker, by this time [[spoiler:his fiancée]], have such a moment when they have their first argument while [[spoiler:being held hostage]].

* In ''{{Freelancer}}'', there's a cutscene where Trent and Juni talk to Dr. Sinclair at her dig-site. She does the Dramatic Downstage Turn several times in close proximity, like a goddamned revolving door!

* ''TheChasersWarOnEverything'' once did a [[CandidCameraPrank candid-camera segment]] where one of the presenters went around inserting Dramatic Downstage Turns into everyday conversations.
* Parodied in ''GreystoneInn'', when the main characters are interviewing a woman who used to work for a soap opera; she keeps Downstage Turning, and they react the way one might expect if someone tried this in real life. Argus finally gets fed up and forces her to resume normal eye contact, at which point she admits that she can't work for a comic strip.
* There are several instances of this during ''[[StarTrektheoriginalseries Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', especially during dramatic scenes featuring female cast members. This should not be surprising, as it was very common in many TV series of the period. One simple example appears in a conversation between Leila and Spock near the end of the episode "This Side of Paradise".

''Alice and Bob are having a discussion or argument. In a moment of pure angst, Alice turns away from Bob towards the camera (or, in Theatre, the audience), possibly walks a short distance forward, and then continues the conversation — now facing ''away'' from Bob (and toward the audience/camera), breaking any sort of eye contact with him. However, the conversation ''continues just the same''.''

A Dramatic Downstage Turn is a theatrical method used for forcing the focus onto Alice and exploiting it for dramatic effect. In theatre, the character usually moves slighty downstage (i.e., toward the audience), and may even move into a spot that has more stage lights illuminating it, emphasizing her over other characters in the scene. This maneuver is often referred to as "Cheating Out". On TV or film, the character walks closer to the camera while the other character remains slightly behind in the background.

The Turn is practically ubiquitous in melodramatic works, where it is used for showing that a character (usually female) is in a very emotional state. It also gives the actress a chance to ham it up a little, and may even be used to break into a soliloquy.

Please note: This is not an InternalMonologue! The characters are still having a conversation here, except one character (for no good reason other than the RuleOfDrama) is drawing focus by no longer facing the others. It's an unnatural positioning, which is usually very noticeable. Most viewers will simply [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality accept it]] if the scene is gripping enough.

The Downstage Turn placement may persist for the entire rest of the scene if required. Bob might close the distance a little, but he will ''not'' turn away nor remove his focus from Alice. He will keep looking at her as though she's still making eye-contact - this serves to keep the viewers focused on her as well.

More often, the Turn is eventually broken. Alice could simply turn around of her own volition. Alternately, Bob might physically grabs Alice by the StandardFemaleGrabArea and spins her 180 degrees to re-establish eye contact. If this results in SlapSlapKiss, you win a Daytime Emmy.

For 500 extra cliché points, there's also the possibility of a Downstage Turn Volley: Alice does a Downstage Turn, Bob proceeds to force eye contact by moving ''in front of her'' (and turning to face her), causing Alice to make ''another'' turn in the opposite direction. Repeat for more {{Narm}} as required.

* There are several instances of this during [[StarTrektheoriginalseries Star Trek: The Original Series]], especially during dramatic scenes featuring female cast members. This should not be surprising, as it was very common in many TV series of the period. One simple example appears in a conversation between Leila and Spock near the end of the episode "This Side of Paradise".

* Quite common in the original PerryMason television series. Especially frequent during the courtroom scenes to add movement and interest during witness testimony.

Since [[SeenItAMillionTimes this trope appears constantly]] in almost every SoapOpera in existence, as well as AllMyCircuits shows, examples from such shows are not required here. Please list only parodies or examples from other genres.