'Imaginary companion' the obvious choice for me too but could be made more interesting if it's a character somehow connected to the Protagonist's past/present, and they have a running dialogue which illuminates character traits/conflicts etc. You could introduce them for real towards the end to considerable effect. Another risky possibility is have him talk directly to camera - the audience as the 'imaginary friend', but make this clear immediately ("I know you don't exist but I'm gonna talk to you anyway" etc.). That opens up another line of possibilities depending on what comes later. Good luck!

If we're talkin' Haiku, then I'd suggest reading a Walter Hill script like Alien or the Driver. So, taking Scott's note a step further, (I haven't seen Life of Pi yet. It's on my list, Scott!), but maybe when the protag gets marooned he has a paper notebook/diary which you can use as a talisman, with the device of the notebook falling apart or pages running out as a visual metaphor for his remaining hope. FYI, Robinson Crusoe kept a diary and I'm also assuming the dude is marooned here on Earth somewhere. Perhaps make the Voiceover/dialogue/diary entries become more & more concise and snappier as the movie proceeds, as if he's trying to conserve paper (life). What about conversing with a smartphone's personal assistant, like Siri or some such (I know Siri works in the cloud, but it's not that big a suspension of disbelief). If he has a solar recharger, he can keep the phone working, even though he's out of reach from a cell tower or the internet. Maybe he gets rescued when someone eventually puts up a cell tower nearby. Or if he sporadically gets 5 bars (as they're testing the tower), but when he phones for help, he gets nothing, making him think he's losing his mind.

Not conversing with Siri, but involving Siri. Maybe our protag says something when he's dictating his diary or using his phone. Siri pops up with a pithy comment or two. Also, phone & solar charger. Maybe a full days charge only gives our protag a few minutes of usage, which gets shorter as time progresses and the battery deteriorates.

Hey Scott, I have a question about dialogue and improv. Is it OK to write things that basically leave it up tot he actor. Liek instead of actual dialogue, putting things in like "He rants" and Mumbles to Himself." Or something like "he jokes with the cashier"? Not huge moments, but like little things that actors can add their own touch to? I was just wondering how to approach this. Thanks!

i was wondering about ad lib, too. is that acceptable or is it considered lazy to let them ad lib with the vibe of the scene for anger or humor or crying, etc... how would one insert that into a screenplay (sparingly, of course)? 2nd question for me is regarding an argument or discussion that involves people speaking over each other at some points... how do you write that? of course i can't think of a scene for example.

Hi Robert, I just wrapped my first draft of a contained story. Here's my two cents. How big is the place your character's marooned in? How much can he move around and explore? He's likely to run into something- an animal, cave, mysterious manmade structure, whatever. That will trigger some response on his part. If he has to ask questions its natural. Does he seek the action ie will he choose to crawl into the cave. What does he find on his way in? Is he curious to see where it leads? In the case of an animal does he chase after it into a dark cave or up an oak tree? I'd try and corner a cobra if we're the only living things for miles. In between it's natural i'd say something. Mumbling's ok if it has to be done. I'd want at some part the audience to think "that's stupid, man. don't go in there" but at the same time make them understand why he has to do it. This has always worked. Down the road try to put some time limit on how long he can sit around doing nothing. Thanks.

re: point #2, that's called dual dialogue. If you're using Final Draft, Celtx or some other, there should be a mode that puts each character's dialogue in side by side columns like this: http://www.scriptwritingsecrets.com/DualDialogue.htm

thank you! that was helpful!

Depending upon the actors, the director, the type of movie, the shooting schedule and so forth, it's pretty much a lock there will be improvisation going on in terms of how lines are read, changing lines, trying out new lines, etc. That said, a writer needs to write the dialogue. I'm reminded of an anecdote. When Carl Reiner was the producer of "The Dick Van Dyke Show," a writing team landed a gig writing an episode. They turn it in, then a few minutes later hear Carl screaming from his office. They enter and he's fulminating about their pages. Carl: What the hell is this? [reads script] "Dick enters and does some funny stuff." Writers: Yeah, you know, let Dick do his thing, something funny. Carl: That's not how it works. You're the writers. You WRITE what that funny stuff is. THEN Dick will work with it when we shoot. Besides by opening that door -- "He mumbles something funny" -- the writer is in effect breaking out of the story universe, acknowledging that there are actors who will be playing the roles. I would say stay IN the story universe as if everything that's happening and being said is actually happening and being said. Unless you are Christopher Guest or Mike Leigh who rely hugely on improvisation...

Anyone else think this could be an interesting weekly (depending on Scott's view and workload) feature on GITS ? "Screenwriting Conundrums" ? (Insert more interesting title here). This could be actual difficulties faced by writers or even fiendish 'artificial' suggestions. Another way to get creative circuits going while possibly helping fellow writers...