How did Jean-Luc Godard make Breathless without a conventional script?

Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless (1960) was famously produced without a conventional script, relying instead on his highly improvisatory filmmaking procedures.1

To manage the narrative without a pre-written screenplay, Godard utilized the following methods:

• Overnight Sketching: Godard would sketch out the dialogue the night before filming.1
• Continuous Revision: He revised the dialogue between and during rehearsals, allowing the film to evolve dynamically during production.1
• On-Set Direction: In some instances, Godard would even speak the characters' lines to the actors from behind the camera while the scene was being filmed.1

This approach was part of a broader stylistic shift associated with the New Wave, which favored location shooting with handheld cameras and elliptical editing—most notably the "jump cut"—to create a fresh, disconnected effect. These techniques were not only an artistic choice but also a pragmatic solution that allowed Godard to produce his films quickly and inexpensively.231