The Scene
"The structural unity of the parts is such that, if any one of them is displaced or removed, the whole will be disjointed and disturbed. For a thing whose presence or absence makes no visible difference is not an organic part of the whole." - Aristotle
A SCENE is a unit of action that takes place in one location at one time. And in a screenplay, a scene must push the story forward and/or reveal character. If it does neither, kill it!
The importance of asking questions to develop character and explore story is often quite helpful, but question asking should never be limited to people and plot alone. The scene is just as important and essential to movie making. After all, a film is just a bunch of scenes strung together to create a comprehensive whole. The trick is to write scenes that are clear and concise, while still engaging the reader/viewer in a creative way.
So give it a try; explore these 50 questions and begin writing better scenes by finding answers to these essential scene elements.
The Big Ones:
1. What is the purpose of the scene?
2. Is the scene related to the rest of the story?
3. How does it advance the story?
4. Does it reveal something important about the character?
Read more: Scene Questionnaire
We can analyze a scene and make sure we are including essential elements by asking a number of questions:
1. Is it clear whose scene it is, and what he or she wants?
2. What is the conflict of the scene? Is it with one or more of the characters, with the circumstances or the surroundings of the scene, or is the conflict within the character?
3. Where and when does the scene take place? Could another time or location serve to heighten the impact?
4. What characters are present at the beginning, which ones enter during the scene, and who is there at the end?
5. Is any new character introduced? If so, does the introduction give the audience a glimpse into the nature of the character and make the character memorable enough?
6. Where were the characters before the scene started, and where are they going after it ends?
7. Has time been eclipsed since the last scene? If so, is it clear to the audience that time has passed and how much time has passed?
8. Do the actions of the characters fit their ‘through lines’?
9. Are the actions of the characters clear and motivated? Do they reveal character and/or move the story forward?
10. Is there any use of dramatic irony?
11. Is there unity of action?
12. Is the scene thematically related to the rest of the story?
13. Are the obstacles difficult enough? Are they too difficult?
14. Are the events plausible? Must disbelief be suspended? Do tese events obey the “rules” of previously suspended disbelief?
15. Does the audience know what might go right or wrong within the sene?
16. Does the dialogue reflect character? Is it natural? Forced?
17. Are the inner lives of the characters revealed through action, dialogue, and reaction?
18. Are any elements of the future used? Should they be used? Does the scene bring the action of the story too much to a standstill? Or does it propel the story forward?
19. Are there visual and audio clues and suggestions?
20. Does the scene belong in the story being told?
We can analyze a scene and make sure we are including essential elements by asking a number of questions:
1. Is it clear whose scene it is, and what he or she wants?
Read more: Scene: Essential Elements
A scene is a complete unit in of itself, with a beginning, middle, and end. And a feature is just a whole bunch of scene put together to tell a larger story. So therefore scenes are the many essential parts put together in the right way to complete the whole.
Here are some important scene questions to answer:
1. What is the purpose of each scene? How does it advance the story? Does it reveal something important about the character?
2. Whose scene is it? What does he/she want? What is his/her obstacles to getting it? What is the conflict in the scene?
3. Is the scene static? Give your characters something to do in the scene! Introduce your characters in motion. Use the location. Give them an activity or ‘business’; otherwise, they just stand around and talk, talk, talk.
4. Do all your characters sound the same? Think the story through in each of your character’s minds. Do they have an accent? Do they smoke or make the same grammatical mistake? Does their profession color their speech?
5. Are you using mood and sound to create a feeling for the scene.
6. Are you starting the scene as late as possible and getting out early?
7. Do your scenes contrast? Night/Day, Int./Ext., Action/Peaceful? For example, a claustrophobic scene in a jail cell cut to a scene in a row boat in the middle of a mountain lake. Read your script scene after scene - is a scene too much like the one just before it? Is it another four page dialogue scene? Does it take place in another smoke filled room? Think of ways to use contrast: other possibilities, places, and scenarios.
8. Do you have scenes of preparation and aftermath? We need moments when we are alone with the character - where we really get to know him/her. These are the moments, usually before or after important scenes of conflict in a script when we really are in the shoes of the main character. We are drawn into his/her mind set. We know what he/she is facing or has just faced, and we understand what he/she is thinking. Mood, music, and props are often very important to these scenes.
A scene is a complete unit in of itself, with a beginning, middle, and end. And a feature is just a whole bunch of scenes put together to tell a larger story. So therefore scenes are the many essential parts put together in the right way to complete the whole.
Read more: Eight Scene Questions
Scenes require visual movement. And scene description should include detailed information concerning one or more of the following areas:
1. The physical location of the scene.
2. Indications about the world of the story.
3. Which characters are present, and indications of their physical condition or appearance.
4. The specific actions of the various characters.
5. An indication of the image size, motion of the camera or the character, and/or a hint at the compositions of visuals within the frame, without dictating exact particulars to the director.
6. Clues about the style of story being told and about the style of the individual scenes when there are changes from present to flashback, from reality to fantasy, from surreal to lucid.
7. Contrasts between scenes or between various moments within scenes.
8. Indications about changes in pace and rhythm.
9. Indications of light, texture, and color.
10. Indications of sounds, both objective and subjective.
Scenes require visual movement. And scene description should include detailed information concerning one or more of the following areas:
Read more: Visuals: Ten Vital Areas
Setting - Where are we?
Atmosphere/Mood - What is it like there?
Introduction - Who is it we are dealing with here?
Exposition - Necessary information. Quick and Clever.
Transition - getting from one place to another. Fast.
Preparation - What will it take to prepare for the task at hand?
Aftermath - How does the character feel about what just happened?
Investigation - Gathering information.
Revelation - The reader/audience finds out something important.
Recognition - The character finds out something important.
The Gift - Using a prop with emotional investment and turning it into a weapon, emotional or otherwise.
Escape - The character is trying to get away, avoid, or hide.
Pursuit - The character is trying to follow, capture, or secure.
Seduction - Someone must convince someone else.
Opposites - Two characters from seemingly opposite poles are forced together.
Reversal of Expectations - A character expects a certain, very clear outcome, but another character surprises him, influencing him/her to reverse his/her intention and do something else - practically the opposite of what he/she planned to do.
Unexpected Visitor - Someone unexpected shows up. Problems arise.
The screenwriter uses lots of different kinds of scenes to accomplish very specific parts of the overall story. Sometimes the main purpose of a particular scene is to establish setting, or deliver exposition, or reveal important information.
Read more: Types of Scenes
