THE ANATOMY OF A SCENE

THE ANATOMY OF A SCENE


WHAT IS A SCENE?

A SCENE IS A CHARACTER BITING OFF A LITTLE PIECE OF WHAT HE OR SHE WANTS AND GOING AFTER IT.


THE SCENE: A CONFLICT WITH A BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END

Does the scene possess its own beginning, middle and end? Each scene in your screenplay is like a mini-movie: it must establish, build and resolve a situation. (Hauge 150)

Thus a scene has its own dramatic curve, which follows the rules of drama as does its big brother, the movie itself. But while a movie should be dramatically self-contained the resolution of a scene should create a new problem and thus a new scene. (the sheriff’s decision to leave the town forces his moral anguish, which causes him to turn around)
And the resolution of the second problem should, in turn, create yet a third problem and thus a third scene. (Pope xix)



STRUCTURE OF A SCENE

SIMPLE RULE: GET IN LATE -- GET OUT EARLY

START RIGHT BEFORE THE CONFLICT AND GET OUT WHEN IT’S RESOLVED

TOO MUCH SET UP AND CONCLUSION WILL KILL A SCENE


1 .SET UP,

SHOULD BE QUICK AND CREATE INTEREST

2. THE CENTRAL CONFLICT

THIS IS THE HEART OF THE SCENE AND SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF THE SCENE

A SCENE’S CONFLICT RISES FROM THE HEROES WANTS

3. GET OUT WHEN CONFLICT IS RESOLVED

SCENE SHOULD END WITH A FORWARD THAT COMPELS THE AUDIENCE TO ANTIPICATE THE NEXT SCENE.



THE SCENE NEEDS TO CHANGE THE SITUATION

1. DRAMA ABOUT STRUGGLE – PEOPLE NEGOTIATING PERSUADING STRUGGLING – AT THE END OF A SCENE THERE IS A NEW SET OF AFFAIRES
2. A CLEAR RISE OR FALL IN THE HEROES FORTUNES
3. A BATTLE THAT’S WON OR LOST



WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHARACTERS TO UNDERSTAND A SCENE


1. WHAT EVERY CHARACTER WANTS
a. WHAT EVERY CHARACTER WANTS AT EVERY POINT IN YOUR SCREENPLAY
b. ESPECIALLY WHAT THEY WANT IN THE SCENE YOU’RE WRITING
c. MAKE UP A CHARACTER GOAL TO ACCOMPLISH THE WRITER’S GOAL
d. AUDIENCE MUST NOT SEE WHAT YOU WANT
e. SEE WHAT YOUR CHARACTER WANTS




2. WHAT EVERY CHARACTER KNOWS (SECRETS)

A. WHAT EVERY CHARACTER KNOWS ABOUT THE SITUATION
B. PUT YOURSELF IN YOUR CHARACTER’S POSITION AND WHAT KNOW WHAT HE OR SHE KNOWS
C. YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS PAST AS LONG AS YOU KNOW WHAT HE OR SHE WANTS AND KNOWS
I. THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CHARACTER BIOS

3. RELATIONSHIPS

A. WHAT DOES EVERY CHARACTER THINK OF THE OTHER?
B. YOU DID THIS ON A LARGER SCALE NOW ASK THE QUESTION IN EVERY SCENE.
C. IT WILL AFFECT THE WAY YOUR CHARACTER BEHAVES AND CREATE SUBTEXT.
D. WE NEVER TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH
I. YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES
II. GET THEM ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN YOUR SCENE LOOKING FOR WHAT YOUR CHARACTERS REALLY MEAN.
III. DO THIS ON A LARGER SCALE







WRITER’S GOAL VS CHARACTER’S GOALS

1. COMES UP WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EXPOSITION
2. REMEMBER: EXPOSITION WILL EMERGE FROM CONFLICT
A. CONFLICT IS THE HEART OF EVERY SCENE
B. IN CONFLICT CHARACTERS USE INFO AS AMMUNITION
3. PUT CHAR INTO AN ARGUMENT AND EXPOSITION WILL COME OUT
A. DON’T SLIP IT IN
B. SOMETIMES A CONFLICT WON’T SUGGEST ITSELF
C. YOU KNOW WHAT EXPOSITION YOU NEED IN THE SCENE SO MAKE UP A CONFLICT THAT REVELS IT THAT’S YOUR JOB
D. MUST BE IN LINE WITH WHO YOUR CHARACTERS ARE



TACTICS

1. CHARACTERS WILL USE SEVERAL TACTICS TO GET WHAT THEY WANT
2. TACTIC REVEAL CHARACTER
3. BE AWARE THAT CHARACTERS USE A VARIETY OF TACTICS TO GET WHAT THEY WANT
A. DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES -
I. BEG, CAJOLE, THREATEN, INTIMIDATE, DEBATE, TRICK, AND SCHEME
4. YOU CAN USE ALL KINDS OF TACTICS TO GET A CHARACTER TO ACCOMPLISH A GOAL
A. THINK OF WHAT SPECIFIC TACTIC YOUR CHARACTER WOULD USE IN EACH SITUATION
B. MAKE SURE THAT THE TACTIC OR CHOICE IS PLAUSIBLE
C. YOUR AUDIENCE KNOWS WHEN YOUR CHARACTERS ACTIONS ARE CONSISTANT.


SETTING AND LOCATION TO INHANCE SCENES

FISH OUT OF WATER – COMEDY
PUTTING CHARACTERS IN LOCATIONS WITH AN AUDIENCE

MAKE SURE YOU COME UP WITH A DRAMATIC SITUATION FIRST


WRITE IN MASTER SCENES

1. N0 SHOTS OR CAMERA DIRECTIONS


HOW LONG IS A SCENE?

1. 2 TO 5 PAGES IS A GOOD BAROMETER
a. HAVE A GOOD REASON TO WRITE A SCENE LONGER THAN 5 PAGES
b. TOO MANY SHORT SCENES WILL MAKE YOUR SCRIPT FEEL CHOPPY