FROM STEP TO 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.

A SCENE IS A FLESHED OUT STEP
1. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STEP YOU SHOULD FEEL YOU COULD WRITE THE SCENE.
2. CONTINUALLY SHARPEN YOUR STEPS SO ANYONE CAN WRITE THE SCENE.
3. IF OTHER PEOPLE COULD WRITE YOUR SCENES YOU WILL BLAST THROUGH THEM AND WRITING WILL BE EASY

STEP ONLY NEED:
1. CHARACTER
2. CONFLICT
3. OUTCOME

SCENE ALSO INCLUDES:
1. LOCATION
2. DESCRIPTION
3. DIALOGUE

CONFLICT IS MAKES A YOUR SCENE EASY TO WRITE
1. DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A LARGE CONFLICT:
2. BUT SOMEBODY MUST WANT SOMETHING AND BE OPPOSED.
A PIECE OF CAKE, DESERT ARGUMENT CAN REVEAL A LOT ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP.
3. A SCENE CONTAINS NO SUMMARY:
USE THE CONFLICT TO REVEAL WHAT YOUR CHARACTERS THINK AND FEEL
4. A SCENE IS NOT A STATIC STATE OR A RESULT
IT’S THE CONFLICT THAT PRODUCED THE STATE OF AFFAIRES


EVERY SCENE HAS A SPINE

1. YOU CAN FIND IT BY WRITING YOUR STEP IN THE ACTIVE VOICE
WHO EVER IS TAKING ACTION HAVE THAT CHARACTER BE THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE
PROFESSOR GATES CONVINCES JAKE TO FORMAT HIS SCENE

SCENES HAVE A BEG, MID, END / THREE ACTS
1. SET UP,
I. SHOULD BE QUICK AND CREATE INTEREST
2. THE CENTRAL CONFLICT
I. THIS IS THE HEART OF YOUR SCENE AND SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF THE SCENE
II. A SCENE’S CONFLICT RISES FROM THE HEROES WANTS
III. IT IS EASY TO IMPROVE A SCENE IF YOU KNOW WHAT EVERYONE WANTS -- THE CONFLICTS
3. PROPEL US TO THE NEXT SCENE
I. YOUR SCENE SHOULD END WITH A FORWARD THAT COMPELS THE AUDIENCE TO ANTIPICATE THE NEXT SCENE.


SIMPLE RULE: GET IN LATE -- GET OUT EARLY

1. START RIGHT BEFORE THE CONFLICT AND GET OUT WHEN IT’S RESOLVED
A. TOO MUCH SET UP AND CONCLUSION WILL KILL A SCRIPT

MILKING THE SCENES

1. KNOW WHERE AND WHAT YOUR BIG TURNING POINTS ARE
2. YOU CAN EXPAND THESE SCENES
A. THE TURNING POINTS
B. HIGHEST MOMENTS OF CONFLICT

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


EXCLUDE THE TRIVIAL

ONLY DETAILS AND INFO THAT MOVES THE SCENE FORWARD


WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CHARACTERS TO WRITE 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

THIS IS WHERE YOU GET TO BE THE MOST CREATIVE -- CREATING THE CONFLICTS AND BATTLES





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