Okay, so someone just asked me the question "What is a scene?" I was about to blurt out the answer, but my brain froze. I remember wondering the same thing when I was starting out, but in all the years since I haven't thought about it much.
Truth is, most writers never think about that sort of thing. Perhaps we're afraid that by analyzing what we do we might destroy our mojo. You know, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. That might be true, but I think some beginning writers could benefit from a little abstract thinking about the basics. Even some of the more seasoned among us (myself included) might occasionally need to shore up our sagging foundations.
"So what is a scene?"
The old definition of a scene might be something like: ‘anything that occurs between one scene heading and the next; a fixed location where time runs continuously. Many continue to think of it that way, and it's a perfectly valid definition, though one that’s more useful to the production designer than the screenwriter.
"Why?"
Because the screenwriter’s job is story, and telling a compelling story is about creating, sustaining, and releasing dramatic tension over the course of a couple hours or so.
"Dramatic tension?"
Think of the tension in a rubber band -- better yet, a balloon. A balloon starts off empty, so you fill it with air and stretch it almost to the breaking point. Just as you hear the rubber strain and groan; when you don’t think it could take one more molecule -- you release it with a slow and satisfying “WHOOOOSH!” Or else you simply “POP” it!
Dramatic tension often revolves around a question like “will he get the disk or won’t he?” or “will she pass her flight test?” or even bigger, more central questions like “will the boy get the girl?”
In When Harry Met Sally, the central tension or question wasn’t “can men and women just be friends?” The real tension, the real question that drives all smaller tensions is the more visceral interrogative “will Harry and Sally end up together?”
The dramatic tension at the level of the Scene usually revolves around a much more simple question; one that can be proposed and resolved within as little as two pages. A question like “will Mr. Kramer figure out how to make breakfast for his kid?” or “will Luke and his friends get crushed by the trash compactor?”
You can also think of the dramatic tension as a goal. At the Scene level the tension or goal must be separate from, but ultimately related to the central tension of the overall story. That is to say, the protagonist’s goal in a given Scene will be much smaller than his greater goal, but his success in the greater goal will at the very least appear to be contingent upon his completing or undergoing this lesser goal.
Here’s an example: if a shy protagonist’s ultimate goal (the central tension) is to win the heart of a woman who doesn’t know he exists, the tension or goal of a Sequence of Scenes within an Act might be this protagonist struggling to become more confident around women in general. The question form of that goal is “can he learn to be confident around women?”
In one of the Scenes that makes up this hypothetical Sequence, the main character might have to approach random women on the street and collect as many phone numbers as possible. The question here is “can he get the numbers?” He might succeed in getting them, but just as likely he might fail in spectacular fashion -- “POP!”
“So a story is made up of Acts, which are made up of Sequences, and Sequences are made up of Scenes -- what are Scenes made of?”
A scene is made up of ‘dramatic beats.’ They’re the smallest irreducible elements of the story, and they function as building blocks upon which dramatic tension is introduced, sustained, and released within the larger context of the Scene.
“So it’s all about dramatic tension?”
At the Scene level, at the Sequence level, at the Act level, and at the Story level. They all have dramatic tension, and they all have beginnings, middles, and ends.
"You’re losing me."
Okay, let's look at the dramatic beat for a moment. Think of a dramatic beat as a sentence in a novel. For example: 'The Gunslinger strutted into the saloon.' You can see that even that beat has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The Gunslinger was outside, he strutted through the door, and now he's inside the saloon.
Now think of the Scene as a paragraph or series of paragraphs in that same novel. 'The Gunslinger strutted into the saloon. The music stopped, and he peered around, his scarred lip snarling. Then he swaggered to the bar under the nervous glances of the patrons, swiped the Sheriff's whiskey, and before the Sheriff could react, the Gunslinger grabbed him by the nape of the neck and hurled him outside. The drunk Sheriff's trembling hand went for his weapon, but the Gunslinger drew and shot the man between the eyes.'
Okay, so it's not a very good novel, but it illustrates the point. The Gunslinger entered the saloon, swiped the Sheriff's whiskey, and shot him dead. Beginning, middle, end. Tension introduced, tension sustained, tension released.
As you saw, this particular scene took place in two locations: in the saloon, and in front of the saloon. But it it just as easily could have taken place in ten locations, and included a French Connection style stagecoach chase through town.
"Wait a minute! This sounds a lot like what others call an action sequence or a sequence of scenes."
You're right, they are similar, and at times indistinguishable. When I use the term ‘Sequence’ what I’m referring to is the Sequencing Method. You can read more about it in-depth, but for now I'll just give you a quick overview of what it is--
Just as a dramatic beat is similar to a sentence in a novel, and a Scene a paragraph or series of paragraphs, the Sequence is like a chapter. It's comprised of several scenes that are linked together creating a larger dramatic tension with a beginning , a middle, and an end. Using the Gunslinger example, the Sequence might involve several Scenes beginning with the Gunslinger vowing to kill the Sheriff and culminating with him putting a bullet between the man's eyes. The tension or question of this particular sequence is “will the Gunslinger track down and kill the Sheriff?” and it all happens within a span of perhaps 10 to 15 pages.
"I suppose now you're gonna tell me that Sequences are part of something else."
Dramatic beats make up Scenes, Scenes make up Sequences, and Sequences make up Acts, which have even greater dramatic tension along with the familiar structure of beginning, middle, and end. The Acts then make up the Story, and that's the end of it. Well, unless you consider trilogies, but let’s not go there.
"All this sounds a little abstract. Theoretical. How's any of this going to make me a better writer?"
Well, let’s put it into practice by making up a movie. Starting with the central tension and working backwards --
This is the story about a boy who wins the girl of his dreams:
Act 1 -- Boy meets new Girl in school. It’s love at first sight.
Act 2 -- Boy pursues Girl, thinks he's won Girl, but then loses Girl to a Rival.
Act 3 -- Boy finally wins the girl, but it isn't the same girl he first thought he wanted.
Okay, now let's just focus on Act 1 and break that down...
Act 1 consists of let's say 2 sequences:
Seq 1 -- Boy is blissfully unaware of Girl's existence, but when he meets her, his whole world is turned upside-down.
Seq 2 -- Boy doesn't have a chance with Girl, but after some sage advice from his pretty Tomboy friend, he decides he's going to win Girl and get her to go to the prom with him.
Pretty simple stuff so far, right?
"Uh...yeah."
I didn't say this was going to win an Oscar. It's just to illustrate the basics.
"So now you're going to break up the Sequence into Scenes, right?"
Very good. Let's say the second Sequence of Act 1 has, oh I don't know, 6 Scenes:
Scene 1 -- Boy knows he'll never get a date with Girl, so he decides to try to purge the feelings.
Scene 2 -- Attempt #1. Fails badly.
Scene 3 -- Attempt #2. Fails worse.
Scene 4 -- Attempt #3. Fails spectacularly.
Scene 5 -- Boy gets advice from pretty Tomboy friend.
Scene 6 -- Boy decides he's going to become "cool" so Girl will go to the prom with him.
Lastly, let’s break down some of the dramatic beats that make up Scene 1:
-The love-struck Boy brushes up on the opening lines he learned from an old soft-porn novel he found in his mother’s room, then marches across the yard to speak with Girl
--Boy opens his mouth, but only nonsense pours out
--The Cool Kid swoops in and asks Girl to ditch class with him
--Pretty Tomboy approaches and consoles Boy
--Realizing his love will never be requited, Boy proclaims his intension to purge himself of his lustful feelings
Now step back and take a look at what we've done.
DRAMATIC BEAT>SCENE>SEQUENCE>ACT>STORY
"Let me see if I got this straight. The smaller dramatic tension at the Scene level helps to build the greater dramatic tension at the Sequence level, which in-turn helps to build the dramatic tension and answer the bigger question at the Act level, and all of it goes into building the overall dramatic tension, which in this case is "will the boy get the girl?"
Or “will he find love?” Yes, excellent! You got it down.
"I don’t know. You seem to be suggesting that every scene has to play some part in the larger structure; contribute to the overall dramatic tension. But what about those Scenes that don't have a point. The Scenes that are only in the movie to make you laugh or to scare the pants off you?"
A Scene must have a point; a reason for existing in your screenplay. It must therefore do one of two things, preferably both: it must illuminate character and/or it must drive the story forward. Sure, there are probably Scenes in films out there that exist solely to make one laugh or cry or cringe, but ideally a scene can do any of those things and still shed new light on character(s) and move the story forward. It’s called good writing.
“So every scene should pull double-duty?”
At least.
“I think I got it, thanks.”
No problem. Is there anything else I can do for you?
“We’re still waiting for our fries.”
Coming right up.
...and scene.
Monday, May 7, 2007
