Scene Checklist

Question

I'm starting the second draft of my screenplay and was trying to come up with a sort of checklist of what to look for in each scene, anything from soup to nuts, from conflict to formatting. Thirty seconds of thinking came up with this:

Formatting: - widows (one word on last line) - no paragraph more than three lines - no dialogue more than three or four lines

Character Do all characters in the scene have something to say? If no, why are they there?

Conflict Is there conflict? Does everybody want something? Is there something stopping them from getting it?

Length No scene should be longer than three minutes.

Any suggestions? I'm sure there are many, many more. Granted, it's slightly more anal than organic, but there you go.

Feel free to add, delete, modify, or link to great checklists or articles you've read.

Thanks!

-Bill

http://www.williammize.com

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I'm starting the second draft of my screenplay and was trying to come up with a sort of checklist of ... everybody want something? Is there something stopping them from getting it? Length No scene should be longer than three minutes.[/nq]
You left off the most important one: Did this scene add anything to my story? Did the characters move forward? How is my hero different at the end of the scene than he was at the beginning? Did the scene serve the larger good. Did it serve more than one purpose?

Alan Brooks ~~ A ******* with an Underwood

-- making a scene != making the scene

~~ Important MWSM Documents -- The MWS FAQ: http://www.online-communicator.com/faqs.html

Usenet · Answer

Biggest question -- Do I need it?

Many are the scenes that are written, rewritten, rewritten again, the scene scheduled, budgeted, the sets built, the actors rehearsed, the scenes covered, edited -- and then the movie comes in long and it's only then that somebody finally bothers to ask this question -- do we really need this scene -- and only then that you realize that, well -- no -- you really don't need the scene.

And it gets cut and left (figuratively, these days) on the cutting room floor.

And, of course, by asking that question -- it forces you to answer the larger question of what purpose, in a story sense, every scene in serving. It forces you to make every scene necessary -- and to bear a weight commensurate to its purpose. And if it doesn't serve any purpose -- get rid of it.

NMS

Usenet · Answer

Bill -

I've found it very helpful, when writing a particular scene, to consider it from three specific angles.

Contextually, Structurally, and Thematically.

For each of the above, you can substitute and ask:

- How does this scene work with what's come before it and with what comes after it?

Depending on what you find, you can then make adjustments in your first draft to conform your scenes to the shape, mood/tone, etc. that best serves your story.

Because it *is* about story, after all.

Oh yeah. Got a great title? Get one that informs the story that you're writing AND one that sustains and continues to excite you during the writing process.

All the best,

Doug Newman

Just a virtual guy... in a virtual world

Usenet · Answer

Are the charectors at their maturity level and consistent?

Do their use of language apropriate to their background?

Is there a word better tells the emotion than slangs/F-word/etc?

Do talking heads have a purposeful background?

Also, 12 pt courier, 55 to 58 lines per page, 100 to 120 pages total. pp1: 25-27, pp2: 85-90; resolution 90-95, dont drag pp2 as it begins to dilute.

Best, Jay Bala.

Usenet · Answer

while the lengths of scenes and paragraphs you quote are good rules of of thumb, if you have a GOOD reason for violating them, do. Pivotal scenes, group scenes (check out the party sequence in All About Eve, for example, though it can be decomposed into smaller sequences, it's a **** of a 20 minute or so ride!), complex set pieces. A couple of times a screenplay at most, usually.

One thing to look for (and if you break down the pilot of Quantum Leap, you'll find it is nearly perfect this way) is not only "is there conflict" but for each scene

- what is the dramatic question of the scene, and how is it answered (i.e. it may be answered, replaced by a new question, more rarely left open, etc.)? - what new dramatic question is started in this scene that makes us want to go to the next one?

sometimes you can combine scenes if the question of a scene is small and lends itself to combining with another scene. this kind of analysis helps prevent repetitive story beats.

Good luck with your draft!!!

Mysti

Scene Checklist

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