How To Write a Perfect Scene

How To Write a Perfect Scene....

Ah, the elusive perfect scene. Great movies are filled with them. Many movies only have a few of them. What does it take to write the perfect scene? I'm not claiming to be an expert on it, but here are a few suggestions I've learn over the years as a screenwriter.

A perfect scene contains the following elements: Setting, Character, Action and Dialogue. If you can manage to covey all four in each of your scenes, you are on your way to writing the perfect scene and becoming an accomplished screenwriter.

The Hero

Every scene in your story should be about the hero. It should help the reader identify with the character and define what his role is in the story. Everyone else in the scene is there to support the hero, complicate his life or reveal something that moves the story forward. If the supporting characters in the scene don't accomplish one of those three things, then maybe they don't belong in the scene.

What Do You Want?

In the overall story, the hero is on a quest. He wants something and the story chronicles that search. A scene is a mini story within the whole and every character in the scene needs to want something. Also, each character's desires need to be in conflict with what everyone else desires. But, since our characters are there to support the hero, then those desires must in some way be connected to the goal of the hero.

I Didn't See That Coming

Create anticipation and leave them hanging at the end of the scene. Keep them interested and wanting more. Likewise, make your audience feel smart. Create puzzles for them to solve and give them information that the characters aren't aware of. Pace your scene to add momentum to the overall structure of the story. With each scene the conflict should increase as you race towards the final outcome, the final hurtle, the final mountain to be climbed before the hero gets or doesn't get what he wants.

 Action/ Movement

In many scenes, characters move around and interact with other characters in the scene. How and why they move should be consistent with the character and add to the scene. If there is a purpose behind moving character X from point A to point B, then by all means let him move, but otherwise, leave him be. Also characters movements and actions should be consistent with their background, job description, personality, age, etc. Move them according to who they are.

What Did He Say?

The way a character speaks and what he says should be consistent with who he is. Dialogue should sound natural and unforced. This can be accomplished by using contractions, and omitting names between characters who know each other. Vary sentence length and cut off your character's words. Reveal the subtext of the scene through dialogue. Don't use dialogue to explain what is going on in a scene. Show don't tell, show don't tell, show don't tell, we can't be reminded of that enough. Show don't tell.

Each scene is a story in itself with a beginning, a middle and an end. Each scene contributes to the overall structure of the story. A great scene will reveal character, conflict, move the story forward and leave them wanting more at the end.

Syd Field goes even more in-depth into what makes a perfect scene in his book, Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting. Every writer should have this one and if you don't, get it now.