Estructurar la escena perfecta: la clave para escribir mejores guiones

1. Class Intro: Hello, everyone. My name is Simone Ordanova and I'm an award winning writer director with qualifications from NFTS. I'd love to tell you all about my journey, but what I really want to do is to show you how you can implement everything that I've learned into your own scripts. I've already covered Blake Snider's beach sheet which breaks down the structure of a screenplay. And in this course, we are going to be discussing the structure of every individual scene. Structure is the foundation of your story, just like every single one of your ideas is the foundation of the industry. And this course will break down not only what the structure of each individual scene should be, but also we'll talk about techniques that you can apply to your scenes today to make them better. We'll work together by breaking down scenes from famous iconic films and by helping you write your own scene. Whether you're just starting out or you're looking to refine your skill set, this course is designed to make screenwriting accessible and fun. You leave with a solid understanding of how to structure your scenes and how to make your ideas come to life. If you're ready to take your storytelling to the next level, join me in this course where we break down scene structure and show you how to use it effectively in your own writing. 2. Project: Project for this course is very simple. You just need to download this document right here and fill it out. This is going to help you create your scene eventually. What we're going to do is you need to have your idea for a scene that you want to write by the end of it. A scene that's part of a bigger story. You don't have to have all the details of your story, but you need to have an idea of what your story is going to be about. But at the end of each lesson, I'm going to give you some questions. We might be analyzing effective films or effective iconic scenes or we might be asking questions about the scenes that you're currently writing. Think about each of these questions and fill them out on this sheet. I will take you through each moment and each step of writing an effective scene. Ideally, you should be writing your scene throughout this course. You can watch this specific lesson at any point. You can start with it, you can write your scene fully. Then as we learn things about writing scene and scene structure, you can tweak it and edit it and revise it to make it better. Or alternatively, you can watch the entire course and then you can return to this project video and I will walk you through how to write your scene. Whatever works best for you, but ideally, by the end of this, you should have a finished scene three to 5 minutes, so think two to five pages of written text. On this PDF, you've got some questions that you need to answer because those questions are what is going to guide you to make your scene effective and meaningful. After you've answered these questions, you can then begin writing your scenes. All you really need is either a script writing software. There are tons of available free ones online, or you can just write it on a piece of paper. Whichever one you choose, don't forget to upload your work here on Skillshare so I can give you some feedback and we can make your scenes even better. 3. What Makes Scene Structure Important?: Hello, everybody. Thank you for joining me and welcome to this course. Today, we're going to go straight in and dive into the world of scene structure. We're going to start with the foundation of storytelling, how to structure a compelling scene. As we know, structure is not a gospel, but it exists for a reason. Aristotle created the structure for any piece of dramatic writing back in ancient Greek and since then, any work of art that you look at, you'll be able to find that structure that he outlined so many years ago. In the piece of writing you're looking at. Evidently, there is something to structure and just like every story has a structure, every scene has a very basic structure that you need to follow if you want it to be successful and you may be thinking, Oh, God, now she's going to give me a very hard and fast set of rules that I need to follow whatever I do. That's not the case. I'm going to give you a very simple, very basic structure. If you think about it, you'll see that every single scene you've ever seen in your life, fits that structure perfectly. That's if it's done well. Without further ado, let's look at what that very basic scene structure is so we can learn how to use it in our own writing. Every story is built from a series of scenes. Each one of those scenes is a mini narrative of its own right and it moves the plot forward. I'm glad you came. I hope I can straighten everything out. But what exactly is it that makes a scene work? It doesn't matter if it's a quiet moment of reflection or a really high stakes action sequence. Each scene has three main components. We start with the setup, then we move on to the conflict, and that ultimately leads us to the resolution of the scene. If you think about it, the structure of a single scene is very similar to the basic structure of a story because really a scene is a mini story, a mini cosmos of what the story is actually about. The scene structure and the structure of the story. Are actually very similar to each other. One of them, of course, has the bigger picture, the bigger idea, thematic resonance. But a scene still has this idea of setting something up, getting to the main bit of the story, the meat of it, which is the conflict, and then some resolution. You might have heard about this resolution in story structure is a denouement, untying of knots. Let's examine what each one of these things entail. What is it that makes a scene effective? To answer this, we'll start by asking what makes a scene compelling? Because an effective scene is always compelling. It always draws us in, it makes us want more, and a great scene does more than just show characters talking or moving around. As I just said, it engages your audience. It serves your overall story, and it either reveals something new about the characters or it advances the plot. Ideally, you can do all of these things in one scene. Now, let's look at a few examples. You've probably seen everything that I'm talking about in your favorite films. Now, a great scene is one that grips the audience with tension, curiosity, or emotion. And whether it's dramatic or light hearted, each scene contributes to the momentum of your story. I see the ground hard, yeah. Think it'll be in early spring? Didn't we do this yesterday? I don't know what you mean. Don't mess with me, poor chop. What day is this? It's February 2. Groundhog Day. Yeah. Sorry. You know, I thought it was yesterday. Oh. Now, the basics of a scene structure can be broken down into the three parts I mentioned earlier. First, we have the setup, where we establish the who, where, when, you know, you set up the world. You give me the setting, where we are, who's talking. Why should I care? Next, we have the conflict. The conflict is where the tension comes in. This is the meat of the scene, just like the conflict is the meat of your overall story. It's where something happens that challenges your characters. And finally, we come to the resolution. This is the scenes payoff, if you will. This is where the immediate tension is resolved, so the tension of the scene specifically, not necessarily of the whole overarching story, but this is also where you get to open the door what's to come in your next scene. You can foreshadow it. You can give me a glimpse of something that is going to happen of the tension that I will see in the future. Think of it like a mini story. In the setup, you will pull your audience into your world. Then in the conflict, you will give them a reason to stay invested and in the resolution, you will reward their attention. While doing this, you will also hint at what's to come next, what's left of your story. What more can we expect? Something very important that I can't not cover. Is why scene structure is so important. Imagine a film where every scene is just random events with absolutely no clear direction. Things just happen, we forget about them, we move on, then we come back. Wouldn't that feel disjointed to you? Like, there was no thought put into it, like nobody knew what they were doing when they were writing this. Now, a well structured scene doesn't just exist on its own. It's like a piece of a puzzle that fits perfectly within the bigger picture of your story. It's not a mini film. By its own right, it's something that serves a greater purpose for the message you're trying to tell, and that is exactly what you need to do. Your scenes need to be connected to each other and the best way to connect them is to utilize story structure and scene structure. Because nobody cares for a disjointed story. Nobody wants to see a brain dump. Everyone wants to think that the screenwriter is this genius who's thought of every single angle. This is your job. Take scene structure, put it into your writing, and that's what you're going to create. You're going to make the audience feel like you know what you're doing because you will. Now, let's look at the Dark Knight, for instance. Every scene builds on the last, heightening the stakes and revealing new layers of the characters and the plot. This is why mastering scene structure is critical. It's how you keep your audiences engaged from start to finish. Let's talk about what we're going to be doing in the future here. We're going to break down the anatomy of a scene. We'll explore each part of the scenes in detail from how you set up characters, how you set up stakes to how you build tension, how you increase conflict, and finally how to land the satisfying payoff. We'll go through how to establish context and characters, how to create tension and drama, how to bring it all together. We'll discuss techniques for transitioning between scenes. We'll talk about balancing action and dialogue within your scene. We'll talk about common mistakes. I'll tell you how to avoid them, and by the end of this course, you will even have the option to craft your own scene. So when we're done with this course, you'll have all the tools to create more than just effective scenes. You'll have the tools to make your scenes absolutely unforgettable. I hope you're ready to dive in because we're starting right now. 4. Setup: Establishing Context: That we've covered the basics of what scene structure is and why it's so important, it's time to dive into the first key element, the setup. This is where your scene truly begins. This is where you're going to lay the groundwork for everything that's about to unfold in the scene. Depending on which scene you're writing, this might be where you're laying the groundwork for your entire film. What you need to remember from the very beginning, this crucial thing that you need to know for the rest of your work is that the setup is what hooks the audience. This is what sets the stage for the action that's about to come. What is a setup? This is where you can establish who we're following in this specific scene, where we are in terms of the setting, the time, the place. When is it happening? Is it a flashback? Is it happening now? Is it during the Victorian times? Is it in a dystopian future? Is it in a magical world? This is where we establish the context of the scene. This is where you also set the tone and the mood. This is where you're going to tell us or show us better. How we need to feel what the vibe of the scene is all about. This is where you're going to provide the essential context we will need for the conflict eventually. If your conflict is between a married couple and the husband thinks that his wife is cheating, the setup is a nice place for us to know, he's suspicious of her. Because if he just straight off the bat comes in and goes you're cheating on me, that's a bit weird. But if he looks at his phone, and sees a message from a different guy saying, Hey, I'm sleeping with your wife, then we have the setup. We know, he's going to confront her when she comes home. Then when she comes home, we know that this is going to be the conflict we've been expecting. This is the essential part, the context we will need to understand why the conflict is so important. The setup is all about establishing the who, where and when have you seen? It gives the audience essential context. About where the characters are, what's happening, why it matters. Without this foundation, your scene can feel disorienting or confusing. But it's not just about giving your audience information. This is your chance to create intrigue to draw your audience in and give them reason to care about what's going to happen next. A great way to do that is by omitting information by not telling us every single thing we could know. Best setups are subtle, but they are still packed with details that hint at what's to come. Now, what are the key elements of a setup? We need to know who is in this scene. Where are they? When is this happening? What's the atmosphere like? And what's at risk? Even if what's at risk is not right in front of us. First, you have your characters. Who is in this scene? This is your chance to reintroduce your characters to the audience in a way that reminds them who they are. Or if it's the first time we're meeting them, this is your chance to establish this character's identity. Even a quick detail can give me a sense of personality or motivation. If your character enters the scene by aligning pens and papers together, I know that they are a bit OCD. I know that they are detail oriented. These are things about your character that I instantly get just from this Detail. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, when we first meet Indiana Jones, we get a clear sense of the character through his actions, his confidence, the danger he faces. We know right away that this guy is resourceful, brave and he's used to handling tough situations. Next, we've got location. Where are your characters? The setting plays a huge role in how the scene unfolds. Are we in a cramped office? Are we in an open battlefield? Are we in a quiet family home? Obviously, each of these environments affects the mood, the characters behavior, our expectations. Tell me where we are. Think of what situation, what setting is the best for the scene you want to craft. What will create the most intrigue? Let's look at a blade runner. The setting here is just as important as the characters. The dark, rain soaked city immediately sets the mood and tells the audience they're in a gritty, futuristic world where survival is tough. Also, I do realize that both of these examples are Harrison Ford films, but we're just going to ignore my obvious bias towards him and move on. It's time for the third element. When is your scene happening? Is it early morning? Is it late night? Is it something in between? The time of day can tell us a lot about the mood and what the characters are a to. Think of how a quiet sunrise scene feels compared to a tense midnight confrontation. These would be very different because the mood you set is very different and you can set the mood with the time of day. A sunrise might set a peaceful, hopeful tone while a scene at night can feel more dangerous or suspenseful. Time isn't just a backdrop, it is something that actively contributes to the mood and stakes of your scene. And speaking of mood, tone is the final ingredient you need to think about. Are in for a dramatic intense scene, or maybe something lighter and more relaxed. Your tone sets the expectation for your audience, so you need to get it right. Think about what it is that you want to tell. How do you want your audience to feel? That's your main question. Do you want them to be worried? Do you want them to feel relaxed? Should they feel at home? Should they be comfortable? Set your tone accordingly to what you want to achieve. Now, West Henderson's the Grand Budapest Hotel, immediately sets a quirky, light hearted tone with its vibrant colors and witty dialogue. The audience knows from the very first shot that they're in for something playful and fun. So you don't need to tell me what your tone is. You need to show it to me. Use your dialogue, your setting, the colors, the character dynamics to show the tone of this film, and importantly, of the scene itself is going to be. Brett in that cap Anathor. The pleasure's mine, Heschn. The Strassbster. These are not acceptable. I fully agree. Education. I studied reading and spelling. I started my primary school almost Education. Zero. Now it's exploded. Good morning, Cicero. Call the GodmPlumber. This afternoon, Monsieur iste. Will that fail f on ***. Not now. Family? Desi. And finally, my absolutely favorite part, the stakes. Even in the setup, there should be a sense of what's at risk for the characters. It can be something absolutely huge like life and death, or it can be something smaller but still meaningful. Even subtle stakes can keep the audience hooked. But what I can promise you is that no audience will be hooked on no stakes. Audiences come in for the drama. No stakes equals no drama. A good film, a good scene always will provide us with stakes. In a quiet place, even the quietest moments have enormous stakes, one wrong move, one sound and the characters lives are in danger. That's what makes every single scene feel so tense. That's why the audience is constantly on edge because everything can go wrong any second. Now that we've broken down the key elements of a setup, let's look at a few examples where these elements come together to create a very powerful opening scene. In inception, the opening scene immediately sets up the world, the characters and the stakes. You understand the complexity of the dream heist and the danger involved. Are you here to steal from me or though we are actually asleep. I get out, we get a clear sense of tone. Something feels off, even if we're not quite sure what it is yet. **** is I was about to go but I can't. Not the day. Not me. You know how they like to dude my ******* out here, man. Home. Come on, bros. Yup. Y yo. Round. So give the farmers fun fun fun. In Jurassic Park, the opening scene establishes the stakes immediately with a terrifying introduction to the power of the dinosaurs. To recap what we said right now, a strong setup is the foundation of you scene and you need to establish your characters, the location, the time, the tone, and the stakes, all while drawing your audience in and making them care about what's to come. So easy, right? But don't worry. I want you now to think about the opening scene of a movie you love and break it down. Who are the characters? What's the setting? What tone is established, and what are the stakes? Just in the opening scene. This exercise will help you identify the elements we discussed today and see how they work together to create a compelling setup. Now, next time we'll explore the second key element of a great scene, the conflict, so stay tuned. 5. Conflict: Building Tension: We've already talked about the setup, how to lay the foundation of your incredible scene. Now, let's get into one of the most important elements that keeps your audience engaged. Scratch that. The most important element that keeps your audience engaged the conflict. Conflict is the engine that drives you seen. It's the tension between two opposing forces, whether that's two characters the heated argument, a character versus their environment or the internal conflict within the actual character. Important thing is that without conflict, I can promise you the scene will fall flat. Every great scene has conflict at its core. It's what gives the audience a reason to keep watching. Whether it's physical, emotional, psychological conflict is what makes the stakes feel real. There are three main types of conflict, character versus another character, character versus their environment, and character versus themselves. Let's break them down. Character versus another character is the most common type of conflict, especially in dramas or action films. This is a clash between two people who crucially want different things, or they want the same thing, but they want to achieve it in different ways. This could be as intense as a physical fight or it can be a very subtle disagreement over dinner. Doesn't matter. The key is that both characters are actively pursuing either opposing goals or the same goal in different ways. In the dark night, which is an example I give very often, the conflict between Batman and the Joker is more than just physical. It is ideological at its core. Batman wants to protect Gotham, while the joker wants to plunge it into chaos. Their scenes are electric because each one of them is determined to stop the other. You have nothing nothing to threaten me. Nothing to do with. Next, we have character versus their environment. This is the type of conflict where the character is struggling against external forces. Very often, that's nature, but it can also be society or a physical environment that threatens their survival. On a scene level, you can see that in every single scene of the martian. Mark isn't up against a villain here. He's fighting against the hostile environment of Mars itself. The barren landscape, limited resources and isolation, create constant tension for him. So every scene is about his survival. Now finally we have character versus self. That means character versus themselves. This is internal conflict. It is my personal favorite and in my humble opinion, by far the most powerful type of conflict. This is when the character is wrestling with their own thoughts, their own emotions, or their own decisions. It's often more subtle, but usually just as powerful as external conflict. In Black Swan, Nina's battle is internal. She is torn between her desire for perfection and the fear of losing control. The conflict is entirely psychological, but it is just as gripping as any external fight would be. Now, conflict on its own is good, but great scenes raise the stakes, which means that as the conflict builds, the consequences become more and more severe. What happens if the character doesn't win the argument they're in? If they don't escape the burning building. What is at risk? What can they lose? I like to think of screenwriters as people who can be evil sometimes. You need to come up with the worst case scenario for your character and if you can, throw them into that exact scenario. Show them what they can lose. As you build your conflict, you need to also build the tension. Make sure the stakes rise as the scene progresses. This keeps your audience on edge. It deepens their emotional investment in the outcome and ultimately makes your scene that much better. I Mac MacFury Road, every second of a chase scene raises the stakes. The characters aren't just running away anymore. They're fighting for their lives. The stakes are as high as they get, and every obstacle makes the situation more dire. Now let's talk about dialogue. We are going to talk about the role of dialogue and action later on in this course. But in many scenes, conflict plays out through what the characters say and more importantly, through what they don't say. Using your dialogue to enhance your conflict is the great way to go. Dialogue can create tension through subtext, misunderstandings or direct confrontation. For those of you who don't know subtext, it's what's left unset, the characters don't say, but what they actually mean. Misunderstandings are things that create tension through confusion. Whenever the characters are not on the same page because they misunderstood what the other person was trying to say to them, that can easily build tension. That can easily raise the stakes for you. And confrontation happens when we have directly opposing goals clashing. That's usually when characters disagree openly. Very often confrontations are arguments, people screaming at each other. But in my opinion, the best conflict comes from subtext, what's implied, rather than what's stated outright. Of course, it might arise from misunderstandings where characters are working at cross purposes without realizing it. But I'm personally a big proponent of subtext. Now, in Marat's story, much of the conflict between Charlie and Nicole is left unsaid. It's unspoken. Even in moments of silence, their body languages, their expressions tell us they're deeply at odds. It's a masterclass in using subtext to build tension and I highly recommend if you want to use subtext, go watch that film. First of all, I love my mother. She was a wonderful mother. Repeating what you told me. Secondly, how dare you compare my mothering to my mother? Now, how do we use context to drive the story forward? First of all, just remember this very key principle. Conflict isn't just about tension in that very moment. It is mostly about moving the story forward. So every scene should leave your characters changed in some way. Even if they don't win the conflict, they might learn something. They might lose somebody or something. Maybe they change their world view. The important thing is that your character shouldn't be static. You character should be changing with every scene. They should be growing or they should be spiraling down. But your character needs to be developed. By the end of the scene, your character should be in a very different place from when the scene started. This can be emotionally, mentally, or even physically in a different place. But conflict is the catalyst for change, so please use your conflict to create a change. Now let's look at a few more examples of conflict driven scenes to see how these elements come together. In the social network, we see intellectual conflict between Mark Zuckerberg and his rivals. Is your only friend. In gladiator, it's a life or death, physical conflict between Maximus and Commodus. I will have my venyar in this life or the next. In Whiplash, it's psychological warfare between a student and his relentless teacher. In each case, the stakes rise and the characters are forever changing by this confrontation. In short, the conflict is the driving force behind every single great scene. Whether it's a clash between two characters, an external battle with their environment or an internal struggle with themselves, conflict is what raises the stakes and keeps your audience hooked. I love learning from great example, please go and find a film or TV show where the conflict stands out to you in one specific scene and then break it down. Think about what is the source of this conflict, how does it escalate and how do the characters change by the end of the scene? Because if you can understand how professionals do it, you'll be able to do it better yourself. So far, we've covered the setup, building tension, and the all important conflict in a scene. Now it's time to talk about the resolution. That's the moment when everything pays off. Watch the next lesson and let's dive into it together. 6. Resolution: Payoff and Purpose: Now that we've talked about the setup, how to build tension, and how to write a good conflict, it's time to talk about the resolution, the payoff, the denouement for a whole story, but just in the confines of a single scene. What this scene has been leading up to this is what we're talking about today. What you need to know is that every single scene needs some resolution. The resolution is the moment when the conflict that's been building either comes to a head or find some closure. See, that's very important. You don't need to give us all the answers to all the questions you've posed in the scene. What you can do instead is just show us that we are going to get this resolution, this clearing up of all the answers. It doesn't matter whether your character wins or loses. What the resolution definitely needs to do is it needs to feel like the most natural progression from the conflict and the setup. So it needs to feel organic to what has happened up until this point. It needs to feel like a sensible way to end what you've been building in this scene. Without a solid resolution, your scene can feel absolutely incomplete. Let me rephrase that. Without a solid resolution, your scene will feel incomplete. The resolution is what leaves the audience satisfied, or in some cases, that's what makes the audience want more. That's what keeps them there. That's what keeps their attention until we get to the next scene. That happens because they've now seen the outcome of the setup and the conflict. They've seen what those two things led to. Now they want to know how it will turn out. There are a few different types of resolutions. You can have a victory or a defeat, you can have a compromise or a change. You can also have a cliff hanger or mystery, and of course, you can have emotional payoff. Now let's break these four types down. The first one is victory or defeat. This one is pretty straightforward. It's when one character wins and the other loses. This is a very classic outcome and can be very satisfying when you do it right. Let's look at a combination scene from Rocky. In this case, this is the resolution not only of the scene, but of the story altogether. It comes after the epic boxing match. What's important here is that our main character, Rocky doesn't win the fight, but he does win in a different way. He proves to himself that he can go the distance. This is a resolution with layers of victory and defeat. You've got Rocky who loses the fight, but he changes. You can see a progression of the character. So he wins not physically, but emotionally and personally. This is a very powerful way to structure your victory or defeat scene because you get both of them, and this paints Rocky as an emotionally intelligent person. Next, there's compromise or change. This is when neither side gets exactly what they wanted, but there is some form of mutual understanding or a character maybe evolves in response to the conflict. That's similar to what we saw with Rocky in the previous scene. But now let's look at the godfather. Michael Corleone's resolution often involves compromise or change. He makes strategic sacrifices that drive him deeper into the Mafia world and every scene transforms him from a reluctant outsider to a ruthless leader. Whatever scene from the godfather you examine, you will see that most of them have exactly this compromise or change in the character as a resolution. Mike, you don't come to Las Vegas and talk to a man like Moe Greene like that. Fredo. You're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again. Ever. Then there's the cliff hanger or mystery type of resolution. This type leaves the conflict unresolved. It keeps the audience in suspense for what is about to come next. In my opinion, this is a great way to hook your viewers for future scenes or episodes. Inception does it quite well. The final shot of the spinning top is a perfect example of a cliff hanger. We don't know if Cobb is still dreaming or not, and that uncertainty is what makes the resolution of this scene so memorable. Now, lastly, we have the emotional payoff. This is a cathartic moment. It feels great for the audience, and this is when the conflict resolution isn't about simply winning or losing. It's about the character reaching an emotional turning point. In this scene from Goodwill Hunting, the resolution is Will finally breaking down during his therapy session with Sean. This emotional payoff is immense because the conflict wasn't external. He wasn't fighting a physical problem. The conflict was always about Will overcoming his own fears of vulnerability. So this moment feels especially powerful as a way to end the scene. Don't **** with me. It's not your fault. Don't **** with me, alright? Don't **** with me, John not you. It's not your fault. Your phone. Okay. Now, the key thing to remember here is that the resolution must always serve your overall story. You cannot just work on scene to scene basis. The resolution of every scene should somehow lead the character towards the resolution of your main story. It's not just about ending this scene or ending it in a satisfying way. It's about how this ending will affect the character and will move your plot forward. Even if your resolution is subtle, it should definitely have. Now, whether your character succeeds or fails in the scene, the resolution should give us a sense of what is about to come next. So how will the outcome of this conflict shape the next moment in your story? At the end of Empire Strikes back, the resolution of Luke's duel with Darth Vader is absolutely shocking. Luke loses the fight, but more importantly, he learns that Vada is his father. How does that work for overall story? Well, this revelation drives the rest of the story forward. It sets up everything that follows. This is what triggers Luke's understanding of the Jedi order and changes everything we've known or thought we knew up until this point. Suddenly, the perspective shifts, and we need to reexamine the entire sequence of events so far. This resolution changes Luke's character arc and makes him grow more. No. I am your father. No. It's not true. That demposable. Sorts of feelings. You know what between. Now, let's talk about what you definitely don't want. What you should avoid at all costs is the anticlimax. Now, an anticlimax is when you've built up tension for your entire scene, only to have the resolution fall completely flat or feel entirely unearned. This can happen when the payoff doesn't live up to the conflict that came before it. If your character's journey through the conflict is intense, then the resolution should reflect that. An anticlimax is a resolution that leaves the audience unsatisfied, and that's often because it feels too easy or maybe it doesn't address the stakes that you've been building up until this point. In Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the resolution involving the alien spaceship doesn't quite deliver the payoff that the rest of the film promised us. The conflict, even though it was intense, doesn't work, and it doesn't work entirely because the payoff left many audience members feeling completely disconnected because it didn't match the stakes of the story that they were watching. Now that I've told you what to avoid, I'm going to show you a few more scenes with lovely, satisfying resolution. In the Shawshank Redemption, the scene where Andy escapes is not only a perfect resolution to the scene itself, but also a perfect resolution to a slow building conflict, a perfect resolution to the entire story. Now in Toy Story three, the resolution of Woody and Buzz's journey is filled with emotional payoff. Thanks, guys. And in the silence of the lambs, the resolution between Clarisse and Hannibal Lector is chilling, but so satisfying because Claris wins, but at a cost. Take care now to extend me the same courtesy. You know, I can't make that promise. I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner. Bye. Letter. Dcor Letter. Doctor Letter. I know I'm mentioning the resolutions of the story itself, but don't forget the resolution of the story is still contained within a scene. Now let's quickly recap everything I said so far. The resolution is the payoff of your scenes conflict. It can be a victory. It can be a compromise. It can be a cliff hanger or it can be an emotional payoff. Whatever it is, make sure it's earned and make sure it's purposeful. You resolution should affect your characters, make them change and advance your plot forward. Now, think about the scene you've been working on so far. What's the conflict? How does the resolution pay off the tension. Does it feel earned? Does your scene serve the larger purpose of the story? Does your payoff specifically serve the larger purpose of your entire story? Will it lead your character to where they need to go? If you're not satisfied with the payoff you've got so far, let's think of how you can raise your stakes or how you can make the resolution more impactful. Take your time and remember every scenes resolution is an opportunity to push your characters and your story forward. 7. Transitions Between Scenes: We already talked about the resolution and the payoff, in theory, your scene might be done. But now, we're going to dive into something that very often gets overlooked or not talked about enough. I'm going to talk to you about transitioning between one scene to another. Transitions are the globe that holds the scene together. A well structured scene may stand on its own, but without a good transition between scenes, you cannot create a sense of continuity. Transitions are what ensures that your story will flow smoothly and that your audiences stay engaged. Think of transitions like bridges. They take us from one moment to the next without losing momentum. If the transitions are jarring or unclear, the audience can get confused or disconnected from your story. But when they're done right, transitions create a seamless experience. The way it works is essentially you get the setup, then the conflict, and then the payoff of one scene, and then you swiftly move to the setup, the conflict, and the resolution of another scene. Now let's look at a few different types of transitions. Each one of them serves a unique purpose. There's no one size fits all. What matters is how the transition serve your story. First, we have the most basic type, the hard cut. These are sharp breaks between scenes with no overlap imagery or sound. They are straightforward, they're direct. They are perfect if you want to create contrast between two scenes or you want to change the tone very quickly. Pulp fiction is a great example. Hard cuts are used to create abrupt shifts in tone. One moment, we're in a calm dialogue scene and the next we're in the middle of an intense shootout. The sharp transition jarringly shifts the audience focus, which adds to the film's unpredictability. See, in this case, the transition is jarring, but it works for the story for its overall purpose and tone. You can definitely use transitions in an unconventional way, or you can make them jarring if that's the goal. Then we have match cuts. This is a link between two scenes through similar visual, sound or actions. It can create a sense of continuity even when the two scenes are in completely different locations or even in different time periods. One of the most famous examples of a match cut comes from 2001 a Space Odyssey. A bone is tossed into the air and it seamlessly transitions into a spacecraft. This cut bridges millions of years of evolution in a single elegant transition. Then you can get cross cutting. This is a transition technique where you cut between two scenes happening at the same time, and what you do with that is you create parallel action. This method builds tension and it connects story lines that may eventually converge. Let's look at the godfather again. Cross cutting during the Baptism sequence shows Michael attending his nephew's christening while his enemies are being murdered. The parallel action here creates a stark contrast between innocence and violence, and it highlights Michael's transformation. The reason it's used here it's for the thematic idea of the story. You can also have visual or audio cues, which are very effective transitions. It can be a door slamming that cuts to a new location or a sound like a ringing phone that's being picked up in a different scene. These cues create a smooth and often subconscious link between scenes. In requiem for dream, sound cues like ringing phones are used to transition between characters lives, and that connects their stories even when they're not in the same place. The repetition of these audio cues creates a rhythm that ties these scenes together. Finally, we have the Mtoklinks. These transitions don't rely on visuals or sound. They're entirely based on the deeper meaning or the running theme through your story. You can end a scene with a character's reflection on love and then cut to another character grappling with the relationship. The link here is in the shed theme. In the Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson often uses thematic links like that to transition between different timelines. A reflection on loyalty in one era is echoed in a parallel storyline, even though the scenes are separated by decades. The transitions feel natural entirely because they're grounded in the film's core themes. In case you're unsure how to write all of these transitions into your script, I'll show you right now. For hard cuts, we use cut too. This is the most generic type of scene transition you'll see and sometimes you don't even need to write it in because this is what the editor will assume you're doing. If you're writing matchcuts, you guessed it, you just write match cut. For cross cutting, we usually use intercut. Visual or audio cues can be J cut or cut. A J cut is when the audio from one scene begins at the end of the previous one like this. Mmm. And an L cut is when the audio from one scene continues into the next one like this. How. You wouldn't really write thematic links into the transition. That's something that will happen in your action and your dialogue. So when should you use these techniques that we've covered? The key is to consider the pacing and emotional tone of your story. If you want to maintain fast momentum, quick transitions like hard cuts or cross cutting will work really well. But if you're slowing things down to reflect on a character's emotional journey or situation, you would probably need a more seamless transition. So you can work with a match cut or a thematic link. They might be much better for that situation. Transitions aren't just about moving from one scene to the next. They're about managing the pace of your story and guiding the emotion of your audience. If your transition feels out of place, it can take viewers out of the story. But if you do it well, it will enhance the storytelling experience. So choose wisely. Now let's look at some films that use transitions very effectively. In Danker, Christopher Nolan uses cross cutting to tell three simultaneous stories on different timelines. This allows him to build tension and link events across land, sea, and air. In Birdman, the entire film appears to be shot in one continuous take. The transitions are hidden by clever camera work and movement. I Mad Max Fury Road, hard cuts are used to keep the intensity at a constant high, pushing the action forward at a relentless pace. Now let's go over some common pitfalls when it comes to transitions. The biggest mistake you can make by far is creating transitions that feel jarring or out of sync. With the scenes tone. Why? Because if you create a transition that feels unnatural, if I don't feel like this is the way you would normally transition between two scenes, as an audience member, you will break my immersion. I will not be in it anymore, and that's the last thing you want to do. Another mistake is over using the same transition technique. So constantly cross cutting between story lines, for example, might be confusing. Yes, cross cutting can be effective, but if you use it way too often, it can lose its impact. Finally, please avoid relying on flashy transitions just for the sake of style. They need to serve your story. If you're transitioning, say with a match cut between two scenes of two different characters, you'll inevitably create a connection between these two characters in the mind of the audience. That can work if you want them to be together at some point, or if they have similar stories, but they've never met each other. But if you're just using it to look good, please reconsider. All right. We've talked about transitions, we've talked about different types of transitions and when to use them. Now let's think of the scene you're currently writing. What is the scene that's going to follow? Think about the relationship between these two scenes. Are they very different? Are they connected? What transition will work best? Maybe it's a thematic link, maybe it's a match cut, maybe it's a hard cut because you're talking about a completely different thing or you're making a comparison. 8. Scene Dynamics: Action & Dialogue: Now that we've discussed how to use scene transitions to create dynamic and engaging transitions between scenes and how to smoothly go from one scene to the next, it's time to talk about a very vital part of any scene, and that's the balance between action and dialogue. That's what keeps the scene interesting, effective, and how you can keep your audience's engagement. Action and dialogue are two of the most important tools in your storytelling kit. Finding the right balance between them is key to keeping your audience engaged in maintaining your story's pacing, as well as delivering emotional impact. Simply put too much action can become exhausting. Your audience needs time to breathe. But too much dialogue and your scene will start dragging. It will be boring. It will be exhausting in a completely different way. You will lose your audience. You will also lose the tension and momentum you've been building. To find your sweet spot, you need both action and dialogue to work together. This will help you craft a scene that feels dynamic, purposeful, and alive. Let's start by talking about action. Action doesn't just mean fight scenes of car chases. This is any physical movement or event that pushes the story forward or reveals something about the characters. So if your character is walking, that's action. If the character picks up a toothbrush, that's action. Action drives the plot forward and it keeps things moving. It shows us what the characters are doing, not just what they're saying. It can be something subtle. Like a glance exchanged between two characters. It can be something absolutely huge and explosive, like a chase through the streets of the city. But action is the fuel that propels you see. In John Wick, action isn't just about spectacle. It crucially reveals who John is. Every movement is deliberate. Every fight tells us about his skills, about his motivations and about his relentless drive. We learn about his character through what he does, not what he says. Now let's talk about dialogue. Dialogue is where your character's personalities shine. It's how we learn about their thoughts, motivations, relationships, but just like action, dialogue needs to serve a purpose every single time. It should reveal something about the character. I should build tension, or it should deepen the emotional stakes. If your dialogue doesn't have a purpose, it needs to go. Good dialogue is sharp, concise. And it's layered with meaning. Please don't let your characters talk for the sake of talking. Every time they say something, they should express a reason to drive the story forward. Maybe they're revealing secrets. Maybe they're establishing relationships. Maybe they're creating conflict. But every line should matter. In inglorious bastards, Quentin Tarantino masterfully uses dialogue to create tension. In the opening scene, Colonel Lando's calm and friendly demeanor hides the deadly stakes beneath the surface. Every word drips with menace in the tension builds purely through dialogue. You're sheltering enemies of the state, Diana. The real magic happens when you strike the right balance between action and dialogue. Action can punctuate or emphasize a dialogue heavy scene, and dialogue, on the other hand, can add context and meaning to your action. They best work together to move your story forward and keep your audience engaged. By integrating action into dialogue heavy scenes, you maintain momentum, and by letting dialogue infuse into your action scenes, you add meaning and emotional depth. The key is to know when to lean into one and when to lean into the other. Also, you need to understand how to seamlessly blend them. Let's look at the dark night, the scene when Batman interrogates Joker. This is a perfect example of balance between action and dialogue. The dialogue is sharp and intense. It is filled with psychological warfare. Then why do you want to kill me? I don't want to kill you. What would I do without you? Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No, no. No. No, you. You are complete. Me. You're garbage. You kills for money. Don't talk like one of them. You're not. Even if you'd like to be to them, you're just a freak. Like me. They need you right now. And when they don't, they'll cast you out. Like a leper. See, they're morals, we're code. It's a bad joke. We've dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you when the chips are down, these these civilized people they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve. Then the moments of physical action, like when Batman slams Joker into the wall, punctuate the scene's raw power. You can see how these two elements here feed into each other and they raise the stakes as the scene progresses. It wouldn't have been as powerful if they were just talking, and it definitely wouldn't have been as powerful if they were just fighting. The balance between the two is what makes the scene so memorable. Now, here's a quick tip for you. If you're writing a dialogue heavy scene, think about breaking up the moments of dialogue with some action. It can be something super small, like a character shifting nervously in their seat or maybe pouring a drink. This can just break up the rhythm and give the scene a more dynamic feeling. These little actions can reflect what's happening inside the character. A nervous gesture can reveal anxiety, a certain movement can signal a shift in the power dynamic. But by adding these moments of action, you will create visual interest, and you will keep the pacing varied. In the social network, Aaron Sorkin's rapid fire dialogue is broken up by moments of action. Characters are pacing, gesturing or reacting physically as they speak. In this film, the movement keeps the energy high even during long stretches of dialogue and the action helps maintain the scene's intensity. There are, of course, time when you want your dialogue to take center stage. If you're writing a scene where you have an emotionally charged moment or a conversation that reveals something crucial about this story. Please don't be afraid to lean into your dialogue and let the words of the characters carry the weight. Sometimes the tension of a scene comes purely from what's being said. In these moments, you don't need big action sequences. You need the right words delivered at the perfect time. Scenes like that are powerful because they rely on emotional intensity and dialogue. Before sunset, the entire film revolves around dialogue. The conversations between the two characters reveal their past, their regrets, and their hopes. There's very little action, but the emotional weight of the words keeps the audience invested. Here, the dialogue is the driving force. You weren't there anyway. Wait. Why weren't you there? I would have been there if I could have. I made plans, and you better have a good reason. What? Oh, no. No, you were there, weren't you? Oh, no. Oh, that's terrible. So how do you put this into practice? When crafting your scene, before you start writing, just sit down and think, what does my scene need to accomplish? Do you need more action to drive the plot? Is this the moment where the characters need to connect through dialogue? Just keep asking yourself, what's the right balance here? There's a reason for something to be right and something to be wrong for one of these to fit a certain type of scene better than another. So just keep thinking about what works best and why. By understanding the purpose of your scene, you can better decide how to balance action and dialogue. If your screenplay is dialogue heavy, find places where action can subtly reinforce the emotional or narrative tension. If the scene is action driven, consider how brief, sharp dialogue can add context or emotional weight without slowing down your pacing. Let's look at Casablanca. This is one of my time favorite films and the balance between action and dialogue is masterful here. Rigels' dialogue is filled with unspoken tension, but it's the actions between their words, their looks, their little pauses, the gestures. That is what adds layers and layers of meaning. The action and dialogue here work together to create an emotionally charged scene that keeps the audience on edge. If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life. But what about us? We'll always have Paris. We didn't have. We lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night. When I said I would never leave you. And you never will. But I've got a job to do, too. Where I'm going, you can't follow. What I've got to do, you can't be any part of. Hills I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. He's looking at you kid. Now that you know how to balance action and dialogue, let's discuss some common pitfalls that you definitely need to avoid. One of the biggest mistakes writers make is letting dialogue become too static. So if the character just sitting and talking for too long without any movement or action, I can promise you scene will feel flat. Another mistake is using action just for the sake of it. So you swing in the other direction. If the action doesn't serve the story or if you're something new about your characters, it will feel pointless. Similarly, overexplaining through dialogue can bog down your scene. So remember, show don't tell. Your audience doesn't need to be told everything. Don't son feed them every single piece of information. Show it to us if you can. Essentially, just keep your dialogue crisp into the point and let the character's action do some of the heavy lifting. Look at your scene. Look at how much dialogue you have, look at how much action you have. Try to balance it out. If you have three pages of pure dialogue, write action lines in between, break it up, give me something, let me be able to imagine it before I've seen the film. Let me see the film before we've shot it. The key is to keep asking yourself how the action and the dialogue can complement each other to keep your story moving forward. That's all it is. Next time, I'll help you put what we've learned into practice, so stay tuned. 9. Common Pitfalls and Troubleshooting: Now that we've talked about the basics of a scene structure, let's talk about some common mistakes that will derail even the best written scene. I will focus on some common mistakes that often trip writers up and I will help you keep your story engaging, focused, and moving forward. One of the most common pitfalls in scene writing is the so called lack of purpose. Every scene should have a reason to exist. If you scene isn't advancing the plot, if it isn't deepening your characters or it isn't building tension, I can promise you it's just a waste of time and you need to cut it. Scenes that meander or don't really contribute to the story often feel like fill up. To avoid this, before writing each scene, I want you to ask yourself, what's the point of this scene? What is the audience learning here or how is the story progressing? If you cannot answer those questions, it's time to either rework the scene entirely or cut it from the screenplay altogether. In this scene, notice how nothing new is being revealed. The characters aren't growing, the plot isn't moving forward. It just feels so stagnant. This is exactly what you want to avoid. Another big trap for writers is using overly expository dialogue. This happens when characters explain things to the audience that they should already know or even worse when they spell out things that could be shown visually or through subtext. Some people call this the as you know, Bob situation. When a character turns to another character who's obviously familiar with the situation, but for the convenience of the audience, they decide to explain the situation nonetheless. That's so annoying and feel so unnatural. Find a more creative way for the characters to explain it. Find a character who has no idea what's happening and explain it to them. Let the audience learn through that character. Another time when I see expository dialogue is when your characters explain everything out. What you do here is you miss an opportunity to create depth through subtext. Instead of having the characters say, I'm scared, please show them trembling or hesitating before they take action. Just trust your audience to pick up on visual and emotional cues. In this scene, the character explains what they're feeling directly to the audience. I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here, everything is soft and smooth. Is it clear? Absolutely clear, but it is also very forced. Now, compare this to my next example. Here we don't need the character to tell us they're scared. Their body language and action do all the talking. And it is much more engaging. What did I miss? Mm. Oh, a whole bunch of nothing. Talking about sports? Hey. Yeah. Yeah, that's what the thing about Jujitsu is strength doesn't matter, right? It's all about this. It's a strategic game like trash. It's all about being two, three, four moves ahead. Cool. Stand stand, stand up. Jeremy? Uh, no karate at the didn't he? He's not karate, um. Yeah, I got to rule. No, no, no play, find him drunk, though. I'm just Jeremy. I wasn't gonna hurt him. Now let's talk about tone and style. A scene doesn't match the overall tone of the film can throw the audience off. For example, a comedic scene in the middle of tense thriller can feel so out of place unless you do it with a specific intention. Every scene needs to fit into the larger puzzle of your story world. If your film is a serious drama, just know that a slapstick comedy moment might not blend very well. Just make sure your scenes match the tone and style that you've established throughout your script. Notice how this comedic bit feels so out of place otherwise serious scene. It creates a tonal dissonance that pulls the audience out of the story. Please be a secret door, please be a secret door, please be a secret. Yes. Now, a flat or passive character can make even the most dynamic scene feel flat. If your characters aren't actively pursuing their goals or reacting to conflict, I can promise you that the audience will not be feeling engaged at all. To avoid this, just make sure your characters have clear motivations in every single scene. Even if they aren't the main character, they should still have something they want or need, and this gives you scene life and purpose. How old are you? 17. How long have you been 17? While. Yeah. I know what you are. See it. Out loud. Say it. Vampire. So notice how the character is simply reacting to things happening around them. They have no play goal, and the result is that the scene is just passive and absolutely uninteresting. So how do we avoid all of these pitfalls? First, always be intentional. Before writing any scene, ask yourself what the purpose of the scene is. I've been saying this throughout this entire class. How does your scene advance the plot? How does your scene develop character? How does your scene build tension? How does you scene contribute to the overall story? Next, avoid dumping too much information in your dialogue. Trust your audience to understand subtext and visual cues. Keep your tone consistent unless you're making a deliberate stylistic choice, that is. And finally, make sure that every character in your scene has a reason to be there. Give them a goal, give them a motivation, and please give them agency. Now, take the scene you've been writing so far and analyze it. Look for all of these common pitfalls that I just mentioned, find them, and fix them. Does your scene serve a purpose? Is there too much exposition, maybe? How do your characters drive the scene forward? Make all the adjustments, improve it, and you'll love it so much more. Stay tuned because it's time for case studies. 10. Analysing Effective Scenes: Now that we've covered them structure and the common pitfalls, as well as how to avoid them, it's time to learn from the best. We are going to break down some scenes from iconic films and we're going to understand why they work so well. By the end, you'll be able to apply these techniques to your own films. Let's start with the opening scene from the dark night. This bank robbery not only kicks off the action, but it also introduces the joker without giving away too much. This is crucial. The scene serves multiple purposes, making it an excellent example of an effective scene. I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you Stranger. So in just the first few seconds, the film drops us right into the action. This is called In Media's Res. The film starts with the heist already in progress. We don't know exactly who these robbers are, but the sense of urgency and tension is palpable. We're introduced to mask robbers working as a team, but there's a sense of distrust and mystery. Now, as the robbery continues, the tension also builds. Notice how the conflict escalates within the group. Each robber is systematically eliminated by the others as instructed by the joker, which just highlights his manipulation. So the jokers plan to have the robbers kill each other not only shows his twisted mind, but it keeps us on the edge as the power dynamics within the group keeps shifting. Then when the joker reveals himself by the end of the scene, he sets up his character as the major antagonist of the film. This is the payoff. The joker unmasks himself, giving the audience a glimpse of the film's villain while leaving us wanting so much more. The high succeeds, but with a dog and chaotic twist. The scene masterfully balances action, tension, and character revelation. Next, let's look at one of the most famous tension building scenes in film history, Jaws. This scene on the beach where the shark attacks a swimmer is a perfect study in suspense and setup. The beach is crowded with happy vacationers enjoying a sunny day. Spielberg sets up a perfect contrast here. The serene, carefree atmosphere of the beachgoers is juxtaposed with the lurking danger of the shark. The camera frequently cuts to the underwater shots which hints at the unseen danger. This creates a heightened sense of dread in the audience. The tension builds as the shark gets closer to its spray. Here, the conflict lies in the shark's approach. The tension grows not because of the fast paced action, but because of what is about to happen. The audience knows something that the character doesn't know, and that makes every shot feel more ominous. The audience is ahead of the characters, and that is what creates powerful dramatic irony. Now the shark attacks causing chaos on the beach and revealing the danger. The attack not only resolves the immediate tension, giving us payoff, but it also propels the story forward. It serves as a turning point for the protagonist, Brodie, who now knows that the threat is real. So Brodie now has to face the reality of the shark, and the stakes are raised for the rest of the film. A. Okay. Alex. One. Now let's switch gear to a completely different genre and talk about when Harry met Sally. The iconic deli scene demonstrates the power of combining action and dialogue to create memorable moments. Harry and Sally are discussing a casual topic, how men and women view relationships differently. The scene begins innocuously just a conversation between two people, but the setup primes us for what's about to happen. They're sitting in a crowded deli, which adds a layer of normalcy to the situation. The normal setting contrasts the extraordinary event that follows. As the conversation escalates, Sally decides to prove her point by faking an orgasm in the middle of the deli. This conflict is entirely driven by dialogue and character interactions. The steaks here are social, not physical, but they are just as effective. The tension comes from the social awkwardness and from Harry's reaction, the audience is drawn in by the character's chemistry and the fact that this situation is so unpredictable. Oh. The scene ends with a famous punch line, an elderly woman saying, I'll have what she's having. The payoff here isn't just about the humor though. It leaves a lasting impression while also advancing the character's dynamic, and the scene deepens our understanding of both of them. It also cements one of the film's most memorable moments. And finally, let's look at a scene known for its mastery of subtext and character introduction, the opening of The Godfather. This scene is packed with meaning from the way it introduces Don Corlone to the subtle power dynamic at play. The film opens with a close up of a man asking for justice. The setup is all about the subtext. We slowly pull back to reveal that he's speaking to Don Clone, establishing the power dynamic from the start. The man is pleading for help, but we can sense the tension as he's forced to ask the Mafia Boss a favor. This tells us everything we need to know about the world of the story without any explicit explanation. The request of this man puts him in a vulnerable position, and Don Clone's calm measured response only heightens the tension. His response shows his power without needing to raise his voice or threaten anybody. It's a very subtle power play as Corleone makes it clear that favors come with strings attached. The conflict here is entirely psychological and not physical. It's all about the unspoken rules of their world. The scene ends with Clone agreeing to help, but on his terms, setting the tone for the rest of the film. The resolution doesn't wrap things up neatly. Instead, it leaves us with a clear understanding of the stakes of this world. The favor has been granted but at a price. This scene establishes Colone as a figure of authority and reinforces the theme of loyalty and power. Think about the scene you've written. How have you introduced the setup, the conflict, and the resolution, and how can you weave subtext into all of those? I'd recommend before going back to your scene and editing it once more, watch as many effective iconic scenes as you can and break down how they work and why they work. 11. Scene Variations: Adapting to Genres: Now that we've covered successful examples in some case studies, it's time to dive into different variations of scenes and how they're used in different genres. While the fundamentals of building a scene remain the same, where I've been hammering home in every single lesson, set up conflict resolution, different genres have different expectations of how exactly to execute them. There are new answers to how you craft your scenes depending on the genre of your choice from high paced action scenes to subtle emotional beats and dramas, this lesson will show you how to tweak your approach for various genres. Let's start with action and thriller. In these types of films, the pacing is crucial and the scenes tend to be more high energy, they have quick cuts, and the tension is constantly rising. The stakes here will often be physical, so you're thinking survival, escape, conflict, and your scenes need to reflect the urgency that's inherent to both action and thriller genres. So what you need for these genres is a quick setup. So give me minimal exposition, get straight to the point you're trying to make. We need fast paced conflict, so I need the tension to be usually external, but most importantly, it needs to be immediate. The resolution here needs to be kept dynamic. Very often you'll see cliff hangers or something that will set up the next moment and the next scene because everything needs to be moving quickly. Consider the Chase scene and Mad Max Fury wrote. Here, it's all about movement. The conflict is embedded in every single frame. The resolution doesn't tie things up neatly the way you'd expect normally, but what it does is it keeps the stakes high for the next moment in the next scene. So if you're working in any of these genres, what you need to do is make sure that your pace and intensity is reflected in your seen. Now on the complete opposite of the spectrum, we have drama and character driven stories. In these types of stories, the scenes often revolve around emotional tension. Unlike in action films where you usually get physical stakes and something that you can see. Here, the stakes are more likely personal. So you have emotional stakes. You have relationships. You have personal growth. That is a huge sake, and that is especially common in character driven stories and in dramas. It's also a personal favorite of mine. I love personal growth as a steak, and it's there to give you a more subtle but also often more powerful story as a whole. So the way you would adjust your setup conflict and resolution here is you would give me a detailed setup. So focus on creating this emotional context or this situational context. Essentially, you need a very thoroughly laid out ground to be able to build up on because you don't have the physical manifestation of things. It's just about feelings and dialogue and emotion. Then the conflict would burn slowly. The tension, because it's often internal, it will be building over time. You won't get someone just jumping in and punching somebody. No, you'll have a conversation that is brewing slowly into an argument. Then the resolution for dramas and character driven stories is usually way more subtle. The resolution will lean more on being thematic or emotional rather than a clear winner loss, so to speak. Let's look at Manchester by the sea as an example. The tension in this case comes from unset words and underlying grief and unresolved trauma. What's left unset, what's below the surface, it's what's causing the actual tension here. And next, let's talk about comedy. Comedies I find especially hard as a thing to master. But in terms of their structure, they are probably the most straightforward and the ones you're probably the most familiar with. You've definitely heard set up joke, punchline idea, which is what every joke and every comedic scene relies on. Here, the setup is the punchlines foundation, and the conflict frequently arises from a misunderstanding or an exaggerated circumstance or even clashing personalities. Timing with comedies is key because every scene should aim for maximum comedic impact. Then the punch line is the equivalent of your resolution here. The scene ends with a laugh or you could also utilize an unexpected twist. There's an iconic scene from the 40-year-old virgin where Andy's friends tried to give him advice on dating. Now, the humor here comes from the character's misunderstandings and their awkwardness. Each piece of advice builds the comedic tension. The resolution in this case, where it all goes wrong, is what lands the love. In comedies, especially your scenes need to be really tight and punchy because every single line should be moving towards the comedic effect, the comedic payoff, the punch line. Now, horror scenes are all about building dread and tension, you need to play with the audience's expectations. I am not the biggest fan of horror, but if you want to learn how to write tension, that is exactly the genre you should be looking into. In horror, again, the conflict is usually external, so it's a lurking danger regardless of whether it's supernatural or psychological. The resolution then is often designed to leave the viewer unsettled. But I want to point out something important. Unsettled doesn't mean unsatisfied. Horror audiences want to feel unsettled. So if you manage to unsettle them, that actually brings satisfaction. Now, how can you adjust this basic scene structure to your horror film? You need an atmospheric setup, essentially. You need to create this unsettling atmosphere right from the start, from the very beginning of your scene. Conflict in this case will come through in tension and suspense. It needs to build slowly to keep the audience constantly on edge. Ideally, you want a very shocking resolution. It should provide a jump skit or a hit, it's something even worse that's about to come. In the conjuring, which is a film that I'm absolutely terrified of and cannot watch, the scene with the possessed doll is a perfect example of horror pacing. The setup is very simple. You have a dark room and a creepy doll. But then the tension or the conflict in this case, builds slowly and when you think the scene will resolve, it throws a final scare, and this is your resolution. If you're writing horror, keep the pacing slow until the big payoff moment. Now again, flipping the script, we're going to go to romance and romcoms is a combination between romance and comedy, obviously, so you can combine these two together. But Romcos usually lean more into the romance setup and structure than into the comedy setup and structure. Now, romance scenes focus on chemistry between characters and on emotional stakes. Therefore, the conflict will often revolve around misunderstandings, vulnerability, or a slow building of connection. These scenes are heavily reliant on character interactions and subtext, that magical thing that makes every single scene better. You need an emotional setup. You need to set the stage for chemistry and emotional tension, that's the vibe you need to go for. Now, the conflict is usually on the more subtle side. The tension is often internal, so it's inside the characters' minds and it comes from misunderstandings and unspoken feelings. Then the resolution here needs to be tender. It can be something very small like an eye contact or a slight touch, but it hits at something deeper. If you keep building up with similar resolutions and payoffs in every scene, this will make the progression of the relationship feel so natural and nice and by the end of your story when the characters inevitably get together, it will feel like this was coming all along, it will feel like the most natural progression for the two of them to become a couple. In Pride and Prejudice, which is an absolute classic, the scene where Mr. Darcy first confesses his love to Elizabeth is packed with unspoken tension, set of hints at their conflicting feelings, and the conflict comes from their misunderstandings. The resolution here, while it's not romantic in the traditional sense, sets the stage for their eventual reconciliation. Now, all of the genres I've described are super common. Basically, any story you grab can somehow fit into one of those, and this is the general setup of how you do you scene for each one of them. But there are two specific types of scenes that I often see. In many of these genres, if not in all of them. I personally think that they are generally as a rule, ineffective. Of course, every rule has exceptions, but I think that to make these scenes work, they need to be handled with extreme care and so much understanding of how to do it properly, that I would just advise on not writing them at all. There are so many more creative and interesting ways to handle what these scenes aim to do. That I just don't think it's worth putting these ones in. But I will still describe them and break them down for you so you can see why I think they're not the way to go. I'm specifically talking about newsreel expositions and dream sequences. If you've listened to me just generally, if you've been in any of my courses, you fully know that I hate them. So why do newsreel expositions often fail? Well, because it feels passive, it's lacking character driven action, and frankly, this is telling, not showing. Now, tell don't show is a principle that a lot of people talk about. Virtually everyone in the writing community has heard about show don't tell and people have differing opinions on how good that is. I personally think that there's a time for telling and there's a time for showing. But it's never good. If you can show me something to just tell it instead because it's so unimaginative and uninspired. I don't think there's an audience member who will ever say, Do you know what my favorite part of that film was the newsreel scene? Because that's boring and that's what everyone's done, and it's just so exhausted and there are cooler ways to do the same thing. Again, you can tell me this information in dialogue. You don't necessarily need to show it to me. But if you have two characters talking to each other and updating each other on the current political situation, that will feel more natural and more interesting than if one character just heard it on the news. Now let's talk about dream sequences. Why they often fail is because it feels disconnected from the story, not always, but very often it does. It can come off as a cop out. You could have told me this story in an interesting and engaging way, but you chose for me to just see it instead. I often feels like it was the easier way to go instead of thinking of a creative way to do it depending on what your dream scene is, it can also sometimes feel like it's completely relevant to the plot and as a viewer, I can sit there thinking, why am I watching this? What does this have to do with anything? I've talked about this before, but in twilight breaking dawn part two, the extended dream sequence completely undercuts the emotional stakes because it reveals that it wasn't real, so it leaves the audience feeling tricked. We thought that these characters died, and then it turns out, Oh, no, don't worry about it. It's fine. It was just a dream. But you got me invested in this dream and in these characters, and in their deaths, all of a sudden now, I've been emotional for no apparent reason. Dream sequences can work if they've tied closely to the character's arc. But in twilight breaking Dawn P two, in my opinion, this long fight sequence that turns out to be a dream just deflates the entire climax of the scene and the audience feels cheated out of a meaningful resolution. Every genre has its own unique demands and the way you structure your scenes should be reflecting the demands and expectations of the genre you're writing for. Whether you're building a high stakes action sequence like a car chase or you're having this dramatic love confession in a romance, or you have underlying tension and character conversations. If you're writing for drama or maybe a laugh out loud moment in comedy, it really doesn't matter, but understanding the expectations that come with the genre you're writing for will help you craft your scenes better and they will resonate with the audience. More. I'm assuming you've already recognized the genre that you're writing for, take your notes from that genre and double check. Does my scene fit with the expectations for this particular genre? Adjust it accordingly and focus especially on how the pacing, the tone, and the stakes shift depending on the conventions of your genre and have you done that well. Also note that experimenting with genre conventions can really elevate your story. And I look forward to seeing how you adapt your structure to the world of you stop. Next time, we'll be diving deeper into more advanced techniques of scene writing, so stay tuned for that. 12. Advanced Techniques: Nonlinear Scenes: Okay, we've covered so many different types of scenes for different genres, but now I want to talk about two more advanced techniques that you might want to consider or you've already written in your own screenplay and I want to help you make them even better. We are specifically talking about non linear structures and experimental scene structures in this lesson. Let's look at a quick comparison between a linear and a non linear structure so that you have a better understanding of what I'm talking about right now. In a linear version, we will be following the character's emotional breakdown from start to finish. While in the non linear version, we'll mix flashbacks and cut to different moments in time or use symbolism to make the breakdown feel more surreal and layered. This is something that directors like Nolan really love to do. Why is this an experimental or advanced technique? Well, it's because as you can see, it's not as straightforward as the linear version, but it feels more emotionally complex. What a non linear structure does is it forces your audience to engage. It also gives us a deeper multifaceted understanding of the character's emotions and of the themes at play here. Now, when should we use these experimental structures and non linear narratives? Well, they are especially effective in a few cases. First of all, they work really well in psychological thrillers. When you explore themes of memory, perception, or identity, obviously because of the themes here, it works really well. I did mention that Nolan is a big fan of this in the beginning and obviously, I can't talk about non linear structures and memory and psychological thrillers without mentioning memento. Another incredible example of psychological thriller that utilizes this experimental technique is Shutter Island. Now, this can also work really well in character study. When you reveal complex emotions or psychological layers over time, a great example of this is eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, moonlight is also a great one to look at. Now, it's very common to see these ones in art films or experimental narratives, but this is in the name in this case, because the goal here is to evoke a feeling or theme rather than necessarily follow traditional plot progressions. You can look at Mulhollan Dry, for example, what's wrong? I don't know who I am. Another great one that I recommend is tree of life. Now, mystery or crime dramas work really well with non linear narratives because when you withhold this key piece of information until the perfect moment, this will actually add to the tension and intrigue that are so integral to the genre. Look at the usual suspects where you can get this idea of why it's important to not give us everything from the start. You can also look at the prestige as a great example of how to incorporate this into a crime drama or a mystery. However, very important caveat here is to never use a technique because it's cool or flashy or interesting or experimental. You should always use everything you learn and every technique you can implement with a specific purpose and a specific intention. When should you use them when they are tied to the character's emotional journey or their character arc or to the themes of your story? When should you not use them? Simply put when they in your script just for the sake of it or because they're cool? Of course, there are some challenges to keep in mind when using these structures. Let's look at a few common pitfalls that I'd recommend avoiding. First of all, non linear structures can be confusing if you don't handle them well. If you have timeline jumps too frequently, or if it's not really clear when and what is happening, I can promise that the audience will get lost and as a result, they will not be invested in your story anymore. If you're using non linear narratives, you have to be very clear about where we are, what's happening and specifically why are we using it. Also use it sparingly. Now another big problem is a lack of emotional investment. This happens if the scene becomes too fragmented or abstract. The result is that the audience may lose the connection with the character or with your story entirely. For obvious reasons, you should avoid this and to avoid this pitfall, a good way to go about it is to just make sure there's always an emotional connection to why we're using this narrative structure. As I already mentioned, all of these can be overused. Constant time jumps or experimental techniques can become exhausting and lose their impact if not used purposefully. Non linear and experimental structures will give you great creative freedom and the ability to play with time, perception, and even the expectations of the audience members. However, they require careful planning to be pulled off well. If you use them wisely, these techniques will really elevate your story and will make your audience more engaged, more interested in your characters, and will help you build Suspense intention. You can use them to add layers of depth to your storytelling, but they will not leave a lasting impression of your audience if you overuse them or if you use them incorrectly. Now it's your time to experiment. Try planning your scene structure and see how non linear techniques can add complexity to your story. I can't wait to see you push the boundaries of storytelling and I will see you next time. 13. Crafting Your Own Scenes: Spent all of this time learning the ins and outs of scene structures. Now it's finally time to put everything we know into practice. We've come at the theory behind building effective scenes, so let's put that knowledge to good use. I'm going to walk you through the process of writing scenes from start to finish and by the end, you'll have your own polished scene. Let's start with the most important step, setting the stage for your scene. The key here is context. Who are the characters? Where are they? What's going on? To help you get started, I want you to think about these core elements. Where is the scene taking place? That's your setting? Is it an intimate or a large scale moment? Then think about your characters. Who are the main players in this specific scene, and crucially, what do they want? Because every scene is about a character wanting something, they try to get it and they get it or they don't. What you need to have established in the very beginning before you put pen to paper is what does your character want? And lastly, think about your conflict. What's the central source of tension in this moment? Pause this video, take a few minutes, jot down the answers to these questions so you have the building blocks to start writing. It doesn't have to be a full outline, but give yourself a clear idea of what's happening. Do you have it? Great. Perfect. We can move on. Even if it's rough, the most important thing is that this is a start. The setup is here to create the foundation for what's about to follow. And what's about to follow is that now that we've laid the groundwork, it's time to start writing. Let's go through your three key moments to set up the conflict, the payoff we've been talking about this entire time. We need to quickly establish the context. Where are your characters? What's your mood, and hint at what's to come by setting up the stakes or tension. That's what your setup is all about. It doesn't have to be long, just enough to give your audience a clear picture of the world and the character starting point. Now let's move on to the heart of scene, your conflict. What's at stake for the characters and what are the obstacles in their way? This is your turning point. You can build tension here by making clear what's standing in the way of their goals. Every scene needs conflict. It doesn't always have to be a physical fight, as I've said countless times. It can be an emotional confrontation, a disagreement or an internal struggle. Make sure your tension is front and center. Finally, let's wrap it up with the resolution. Think about what will happen as a direct result of your conflict. Is your conflict resolved or are we led to more tension now? You need a purpose for your scene. Think about what does this moment achieve for your overall story? Your resolution is crucial. This is where the meaning of the scene becomes clear. It doesn't have to be a neat conclusion, but it should serve the overall story's momentum. Great work. Now you've got admittedly a very rough scene, but it's still a scene. Every great scene goes through multiple drafts and this is your opportunity to refine your work. I want you to look for a few specific things to revise. First of all, let's think about clarity. Is your conflict clear? Are your characters motivation strong and understandable? Could you make those better? Then think about your pacing. Does the scene feel too slow or too brushed? Are there areas where you can tighten the dialogue or action? Lastly, think about your purpose. Does this scene move the story forward and what new information or change does it bring to us? Take some time to go over what you've written and see if you can sharpen your scene with these points in mind. Revisions are where the magic really happens. You can keep working on your scene as many times as you want until you feel like it's sharp and purposeful and exactly what you want it to be. One of the best ways to improve your writing is through feedback from others. I highly recommend getting someone who is not as close to your work as you are to read your scene and give you feedback without knowing what you wanted to do or what you wanted to achieve because that's the only way you'll be able to see if you've actually nailed it. The reason is that because you're so close to your scene and you love it so much and you know all of these things about your characters, you can't really view it objectively, because you think you've shown that your character has specific characteristics, but you already know that your character has these characteristics. So if you've shown it in effectively, you can't really see that, or as somebody else will be able to pinpoint that they didn't get any of this is where feedback comes in. When giving feedback or when receiving feedback, remember to give constructive criticism. Please focus on what's working, what's not working, what can be improved, give solutions, don't just point to problems. Always, always always be really open to critique. Because you shouldn't be taking the feedback personally if someone's telling you that something's not working, this is not an attack on you, even though it definitely can feel like it. It's all about making your work stronger. We all want to help, and that's exactly what we're doing. Use your feedback, rewrite it, make another draft, but still, trust your instincts because this is your story that you want to tell, so tell it the way it makes sense to you at the end of the day. Don't feel pressured to change every single thing. Maybe the person didn't understand what you were trying to do, but if 17 people agree that the character is boring, then the character might just be boring. Use what resonates with you and what fits your own vision. Revision is about balance at the end of the day. You need to keep your voice while improving the clarity and the impact. As you continue developing your scenes, there are a few tips that I want you to keep in mind. First of all, always write more than one draft. Don't be afraid to rewrite your scene multiple times because each draft will bring you closer to the core of what you wanted to say. Great tip that I received recently is to read aloud and especially to get other people who are unfamiliar with your story to read your script and for you to just listen to it. Because hearing your scene can highlight pacing issues or awkward dialogue that you will be unable to pinpoint on the page, and it's just when you hear it that you realized, Oh my God, this actually sounds horrible. Then something that feels so obvious, but it's just so important is to always stay true to your story. Every scene should serve your overall narrative. Don't include scenes that don't push that story forward. Writing scenes is a process, and the more you practice, the better you will get at it, the more natural it will feel to create a setup, a conflict and resolution that work together well and effectively. Now you've written and revised probably a full scene and you've taken the concept of from setup to pay off and hopefully you learned it along the way. But this is just the beginning. Writing is continuously ongoing process and every scene you write will build on the lessons from the one before. Finalize your scenes based on everything you've learned here, share your scene with the class and revise based on the feedback that I will give you and that maybe others will give you as well. Remember, the best way to get better at writing scenes is to just write more scenes and revise the scenes you've written already and I can't wait to see what you create.