Exploring the scenes created by masters of cinema provides examples to emulate. How did they do that? Why does it matter? Is this something I can use? Each of those comes to mind when I reexperience and analyze what Wilder and Hitchcock and Demme and others have accomplished in their stories.
Throughout this series, I've tried to point to techniques and effective choices. The list has gotten long, and perhaps ungainly. With that in mind, I'd like to try to make insights that have helped to guide my own work, based on these brilliant scenes, something more useful and practical. So here's a guide that may indicate opportunities for you to improve your own scenes.
My suspicion is that not everything that comes out of this process will be best for your story. I often find my choices, once they are expressed in my writing, did not come out as well as I expected or hoped. But one thing that always happens for me when I make these attempts is the attainment of a deeper understanding. I come closer to mastery of a technique by using it. I also calm closer to finding what a scene needs by seeing what doesn't work. I don't consider any of the unsuccessful experiments as wastes of time. In fact, they're invaluable to me as a writer.
On the other hand, it's a delight when the choice made based on looking at excellent work these directly to my creating moments, scenes, sequences, and stories that accomplish what I'm hoping for. Often, in fact, they go beyond what I imagined.
So here is a guide, based on brilliant scenes, that I hope will help you improve your craft and take full advantage of the potential inherent in your concepts.
I'll review what's needed to get the most out of a scene from vital to valuable. It may be that the way you work is less methodical and hierarchical. If that's the case, feel free to use this as a suggestion list. I hope some of these, brought together here, will inspire new possibilities for your story's scenes.
1 — The scene should have a purpose. Scenes are important building blocks for telling tales. When they are thrown in and don't fit the story logic, they diminish the power of the story. Scenes may expose character or show the protagonist achieving (or failing to achieve) a step toward the story goal. They may be there to reveal essential information or just to hint at it. The scene may create questions for readers or lead to new obstacles, complications, or consequences.
Now often, a writer may include a scene because of the language or the humor (don't cut funny) or because an incident — perhaps what inspired the story in the first place – is difficult to delete. Such scenes will always bring storytelling to a halt and risk losing readers' attention. It may be justified, but it always should be questioned.
2 – Conflict drives a scene. Do you remember how your English teacher taught you the stories were about man versus man (character versus character), man versus nature (character versus nature), and man versus himself (character versus self)? Scenes are like that, too. At least one character, battling for something essential, is required for most scenes. When everything goes well and everyone gets along, there isn't a story.
3 – Beginning, middle, and end. Something needs to be set up, explored, and resolved in most scenes. (This is true for most stories, too.) Now, the resolution usually will lead to something else, will open the door for more storytelling, but the scene needs to go somewhere. It must continue the forward momentum of the story.
It's always great when the resolution makes readers turn to the page to see what happens next. It's also wonderful when the resolution of the scene is not predictable. (I doubt many moviegoers expected the cornfield seen in North by Northwest to conclude with an explosion.)
4 – Perspective. If you look at great scenes, over and over again it will be clear that there is one character who provides the viewpoint. Often this is a character the readers or audience already identify with. Empathy is a powerful ingredient in scenes. It makes the emotion personal. Likewise, the point of view character's emotions and agency can intensify a scene. When the point of view character acts with ingenuity or courage or has to face something that's terrifying or painful, you've created a memorable scene. One more thing—making sure characters have agency helps identification because readers like to exercise free will. They don’t want the characters they connect with to be at the mercy of the author.
5 — Escalation. There are many ways to add emphasis or intensify a scene. One of these is increasing risk or stakes. Another is becoming more extreme (as with the attacks on the hero in North by Northwest). Including more people (as with the Some Like It Hot scene), introducing scale, and contrasts can also intensify a scene. There are two other tools here that may be valuable. One is implication, as when the T. Rex is mentioned in Jurassic Park. The other is irony, which gives the audience superior knowledge, enough to worry more than the point of view character.
6 — Turns. During the scene, the focus may change several times. A good rule of thumb is to have 3 to 5 turns per scene. Often these indicate a power shift, and probably the easiest example is an argument, where characters seesaw back and forth based on how they successfully bring up points. Often turns our surprises (which often thrill readers) or the elements of purpose, like revelations or raising questions (see above). So it's good to keep in mind that purpose can occur within a scene, not just of the end.
Frustration and delay (both for characters and readers) are good tools to use to add power to turns. Also consider action/reaction, set up/payoff, and confusion/realization as elements that can be included. Reveals need not be all it wants. They can come gradually as when the dinosaur's true scale becomes apparent slowly in Jurassic Park. Interruptions and false victories may also be of value here.
7 — Delights. Reading or watching a movie can be a sensual experience. I remember telling one writer that I love the feel of his words in my mouth when I read his work allowed. Great languages and limited to poetry. Descriptions can paint pictures that are unmatched. The unseen monster presented by the changes created or the responses of characters or nature can be the most terrifying because it allows readers or moviegoers to participate, filling in the blanks. Some writers make it a point to include all the senses in novels and short stories. This often can enrich a scene (though all the senses would not be appropriate in a film script). One caution (which is a more general concern) is to keep things in balance. Make sure whatever is in a scene serves a larger purpose. When what’s included is charming, it might enhance, but it also might redirect attention and mess up the pacing of a scene. Delights are the spices of scenes. Use them carefully.
Just as story logic reaches beyond the individual scene, two other ingredients connect with larger purposes. Symbolic imagery provides a subtle way to create connections and mythic textures to the whole work. And the theme can dictate choices that strip away what’s unnecessary to the impact and purpose of the story.
There are more lessons from scenes. I’m sure that if I went back to those covered in the previous posts in this series, I’d discover useful approaches. But, here, in one place, should be items worth considering as you attempt to get the most out of you scenes and your stories.
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