SceneWriting

Chris Perry and Eric Henry Sanders, both of Hampshire College, USA, have spent decades in entertainment; SceneWriting is the culmination of their shared experience analyzing, teaching, and exploring the craft. And talking about it a lot. Probably too much.

• Why a Book About Scenes?Planning, Drafting, PerfectingWhat is a Great Scene, Anyway?PART I: PlanningCHAPTER 1: What Do They Want And Why?What’s It All About?EXERCISE: Overarching GoalOne Does Not Simply Walk Into MordorKinds of Scene GoalsObjectsWords from OthersGetting SomewhereCompleting A TaskQualities of Scene GoalsRelatabilitySpecificityAchievabilityEXERCISE: And… Scene.CHAPTER 2: Why Can’t They Have It?The Universe Is Out To Get YouYou Can’t Share A Parking SpaceBut I Thought We Were FriendsLions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!Things In AbsentiaIt’s Not You, It’s MeEXERCISE: Exploring the PossibilitiesThe Just Right ObstacleResonance with World and ToneResonance with ThemeEXERCISE: What Story Does This Obstacle Tell?Time Isn’t On Your SideEXERCISE: Limit the Resources, And PickCHAPTER 3: What Are They Gonna Do About It?Don’t Just Stand There, Do Something!You Talkin’ To Me? (Characters versus Others)You Can’t Argue With a River (Characters versus Things)I’m My Own Worst Enemy (Character versus Self)Getting By With A Little Help With My FriendsEXERCISE: Exploring ApproachesIt’s Only a Mistake if You Don’t Learn From ItThemes Like a Good IdeaEXERCISE: So THAT Didn’t Work...Where’re You Going With This?EXERCISE: So How Does Your Scene End?Not All Actions Are Created EqualCooking Up StakesIt Takes Two To TangoMatching World and ToneEXERCISE: One Full ApproachCHAPTER 4: Where And When Is It Gonna Happen?Changing Settings Does Not Necessarily Mean Changing ScenesIt’s About Freakin’ TimeEXERCISE: Identify Your Moment in TimeLocation, Location, Location!EXERCISE: Zooming in on the Precise LocationResearch and DestroyEXERCISE: Research and Character PreoccupationsPART II: DraftingChapter 5: The Fundamental Tools of ScenewritingShow ‘Em What You GotPacingEXERCISE: Basic Practice With Scene DescriptionEXERCISE: Basic Practice With DialogueChapter 6: The Art of Reader EngagementMake ‘Em Work For ItEXERCISE: Mapping out a Treasure HuntNobody Expects The Spanish Inquisition!ShockEXERCISE: Leverage The Unusual In Your SceneMake ‘Em WaitEXERCISE: Setting Up AnticipationFeast Your Eyes On This!EXERCISE: Add a Little WonderChapter 7: The Unformatted DraftLet’s Get This Party StartedWhen and WhereKnock Knock...Better Late Than BoringEXERCISE: Writing the BeginningScenis Morghulis: All Scenes Must EndRevealsThe Natural EndingThe Cyclical EndingThe Reversal EndingThe Unexplained Mystery EndingInviting The Reader Into The Next SceneWe’re Closing EarlyEXERCISE: Writing the EndIn the Middle With YouOne Thing Leads To Another (But and Therefore)What’s at StakeEXERCISE: Filling Out The MiddleChapter 8: Formatting for Fun and ProfitCourier? I Don’t Even Know Her!A Minute Per PageEXERCISE: Pick Your Software and Import Your Unformatted DraftA Slugline Says What?EXERCISE: Writing SluglinesYou Lookin’ at Me?CALLOUTSTransition CalloutsEXERCISE: Format That Scene DescriptionYou Got Something to Say?WryliesPauses and InterruptionsMORE and CONT’DTrailing Off, Interrupting, and Talking OverOther Ways Characters Can Talk: O.S. and V.O.EXERCISE: Format Your DialoguePART III: PerfectingCHAPTER 9: Check Your LengthThe Bare NecessitiesEXERCISE: Throwin’ StrikeoutsWhoa, I Think I Missed SomethingEXERCISE: Did You Throw Out The Baby With The Bathwater?Chapter 10: Managing Scene Information In DialogueAs You Know, I’m Your SonI’m So ConflictedDo You Know Why I Pulled You Over?Thank You, Captain ObviousEXERCISE: Un-obviousing Your ExpositionYeah, You Already Said ThatHere We Are In PrisonThat’s My Name, Don’t Wear It OutEXERCISE: Removing Redundant ExpositionChapter 11: Bringing Authenticity Into Your DialogueKeepin’ It RealI’m ListeningSpeaking of Questions...EXERCISE: Going Off-Topic and IgnoringRead Between The LinesUsing Subtext To Avoid Hurt FeelingsOff-Topic SubtextUsing Subtext To Communicate EmotionsEXERCISE: What I Mean Is...You Sound Just Like My MomEXERCISE: Finding Your VoiceThe Rhythm Is Gonna Get YouEXERCISE: Music in DialogueChapter 12: Final PolishOnce More With FeelingScene POVSpotlight ItWriter’s CommentaryPoetic ImpressionEXERCISE: Write In The FeelsSmooth It OutEschew ImpenetrabilityAvoid AmbiguitySProoffrreading Are ImportantEXERCISE: Line By Line, For ClarityLast LooksWhite Space For The WinCompressingEXERCISE: Expand And CompressOkay, Now What?Bonus Chapter: Expanding Your Development CircleNot All Readers Are Created EqualEXERCISE: Build Your Reading RosterReadings Are FundamentalFirst-Time ReadersSlings And ArrowsPrepping QuestionsReceiving CritiqueEXERCISE: Preparing For A ReadingFound In TranslationCollectingWaitingTranslatingRevisingEXERCISE: Lather, Rinse, RepeatAppendix A: ReferencesAppendix B: Course Adoption GuideA Scenewriting-Only CourseCustom Modular AdoptionExample Adoption Into a Pilot- or Feature-writing CourseExample Adoption Into a Short Film Writing CourseAcknowledgementsIndex

Scene Writing: The Missing Manual for Screenwriters delivers on its promise to be an invaluable asset for beginning and intermediate writers of film and TV content and to teachers and students. The more advanced screenwriter would be well advised to sharpen their scene skills with this book. The casual reader will find the book diverting and entertaining. And in the academic setting the book can be useful as a part of a class on screenplay structure.