be thought of as a work of pure theory and no practice, I follow it up this week with some boots-on-the-ground, pencil-to-paper craft, excerpted from Chapter 9, "Scene Construction." To be specific, the selection explains the structure of scenes. Not so much the structure of a scene in relation to its sequence, but the structure
STRUCTURE WITHIN
THE SCENE
Remember how cinematic stories
are best served when executed in a three-part structure. Great scenes
share this trait. A well-structured scene also follows a three-part
form with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Here is how it works. Characters
enter a scene with certain scene goals in mind. These goals
inevitably collide with those of others, inciting the scene’s
conflict (providing the scene’s “inciting moment,” if you
will). This begins the scene’s “first act” in which the
characters pursue their respective goals in the face of this
conflict. But, before long, something occurs to alter the situation.
This moment is called a SCENE BEAT. Like a tiny turning point, scene
beats turn the course of the scene’s conflict in a new direction.
However, unlike a regular turning point, each characters’ scene
goal remains the same. Instead, the scene beat merely provides an
event that alters how those goals are pursued. While the
context of the conflict remains the same, the characters’ method of
approach to the conflict has changed.
This begins the scene’s “second
act.” The characters continue to chase their individual goals, but
now do so in reaction to the development caused by the first scene
beat. Eventually, the conflict reaches a head, leading to a second
scene beat. This second beat is more influential than the first.
While the first beat merely alters the manner of the conflict, the
second beat provides a moment that finally tips the scales in favor
of one side or the other. This decisive event leads into the scene’s
“third act,” in which the scene conflict is carried to a
resolution, and the scene reaches its moment of change.
When it comes to three-part scene
structure, there are few better films for study than Joel & Ethan
Cohen’s Fargo. Rarely a scene goes by in this Academy
Award-winning screenplay that does not turn on two strong,
identifiable beats. Let us take a look at its opening scene to
demonstrate.
Jerry Lundegaard, the story’s
morally bankrupt anti-hero, arrives at a bar to meet two hired goons,
Carl and Gaear. Jerry’s scene goal is to finalize a scheme where
Carl and Gaear will kidnap Jerry’s wife Jean in order to scam
ransom money from his father-in-law. However, there is a hiccup in
the plan. The scene hits its first beat when Carl announces that he
and Gaear are not yet on board. They do not yet understand the plan.
In fact, they do not think it makes any sense at all. Jerry must now
alter his actions in order to reach his scene goal. He sits down and
tries to convince the pair that the plan will work. Eventually, Carl
grows tired of arguing and gives in. This action provides a second
scene beat that tips the scales in Jerry’s favor. Carl and Gaear
accept the job, creating the moment of change.
You may notice that the “third
act” of this scene (everything after Carl gives in) last for only a
few seconds. This is not unusual. Unlike the three acts of the main
story structure, scene acts have no predetermined length or ratio of
time that must pass between beats. A scene act can last for any
amount of time, from a few seconds to several minutes. The only
requirement is that there must be at least some time
separating the scene’s major structural moments. The first scene
beat cannot be immediately followed by the second, nor should the
second scene beat be immediately followed by the scene’s end.
Without time separating these events, the scene will not appear to
have all three acts. The absolute minimum is to follow each beat with
a pause lasting a few seconds so the characters (and the audience)
can momentarily digest how the situation has changed. Though slight,
this pause will constitute one of the scene’s acts.
Scene beats typically occur by
one, or a combination of, the following events:
1. A Change in Strategy
A change in strategy brings
variety to a scene’s conflict. Scenes become monotonous when
characters stick to the same behavior from beginning to end. If a
certain approach meets difficulty, it is only natural for a character
to try something new. This is something we all do in real life. If we
have a problem with a person, our first impulse might be to yell.
However, this strategy may not work. So, we try something else. We
stop yelling and try to reason with the person, or beg, or appeal to
emotion. If that does not work either, we may change strategy yet
again.
A change in strategy is most
useful whenever the scene conflict reaches a stalemate –
that is, the conflict becomes locked into a situation where neither
side can make any more progress through their current methods. Jerry
and Carl reach a stalemate at the end of their second scene act. Both
can continue to argue, but it would do neither of them any more good.
So, Carl changes strategy. Rather than continue to question Jerry’s
plan, he shrugs his shoulders and accepts him for his word.
2. A Shift in Power
Every conflict is a battle, and
in battle one side is always winning and the other losing. If the
tug-of-war is not moving one way or the other, the conflict seems to
stand still.
A shift in power occurs when an
action reverses which side holds the upper hand. This keeps the
outcome unpredictable, and thus more dramatic. Though useful in any
conflict, shifts in power become especially important in chases or
fights. First the hero is winning the battle, then favor suddenly
switches to the villain’s side. Another shift may then occur, once
again giving the hero the upper hand. This back and forth keeps the
audience on the edge of their seats since they have no idea how the
conflict will turn out.
3. A Revelation of New
Information
New information can create a
scene beat when that information forces characters to reconsider how
they must pursue their scene goal. The reveal could be something
previously unknown to the character, something unknown to the
audience, or most commonly, both. The characters must then pause,
reevaluate the situation, and then choose the best way to continue.
4. A Situation-Changing Action
This beat works the same as a
revelation of information, only it is the result of physical action.
If Character A pulls a gun on Character B, this action changes the
landscape of the conflict. Both sides must reevaluate the best way to
continue the pursuit of their goals. Likewise, if a character bursts
into tears, if someone trips and falls, if a gust of wind blows a
note from a character’s hand, these actions can all turn a scene by
forcing characters to alter their behavior.
5. An Addition or Subtraction
A beat can also occur when
someone or something enters or exits the scene, as long as it
significantly alters the situation. The hero’s ally may come to the
rescue, or conversely, leave the hero to fend for him or herself. A
character may discover an important object, or throw a key item out
the window. Such changes, be they large or small, can dramatically
impact the conflict and turn the tide of battle.
6. An Outside Interruption
Sometimes a conflict can turn on
something as simple as a momentary distraction. Someone enters the
room, the phone rings, a gunshot is heard... An interruption gives
characters an opportunity to pause, rethink their strategy, and
restart the conflict anew. This can be useful to break a stalemate.
It is even more useful should a storyteller wish to leave a conflict
unresolved so it may be continued at a later time. Early in Die
Hard, John and Holly’s marital argument gets shelved when a
coworker interrupts at the second beat with news from outside. This
forces the scene to an end with its conflict up in the air so it may
linger for the rest of the film.
To see these scene beats in
action, let us return to Fargo with a selection of scenes from
the late first act. (If you have not yet viewed Fargo, I
suggest you become familiar with it before reading on.)
