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Scenes from next week

ending-a-sceneI’ve seen a lot of discussion on how to write a scene… Anatomy of a scene. What makes for great scenes… One thing I’m not really remembering very much of — IF ANY — is discussion on ending a scene.

I — like a lot of you, have read a lot of screenplays and that number is probably very close to being equal when it comes to professional screenplays versus new screenplays and one of the elements I see quite a bit is the difference between the two when it comes to ending a scene.

Most of the new screenplays i.e., those screenplays being written by writers wanting to break in always seem to be lacking in this area.

Is it in fact something that you’ve given much thought about? If not — why not?

Do not ENDINGS denote that something be completed? No… I’m not saying that you should end every scene as if whatever that scene is about should end forever but just as you set up a scene with an interior or exterior… Location and description of said location along with setting up who’s in that scene as well as what’s happening in that scene… Might it not be worth considering ending SOME of those scenes so as to trigger US — both reader and hopefully, eventual audience — to want MORE INFORMATION about either the character(s) within that scene or the story that we’re investing our precious time in?

I’ve read a lot of screenwriting articles and pages of screenwriting books over the years that talk about ways of getting the reader to turn the page… In fact, I’ve read many articles on rewriting the bottoms of pages in order to do just that. Fine. Nothing wrong with that strategy if you can in fact pull it off so it doesn’t look like you’ve fucking tricked me into turning that page… LOL. No… You better make that page WORTH TURNING.

Which is why I say to consider ending your scenes to accomplish the same thing. It makes more sense and of course, you’re not simply trying to trick us into reading on because we really do want to read on.

This is by no means some kind of a rule I propose to throw at anyone but it does seem to be an area in screenwriting often left unexplored.

I don’t watch network television anymore so I have no idea how it’s done today but I remember when I was a kid watching television — either actual television shows or movies, that I almost always felt one of two things at the end of most of the scenes that did not continue on in the story… i.e., self-contained scenes…

  1. Emotion of some kind.
  2. Relief.

In other words, the scenes themselves either pulled me in emotionally, thereby causing me to WONDER what was going to happen next — OR — the scene ended with me leaning back on the couch and saying, “WHEW!” Providing me with a much needed breather before getting pulled back in again.

I also remember watching my favorite television shows back then and after said show, they would offer up the SCENES FROM NEXT WEEK. LOL. This was always a bone of contension in our house… My mother and father wanted my brother and I to hit the rack (go to bed) as soon as said show was over but we would always beg and plead, “Can we watch the scenes?”

This always pissed my Dad off to no end… He would reply back to us that we could watch the PREVIEWS of next week — NOT THE SCENES. LOL. Of course we called them the scenes because that’s what the show’s announcer called them so why not us? But, as long as we submitted to the POWER OF DEAR OLE DAD, we were almost always allowed to watch the SCENES.

I still think they are in fact SCENES but here’s why I mention them today…

Those scenes acted very much like movie trailers… Those scenes from next week SOLD US on tuning in next week. Those scenes made us WONDER what was going to happen next week.

Unfortunately, very often, those scenes turned out to be snippets of the actual scenes we ended up watching… But again, here’s where the revelation comes in… Why do those trailers and scenes from next week pull us in? Could it be because they leave us wanting MORE? Could we possibly learn something from this feeling of wanting more after watching the trailer and scenes from next week?

What the fuck IS IT about those scenes from next week and trailers that prod us to spend our time and money on these television shows and movies?

Sometimes it’s the cliffhanger ending of a scene that makes us want to see more. Cool. I like cliffhangers. Sometimes it’s something revealed about one or more of the characters within a particular scene that causes me to wonder how this kind of person ended up being where they are right now… No, it’s usually not a conscious thought of actually asking myself that question but it’s probably very much like being one of those lookyloos who drive really slow when passing a motor vehicle accident…

They just gotta know what happened but think about that for a second… They can’t possibly know what happened. It’s the ENDING of that catastrophe that causes them to ease up on the gas pedal and coast on by.

Sometimes it’s specific dialogue in the scene that causes me to WONDER about something I didn’t know before… Sometimes it’s making something that I THOUGHT was going to end in a predictable way NOT end in a predictable way. Sometimes it has something to do with the theme of the story thereby making me wonder or question the truth that seems to be unfolding before me.

Sometimes it’s just an ending. WHEW! Relief. Thanks, I need time to regroup, relax, and reinvest.

Watch those scenes from next week and those trailers and find those elements that cause YOU to pony up your own time and money — translate that into some of your own writing and you just might make your scenes a hell of a lot more powerful.

Unk




Thursday: 18 September 2008|1635|Under Screenwriting

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12 Responses to “Scenes from next week”

  1. Ryan on Thursday: 18 September 2008|2024

    Very interesting. I’ve always read/heard how to write scenes. But, I’ve never really put much thought into the way a scene would/should end.

    I think I’m slacking in that area. When I read the book, The Da Vinci Code. That always had me wanting to turn the page. I couldn’t read it fast enough. I just had to know what was gonna happen next.

    Bravo Unk

  2. James on Friday: 19 September 2008|0249

    Couldn’t agree more.

    I do think some books talk about it — but it is “in code.” Most screenwriting books talk about getting into and out of your scenes as succinctly as possible. This isn’t simply for brevity’s sake. At face value this makes sense, but I don’t think most aspiring screenwriters really internalize the message behind doing so.

    I heard a term recently, it’s an old term, but it keeps popping up, “Putting a BUTTON on a scene.”

    Basically it means, how does your scene END in a manner that propels and motivates the next scene, but gives us, the audience, closure to the scene unfolding in front of us.

    It’s no small task.

    It’s resolution and the next step at the same time. Scene after scene after scene, until the climax and ultimately the pay-off for the movie.

  3. Christian Howell on Friday: 19 September 2008|1137

    Scene endings are important and kind of a nightmare. The “definition” I’ve heard is that change has to happen. What that means is that some character should leave the scene with more or different knowledge.

    It fits with the setup, buildup, payoff paradigm quite well. Since all scenes should have some level of conflict, it forces you to “have someone’s opinion change” during the course of the discussion or whatever.

    Like if two people are having a discussion about a mutual acquaintance one of them should “adapt” their opinion about said individual.

    You just want to make sure you don’t fall into the ragging on each other for ten minutes trap.

  4. Stuff on Monday: 22 September 2008|1133

    I like your tips; very helpful. I don’t have any tips to add, but I’ve written about my Hollywood experience. If you’re interested, check it out at:

    http://thecorner33.blogspot.com/

  5. Benjamin Ray on Wednesday: 24 September 2008|1401

    Hi Unk,

    I used to watch soap operas.

    It’s one place I look for basic cliffhanging techniques. On a research level only.

    Do you agree? Are soap operas useful?

    I remember when I was a student and had lots of time, those soap operas had me on the edge of my seat. Room-mate got me addicted to them, actually!

    Don’t want to sound odd, but very episode ends on a cliffhanging impasse — revelation — twist — high emotional stress….

    Regards,

    Benjamin Ray
    http://www.hollywoodtoronto.com
    brscreenwriter@gmail.com
    writer4graphicnovel@gmail.com

  6. Ryan on Thursday: 25 September 2008|1853

    William C. Martell’s blue book SCENE SECRETS is a good one to read about the craft of a scene. It says some of the stuff you just mentioned here. It’s been helping me out tons. I need to read it more than once.

  7. Chris J. Scurria on Wednesday: 1 October 2008|0206

    television shows are geared to draw you in and never end because they want the person to keep watching. I myself am a writer (and an attempted screen one which was three years ago). They like LOST for example are there with a greatly complicated storyline whether it may be about God or a force that is beyond nature. They and the team of writers work to get the story in a vague but somewhat presented way and they want and have the followers who will see the show at every step.
    The essence of a tv show is to let the viewer in on the characters. . . and then leave them temporarily, week by week. Like a bad watcher.
    Great article Unk
    -person who is a wannabe writer/artist/musician
    C. J. S.

  8. Chris J. Scurria on Wednesday: 8 October 2008|0436

    c. j. slacker again.

    Read on how to cprght. a screenplay. That was great. The best thing about a screenplay is to keep the reader (the producer) turning the page so the interest is still there. I am sure the stories of the t. v. shows are all good and well done.
    The content of the screenplay must be good too. I have had many bad ideas in a story and fortunately those stories were not put into the world of movie moguls. I have learned to write (or even abandon) works that are not good.
    Remember that God loves ya.
    Going to try to attend a Bible study thing.
    See ya and take care.

  9. Chris J. Scurria on Monday: 13 October 2008|2250

    E. R. the show with intelligent characters is going off the air. Watch it. See it before the good-bye.
    I do not work for them but I liked the show for a year and here and there every once in a while episode. I didn’t always see it, but still the same.
    A show is great for intelligence (if the writers make smart writings anyway; not every show is smart).
    Write something smart (and nothing where the message is “This president stinks.” It has happened too much in this American history and it rings true today. We heard enough).

    Take care writers.
    “For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish (uhoh) but have everlasting Life.”
    -John 3:16

  10. Chris J. Scurria on Saturday: 18 October 2008|0623

    Who saw the Crusoe episode yesterday? I didn’t read into the source its based on but I liked it.

    God Bless. Take care of yourselves writers.

  11. Chris J. Scurria on Wednesday: 22 October 2008|0215

    A t. v. show is geared to ones
    to tell them what they know
    to speak to people through the tube
    to opinionate and slow
    to bring ones in on characters
    and tell them information
    to go to viewers and make them see
    a storyline and first vision
    to talk and speak and make drama
    and not be plain old dumb
    and not be set in a “Disney” world
    like Housewives (makes me numb)

    :)

  12. Chris J. Scurria on Wednesday: 22 October 2008|0222

    A scary image:

    A kid in front of a T. V. set that is fuzzing and the child just stares at it.

    “OH NO. THE CABLE IS OUT. AHHHH!”

    just joking.

    God bless. John 3:16

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