odocoileus

MY SCENE CHECKLIST

I call it the Yellow Sheet, because the original is purple ink on one sheet of yellow paper. I check it over and over again during a writing session, to keep the essential elements of the scene uppermost in my mind.

Get in as late as possible, get out as early as possible. No ramp.

Motivate all entrances and exits w/in the logic of the story.

Immediately follow each scene header w/ an action line. The dp must know what image is to be shot. Actors, crew etc. must know who's in the scene.

What can you do without?

Watch for on the nose dialogue and overexplaining.

Avoid repetition, eliminate redundancy.

People talk to get what they want. What does each person want in the scene?

What makes each character unique - the combo of dialogue and action that clearly delineates each character?

Each scene is a ministory with a begin, middle, and end. Think of each scene as a 2 pg short story.

Have each scene build to an emotional peak.

Know what each person is thinking and feeling at each moment in a scene.

Each character in a scene is the hero of his or her own drama.

Begin each scene in the middle of a confrontation involving a main character.