The 10 Step Scene Breakdown System
(c) Peter D. Marshall
After you have done your general analysis of the script, you need to dig deeper into the story and its structure. Once you have an understanding of what the story is about, you then need to analyze each individual scene in the script.
Your script breakdown will be a never-ending process because each time you read the script you’ll find something different about the story or the characters. As long as you know what the story is about and where the story is going, you can adjust to all changes.
TIP: If you know the intent of a scene and the story points of a scene, you can deal with actors who want to change their dialogue – as long as the dialogue change doesn’t alter the intent of the scene or the character.
Before you break down your script, you need to answer these three questions:
1. What is the Theme of the film?
The “theme” is the moral, main topic, subject or concept you are trying to convey to the audience under the text. (Example: In Titanic, the theme could be “Love is Everlasting.” The sinking of the ship is the dramatic story/plot that supports that theme.)
2. What is the Genre of the film?
Film genres are types of films that have identifiable story models and filmic techniques that audiences can easily recognize. (Comedy, Crime, Action Adventure, Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Film Noir, Western etc.)
3. What is the Main Story Question?
There should to be one main question that is presented “indirectly” to the audience in Act One that must be answered in Act Three. (In The Wizard of Oz, the main question is “Will Dorothy get back home from Oz?” In Titanic, the main question is “Will Jack and Rose survive the sinking of the ship?”)
Then you break down each scene in your script using this 10 Step System:
- What are the Scene Objectives? (Main/Secondary)
- What is each Character’s (Story) Super-Objective? (Needs/Subtext)
- What is each Character’s (Scene) Objective? (Wants/Text)
- What is each Character’s Backstory? (Life before the scene)
- Which Character Controls the Scene (Who’s Driving/Pushing the scene forward)
- What are each Character’s Scene Actions (How they achieve their scene objective)
- Where are the Scene Beats? (Where the subject changes or scene changes direction)
- Write out Action Verbs (Words that express a desired emotion or action)
- Write out Images, Comments & Expressions (To help actors reach specific beats)
- Prepare Shot List/Storyboards/Schematics (How you want to shoot the scene)
1. Scene Objectives
Every scene in a film has at least three purposes: (1) to move the story forward (2) to reveal plot (3) to reveal character.
As a director, you need to find the Primary Story Objective of the scene by asking “Why is this scene in the story? What is the main reason for the scene?” What is the intent of the scene? What happens in the scene? Does it move the story forward?”
For a director, a scene has a Primary Objective (the main story reason for the scene) as well as Secondary Objectives: to establish a location for the first time; to focus on a specific prop; to establish a character; to hear an important line of dialogue etc.
2. Character (Story) Super-Objective (Needs/Subtext)
A character’s Story Super-Objective is what the character needs most in the story. This subtext is what your character really thinks or believes – it’s the content underneath the dialogue that actors use to show an inner conflict.
Subtext is what your characters really think or believe – it is the content underneath the spoken dialogue. It shows that an inner conflict is present. What characters are really thinking has a great effect on how actors move and how they deliver their lines. This effects how you will block a scene.
3. Character (Scene) Objectives (Wants/Text)
Understanding a character’s scene objective is the key to getting a realistic performance from an actor as well as helping you block a scene. A character’s Scene Objective is essentially what the character wants most of all in the scene.
To find out a character’s objective, ask “What does the character want in this situation?” This is the text of the character – the physical world of the character expressed through dialogue or actions.
A character’s objective should create obstacles for the character. (Conflict Creates Drama) HE: Wants to marry her. SHE: Wants to leave the relationship.
4. Character Backstory
A backstory is an event that happened in a character’s life before the movie started or just before the scene starts. This event could have been shown in the previous scene or it could be a “made up” off-camera beat just before the scene starts.
5. Which Character Controls the Scene (Driving/Pushing the scene forward)
Which character in the scene creates an “action” that causes a “reaction” with other characters? Which character says or does something that moves the scene forward? This “controlling” character is the one who drives or pushes the scene toward its conclusion and it does not have to be the main character.
6. Character Scene Actions
Every character must be motivated by something before they will take action. Look at what the character does rather than what she says. (Her behavior.) Actions are what the character does…to get what she wants…to fulfill her needs.
7. Scene Beats
A good way to help analyse a scene is by breaking the scene down into its BEATS which are moments in the script when the scene changes direction. The simplest way to identify beats is by subject – when the subject changes, that’s a new beat. By looking at a scene as a series of smaller units (beats) the director can focus on the details.
Every beat change is often punctuated by some physical movement plus a change in the character’s action verb. You can use these beats to develop a rough blocking plan to help figure out your shots and to give direction to actors.
8. Action Verbs
Verbs stimulate emotion. They have an emotional effect on another person. ‘Actions’ are active verbs. ‘I tempt you.’ ‘You taunt me.’ In order to perform an action truthfully (and therefore convincingly) an actor needs to find the right action to suit that particular situation and that particular line.
By using action verbs instead of adjectives, the actor doesn’t have to think “Now I’m supposed to be getting happy.” Instead, the actor can concentrate completely on the situation and his objectives. That is the motivation and that’s what the actor needs to make a character come alive.
Actors need actions. Actors cannot ‘act’ adjectives. So, instead of asking an actor to play it SEXY, ask the actor TO FLIRT with the other actor. This encourages the actor to engage with the other actor, rather than be focused on being sexy.
9. Images, Comments and Expressions
Another valuable part of your scene breakdown is to write out relevant images or visualizations that you can share with the actors if they need help clarifying their scene objective, if they stumble over specific lines or if they are having trouble achieving an emotional beat.
It’s also a good idea to write down specific comments that seem appropriate for each scene (like script facts, location issues, camera movements) as well certain expressions (What would you feel like when a puppy licks your face?) that you can tell an actor to help them achieve a specific emotional beat.
10. Prepare Shot Lists, Storyboards & Schematics
After you do all the previous 9 script analysis steps, you can now figure out how to shoot every scene.
A Shot List is a description of all the camera angles for a scene and include shot size, camera movement, character movement and coverage. Shot lists should be mandatory for every director because they guide you through the blocking and shooting process. They are also extremely helpful for your First AD and DOP.
A Storyboard is a series of sequential images of a scene or a sequence. Storyboards are primarily used to help film directors pre-visualize scenes which contain complicated actor blocking, action sequences or layers of visual effects.
A Schematic is a diagram of how the director wants to block a scene and where the camera will be placed. It is drawn from a high angle and gives a “birds eye view” of the set.
Please remember that storyboards and schematics (whether they’re done simply on paper or through detailed computer programs) will never fully duplicate what happens on a real set because of location logistics, lighting requirements and actor changes.
So please use your shot lists, storyboards and schematics as good production guides so that when you’re focused and in-the-moment on the set, you will have the opportunity to discover better blocking scenarios, better camera angles and magic performance moments that you never would have thought about sitting at home writing out your shots and storyboards.
Copyright (c) 2019 Peter D. Marshall / All Rights Reserved
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