How to Write Great Scenes - 4 Elements Every Scene Should Have
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- čas přidán 10. 05. 2024
- Anatomy of a Great Scene - dissecting the four main elements of a great scene, including conflict, plot function, character development, and blocking & staging.
How to Write a Great Scene ►► bit.ly/an-gs
StudioBinder Blog ►► bit.ly/sb-bl
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Great Scenes
00:56 - What Makes a Scene Great?
03:08 - Chapter 1: Conflict
08:21 - Chapter 2: Character Development
12:42 - Chapter 3: Plot Function
16:25 - Chapter 4: Blocking & Staging
20:18 - Deep Dive: The Silence of the Lambs
25:03 - Takeaways
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ANATOMY OF A GREAT SCENE
What makes a great movie scene? While no two scenes are the same, there are consistent elements of a great scene. In this video, we’re going to take a scalpel to some of the best scenes in film history to understand the anatomy of a great scene. These include conflict, character development, plot function, and blocking & staging. A great scene doesn’t need all four of these elements - the recipe for each scene is unique and variant. Let’s look at them individually.
Without conflict, there would be no storytelling. Through the course of a single story, the protagonist must encounter conflict and obstacles in the way of their goal. At a scene level, the conflict can be minimal as long as their is sufficient conflict overall. And there are different types that can be employed like physical, verbal, internal, or environmental conflict.
A great scene should also be designed to serve the character along their arc. An individual scene can function as a tiny nudge in that direction or a full-on shove - but without some effect on the character, you might have to question if you need the scene at all.
The same criteria applies to how the scene functions on a plot level. Does the scene move the plot forward (and in the right direction) or does it slow the pacing and feel out of place? It’s one thing to write a great scene on its own but if it doesn’t add to the storytelling, it’s best to cut it.
Finally, it is the director’s responsibility to turn these written elements into a functional scene with blocking and staging. Is the camera static or would the scene benefit from a slow push in? Is there a way to use the character’s movements in the scene to enhance the conflict or character development?
The combination and execution of these elements is completely flexible and subjective. But when the elements of a great scene come together, there’s nothing better.
#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking
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♬ SONGS USED:
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
“Twin Peaks Theme” by Angelo Badalamenti
“Night Piece for Saxophone and Orchestra” by Bernard Herrmann
“Blood Trails” by Carter Burwell
“The Verdict” by Ennio Morricone
“Father Son” by Makeup & Vanity Set
“Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr.
“Mystery Math” by Danny Elfman
“Water, Ocean” by by Jung Jae Il
“The Braying Mule” by Ennio Morricone
“Treat Her Right” by Roy Head
“Hinting” by The Kitimangoes
“Heat” by Kronos Quartet
“Adagio Per Archi E Organo in Sol Minore” by David Parry
“Los Paramos” by Makeup & Vanity Set
“Jack’s Smirking Revenge” by The Dust Brothers
“Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
“Tsiolkovskij” by Makeup & Vanity Set
“The Searchers Soundtrack Suite” by Max Steine
“Toys” by Makeup & Vanity Set
“Citizen Kane Suite” by Bernard Herrmann
“Dead Already” by Thomas Newman
“Singin’ In The Rain” by Gene Kelly
“Bulletin Board” by Howard Shore
“Visit to Lecte”r by Howard Shore
“You Look Like A Rube” by Howard Shore
“A Neverending Beam of Light “by Makeup & Vanity Set
“Tangra” by Makeup & Vanity Set
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Great Scenes
00:56 - What Makes a Scene Great?
03:08 - Chapter 1: Conflict
08:21 - Chapter 2: Character Development
12:42 - Chapter 3: Plot Function
16:25 - Chapter 4: Blocking & Staging
20:18 - Deep Dive: The Silence of the Lambs
25:03 - Takeaways
Can you talk about unreal engine 5.2?
I love it that you warn about which movies you will spoiler about! Pls never change that❤
There is no spoiling if the movie is many years or even decades old……
@@romandos1972 it is still spoiling if someone hasn't seen it
@@romandos1972 ofc its spoiling. It doesent hurt to warn like they do it
This channel has brought me interest to many movies, even older ones, that I haven't seen that I somehow missed. So it is great that they do.
@@romandos1972what about for someone who wasn’t born in that decade and is just now getting into film? Wouldn’t you want them to enjoy the film like you did when you saw it decades ago? You can definitely spoil something for someone even if it’s an old film.
This channel is just pure gold with every upload. I can barely believe that this is just given to us for free. Amazing.
Enjoy!
I need a video on "How a Director acts and directs at the same time " just like in reservoir dogs
Thanks for the suggestion!
I'm going to have a go at this soon. I think if your DP is on the same page as you, you can get him/her to give directions, as far as achieving the right visuals are concerned, while you're in front of the camera. Even better if you have an assistant director, I guess.
The content of StudioBinder is amazing education at this price, but on top of the great writing it's the light gravitas of Paul Gregory that makes these lessons genuinely entertaining and memorable.
💕💕
Those scenes are in fact so good, that I find it difficult to actually get the lecture content while re-watching these scenes. Thank you for another amazing video StudioBinder!
haha that's another lesson in itself
I've learned and implemented so many tips from this channel and they have absolutely changed my entire style for the better I think. The scenes I see in my head aren't quite what comes out, but it's getting closer and closer! Some of this information was so transformative, even if they were somewhat annoying to think about and implement at first. I would remind myself with a little checklist of things to try or implement / look out for, and at first it was time consuming, if not 'flow interrupting', but over time they've become second hand knowledge. These days I find myself doing these tips, or trying to - without really thinking. I can look back and see the difference from before and after I've found this channel. Thanks so much for all you offer! As for studio binder itself, I'm a one man band, so the amount of features for me is almost overwhelming. To storyboard and write, shotlist, equipment, location, etc. Maybe I just don't know what I'm doing. Who knows.
Anyways - this channel is a goldmine. The narrator, sound, everything. These vids forever keep me motivated to improve my filmmaking.
Thanks.
You made it sound so easy! I love those breakdowns so much. And of course editing (Twin Peaks theme and Queen!) is amazing as always
Glad you liked it!
I love how the topic has been touched through several channels but you guys put a unique view on this. I mean the subject is so relative that the way you span the idea is soo great. With the perfect examples and well tell the explainations, sounds like the perfect recipe for cinema.
Glad you liked it!
The voice is just iconic with studio binder
👌👌
Please continue to be so sensative in your teachings and advisings, I have a lot of notebooks writing following your courses.
We'll keep improving ;)
This channel is the best weekly film school! Keep up the amazing work!
more on the way!
How do we learn to make Good Movies?
By watching StudioBinder videos. Thousand Thanks StudioBinder for this Inspiring Masterclass. It really help me.🙏
Thanks for watching!
Hannibal's facial expressions, the movement of his eyes while speaking, his gaze... everything. Anthony Hopkins is a Master of his craft. We can see Hannibal in Westworld's Robert Ford.
i read that Anthony Hopkins studied videos of serial killers to prepare for the roll. One thing he noticed they had in common was how seldom they blinked, so he incorporated that into his performance. Really ups the creepy factor!
@@tgfitzgeraldHe also mentioned in an interview that he imagined the character as a reptile, hence the unblinking stare.
your explaining and deep dive into scenes makes it so much simpler to understand
great video as usual
Happy to help :)
never ceases to amaze me, thank you StudioBinder!
The voice is back!!!
✔
I think one unspoken aspect of creativity this channel teaches us, is setting a personal bar for quality, and sticking to it! Thats called integrity, folks.. 🍻 SB
There's always something to learn from your videos. I enjoyed watching this
Always.
Great to hear!
I’m so glad to see that Manchester by the Sea was mentioned as a great scene. That scene blew me away the first time I watched it. I didn’t care for the movie, but that scene stood up there next to the best of them.
It was delivered perfectly
Been looking forward for an in-depth video!
Enjoy!
Our favourite narrator is back.
👍
I love that you included scenes from older movies. The scene from Singing in the Rain is iconic!
The Dinner Scene of Heat always gets me. For me one of the best scenes in film history.
Top dialogue scene
I’m not even trying to make movies but I love these videos! I feel like they give me a better lens to watch movies through and to really appreciate the ways in which they were artfully made
The editing is so good
Love this channel! Learned so much for my art and photography from this show 👏🏼
You guys are truly amazing, thank you so so so much for these resources, I'm head of story at an animation studio send these over to my storyboard artists all the time!
Fantastic!
Happy to get the previous voice over performer back ❤
👍
I love your examples. When I think of great scenes, the two films that immediately pop into mind are Vertigo and Silence of the Lambs.
I compared the scene between silence of the lambs & Dumb & Dumber with that hannibal reaction, I laughed so hard. 😂 Jim Carrey & Jeff Daniels did it very well. hahaha!
Great parody
Great video as always. Good job!
Thanks for watching!
your channel, every video and analysis let me know and appreciate more and more the movie world. Amazing video, as always. Thanks.
Glad you liked it!
So useful as always 👏🏻🤝🏻
Awesome Studiobinder!!!
Glad you liked it!
I get so much more out of watching movies than I did before discovering g studio binder. Thanks for making me a better movie buff!
Great to hear!
Very interesting! Love the way you guys give examples and using scenes from famous movies! Please incorporate more Asian movies into your videos, there are countless great movies from Korea, Japan, Iran, Indonesia, India, China and HK. Thank you.
If anyone is thinking of being a film maker, u can’t find a better channel. I’ve been studying film most of my life but I’m learning more and more each day
I’ve learned so much from the content on this channel, including the name of “Godvilla” at 12:24 lol. All jokes aside, this channel is amazing and I’ve been able to understand so much more through the videos
it's amazing!
A great scene steals the viewers attention.
How exactly great scenes achieve this is a wonderful interesting never-ending discussion.
Great scenes and Great educative compilation!
Great!
Great content as always.
Thanks!
My film school...and its free..thank you studiobinder🙌💯
Thanks for watching!
Great
Valuable lessons
Learnt a lot🎉
Thank you
Thanks for watching!
El mejor canal referente a cine que he encontrado en esta Santísima Plataforma.
👍
Thanks for watching!
Glad to see The Room in videos like this!
It was imperative to include it.
Classics only!
So great videos!
This is Fantastic thanks
Great to hear!
another banger from StudioBinder
Cheers!
Thank you ❤❤❤ you guys are a blessings for me
we hope so!
Another Key note to scenes when dealing with multiple characters. Never forget, each character has their own lives. Never seize any character's story: what drives them forward, what are their ticks and triggers, who are they and their function to the story and their own.
The silence of the lamb has a lot of good decisions about cinematic techniques, it has great actors and a great script, in other words, it's a perfect film. Thanks for give us too much knowledge
I sincerely love how this masterclasses in cinema constantly use The Room scenes in appropiate ways
Great video! Thanks!
Cheers!
BRILLIANT! I love your stuff
❤❤
Great video 😊
Glad you liked it!
I used to watch movies literally blindly, but it's with Studiobinder now I am seeing them.
Notice in the G.F example, how the director ends in on such a perfect cadance? Its also more forshadowing. And a, you reap what you sow forshadowing. The tables are turned on Tommy. If corn was somehow reveranced the scene is then perfect in everyway.
My No. 1 best CZcams channel❤️
Enlightening, once again.
we hope so!
@@StudioBinder. You obviously can't do worse than the nostalgia critic,cosmonaut variety hour,turf nation and the like.
Love this channel
Cheers!
God bless you studiobinder!
Cheers!
Great Content!
The honey voice and a diopter reference?! I’m in heaven!
💕💕
StudioBinder❤👑
👋
I need to play this video every week Haha.. So many goodies. Thank you and I will thank you again at the Oscars HAHA
Forgot how good of a movie Silence of the lambs is, its up there as one of the best in my opinion
Each seminar is a filmmaking seminar
11:03 I like the nod at nolan's darknight which is influenced by heat
I love this channel a lot❤It really helps me learn so much. Although I have a request to make, please also share stuff about Women filmmakers. 🙏 Thanks
Rrr in a studiobinder video👏👏
we have a video on it! czcams.com/video/goT9nhISfd8/video.html
@@StudioBinder glad to see an indian epic on this Chanel ♥️♥️
hi , i watched your video and i really enjoyed it , plz make a list of movies like this that by watching them we can learn the art of writing and creating thanks a lot
I just love you guys
Love our viewers!
Could you please make a video on the difference between scene and sequence please
Simple, Sir... StudioBinder is more than you think)) Try to find.
The first 10 seconds of every Shot List episode will explain it 😉
@@StudioBinder No, 12 seconds, as a rule... Ok, 5-7 seconds is good for the montage ))
Thanks
🙏🙏
Thank you for the list of movies that will be spoiled. I’ve waited years
If any body follows your videos sincerely while writing important points of filmaking then one can make big in the filmmaking process slowly & steadily
we hope so!
Thank you Thank you Thank you ….🙏
Is there someone told to me. What is main reason these content does not have copyright restriction. Thank you so much guys
we don't run ads, content falls under Fair Use
Why did you disabled the download option. I like to download the video to see it later. Btw thanks for teaching me so much for free. I couldn't possibly say anything. Thank you 💗
The video will always be up to watch!
Brilliant
Thanks for the clear spoiler list, appreciated.
Enjoy!
twin peaks theme at 0.40 ❤❤❤
🔥🔥
Hi, Love and Huge Respect from India..
Request: Please make a vedio regarding "Anatomy of Fight Scenes / How to shoot fight scene "
From Single Camera or Multi camera like in Marvel Movies Such as Civil War.
Thanks in Advance..
00:35 a hint to David Lynch's directing style video?
👀
What's the movie called at 16:47 ? The one with the dimly lit fight scene.
I really like the beginning of the Sterling/Lecter scene. Sterling has to walk up to the last cell in a long hallway, passing all kind of psychotic maniacs, one being more savage and repulsive than the other. So we automatically expect Lecter to be some kind of super-savage, super-repulsive monster, but instead we see a tiny, mild-mannered and clean little man, standing upright in the middle of his cell. It totally undermines our expectations and creates a very special kind of uneasyness, because we have heard this man must be the definite mega monster but we absolutely can not put the finger on what is wrong with him. So already before he has spoken one word, he has us (and Agent Sterling) in the corner.
It is a similiar trick like in one of my favorite scenes in Star Wars, namely in Return of the Jedi when we first meet the Emperor. We see the mighty star cruisers, everybody kneeling or standing straight before the emperor's shuttle, even the terrifying Lord Vader bending the knee. So what we expect is some uber strong giant of impressive splendor, but what we then see is a small, wrinkled old man in a black robe. Again, undermining the expectations completely knocks us over. Great stuff.
Please make a video on Plot
What is Plot?
Hi Studio binder, can you make a video on Beat sheet for Web series like the Beat Sheet series for movies?
we might!
@@StudioBinder Thank you so much Studio binder.
The moment when Tajomaru stared at a noble women on a horse in Rashomon was very impressive.,
What about movies like The Menu 2022? For films that primarily remain in one setting with the same character(s)? Would it be the same idea(s) in the video applied to every cut, table shot w/ the characters, or solely looking @ Margot & Tyler?
Can you Guys make 1 Video on Camara Movement and the reason behind such as building a emotional tension, realease tension and Dramatic tension. Also, Motivational and Unmotivated Camara Movement.
Love how they couldn't help going from Singin in the Rain to a shot of A Clockwork Orange (even if it wasn't THAT scene).
Please make a video indean movie sence,cinematography and many more ❤
Do you mean make a video on an indian movie?
@@StudioBinder yes
To make scenes memorable it is all about precision and luck!! Some scenes are scripted and some scenes are improvised!! In the end, the execution should be able to have an impact on the audience!!
Yup!
1:57 what is the bg music name
*_I'm doing 1yr Cinematography Diploma, could anyone please tell me that can I become a news media cameraman after the course or I can only work with Movie Studios.❤_*
You can work in any field, just need to apply and get experience
I'm thinking of making a game that is staged like an animated show/movie. Great insight into these things
can u make a video about Mr. Mani Ratnam the greatest Indian director next to Mr. Satyajit Ray?? He directed various classic movies with an average 8.0 and above ratings in IMDB & LETTERBOXD. His famous work in Indian cinema is Nayakan 1987 with the finest actor ever in world cinema Kamal Hasan
Thanks for the suggestion!
Damn bro, I'm gonna have to watch Django Unchained for sixth time now.