Screenwriting Course
Lessons

Moments are what the audience wants to see. A scene is a segment of story that takes place in continuous time and in the same place. A scene should end with a “but” or “therefore” which launches us further in the story. A scene:

• Has a beginning, middle, and end.
• Always has an objective, even if the audience doesn’t know what it is at the time.
• Illuminates an aspect of the story of a character.
• It can set up something that is paid off later.
• It can be the pay-off to the something which was set up earlier.
• It can be a transition ahead or backwards in time or be used to change location in the present time.
• Whether it’s the protagonist or another character, their goal is either reached, advanced, or stymied until a later scene.
• It always moves the story forward.

A scene ends when it has served its purpose to advance the plot.

A sequence is a series of scenes conjoined by a single thought. A sequence should also end with a “but” or “therefore” which launches us further in the story.