How To Write A Great Scene - Michael Hauge & Mark W. Travis

[@brookeschwartz8470]

What they said: Before you start writing the scene, questions you want to ask/know: - Who is my hero? - What is the hero's wound? - What are they afraid of? - What is the visible goal they're going after? - Where structurally does this scene occur? How far into the journey is the character? Next Q: What does my character want in this scene? Will this desire move them closer to their goal/remove an obstacle towards the goal/anticipate an obstacle? Next Q: What will they do to try to do this? That will constitute the action of the scene. The dialogue, you set aside until the other things are set aside, because it only serves to reveal how they feel about the situation, or they're trying to persuade someone to do something/take control of the situation. First, we see what the character wants in the scene and then we determine their obstacle to achieving this. The plot of a movie primarily grows out of a conflict. Dialogue: Get something down. Get ANYTHING down. If you don't know what the dialogue should be, write dialogue where the character is just saying how they feel/what they want. It's terrible dialogue, but at least now you've got a scene. Last Q: How can I make it more difficult for my character? Instead of announcing feelings/desires, can the character do it without saying anything/how can they hide their true desires/feelings and cover it up with more superficial, subtextual language? Then, it's a matter of going through that process repeatedly with each successive draft.

[@anushan5475]

Thanks buddy😊

[@eugenesesmaiii3278]

I literally just finished taking quick notes about what he was saying then I see this lol thanks!

[@walidovitchwalid8592]

thanks

[@AG-vk5or]

Thank you :)

[@HarishAgastya]

Thank you

[@KajsaBernhardina]

We writers tend to be so creative and have so many meaningful ideas, we don't always know where to start. Thank you for this video. A simple step-by-step breakdown of the process is sometimes the one thing we need to get started.

[@sonnybrown4758]

jeez, he took everyone to class in 5 minutes

[@lamerafiera]

I loved the end of it., Mark is right "that is good!!'

[@filmcourage]

Nice to know. We debated editing that part out. Decided to leave it in.

[@lamerafiera]

Film Courage Good choice to leave it in, for those of us who study the craft and understand how clear relevant what he says is, is good to see that reaction from Mark, it's priceless!

[@DNFDESTROYER]

Film Courage love your videos. never hd the time or money for film school, but you guys helped me by being easily accessible. I watch all day and night

[@williamrey9208]

I wish I could do more than just give a thumbs up. A heart or something. This was great.

[@sonicred007]

This advice is the best kind... it feels like they're talking about the work and problems of a writer in very practical terms... thank you

[@ReneeWashingtonforever]

This is great.I was going thru some of my scenes in my head. Ill have to go back and take notes. His advice is on point. Thanks for this!

[@filmcourage]

Renee Washington Thanks Renee, we also recommend checking this one out kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2SulIFjm7d_fKs It's a screenwriting super class.

[@kangaroo3708]

Renee Washington Your welcome

[@seedsstems6809]

That was the most simple and beautifully explained breakdown of developing a scene! I'll be saving this video...thx for sharing!

[@howardkoor2796]

Haugue is a master at explaining story..

[@GabrielGhiggeri]

This is awesome, I've seen this video many times, I just want to put it on a loop. Thank you Film Courage for uploading all those interviews. Cheers from Argentina.

[@deenicolaOH]

I'm shocked this only has 3,170 views so far! Definitely worth sharing. Thanks!

[@filmcourage]

Dana Norman Thanks Dana, glad to see you enjoyed this one enough that you want to share it.

[@SS-bn5uy]

Write that down! write that down!

[@CdeeqFilmmaker]

good job michael

[@TDOTSE1]

Goodness this is amazing. Especially considering how hard writing scenes is!

[@frankmonteleone5325]

Outstanding critique and making the purpose of the scene very basic to serve the story. Either moving the story forward, or facing an obstacle, or anticipation of an obstacle. I think this can be true of antagonist as well as protagonist, like a boxing match. Great stuff. Thank you Michael.

[@LKDfilmproductions]

Thanks for answering my question. Really insightful advice, especially in terms of working out dialogue.

[@filmcourage]

Thanks for your question Levi. This one benefits us all.

[@willstraw9988]

Great stuff reallly helpful. Keep things loke this foming please

[@roannadeguzman9333]

Theyre so cute at the end lmao But great video!! I love your channel

[@TonyBabarino]

Wow! This WAS good stuff. If you can get that kind of learning and tips from other high-end pros, this channel would be on fire!!

[@filmcourage]

Thanks, is this the first Film Courage video you have watched?

[@TonyBabarino]

Film Courage Yes, it is! Nicely done. Man, if you can pound these out several times a month the the "biggest" big-shots in writing and film, this would be out-of-control! (in a good way). :)

[@filmcourage]

***** Cool. To date, we've posted over 2000 videos here on KZbin so we have quite a bit of material for you to get lost in and hopefully benefit from. Here's a playlist of some of our screenwriting videos kzbin.info/aero/PLez8jOvskc-PCpatuDbry_q-YPJZ8o2Qo

[@TonyBabarino]

oh man!! Thank you!

[@taylortimeless]

Thanks for the advice. Getting ready to write the opening scene for my thriller.

[@howardkoor9365]

Great insight

[@JorgePrietoNYC]

Excellent advice, right on! Thanks for this post.

[@MountainMaid238]

Wonderful, its great to hear what I tend to do intuitively, explained so clearly. Because I sometimes I lose my flow and its good to know what to do explicitly. Hope that made sense! Love from NZ x

[@rekteen]

That is a GREAT explanation....and I have watched lots of these...THX!!

[@didutasev4427]

This guy is awesome

[@tiko545]

thank you so much for doing these videos! May I approach you with an idea/request: could you do a "special episode" or maybe even a set of videos that cover how to rewrite a scene? John August has done 2 or 3 of these videos and it is especially helpful as you can see how he edits the scene live.

[@NamastayGangstaArt]

I’ve played this so many times in my car my kids hate me lol.

[@filmcourage]

Our favorite comment of the day!

[@claudiamanta1943]

That could be the beginning of one of your screenplays. 😊

[@everafter2611]

I realized that writing is all about creating strong scenes.

[@atlbike]

(3) three exceptionally Good Listeners.

[@anne-laureguyodo4163]

merci !

[@cinematicsummer2016]

Thank you!

[@howardkoor2796]

Hauge is sensational

[@alexispapageorgiou72]

Simple answer I hope ... Find out the best day of your life as the finest example, and break down what happened (or worse for that matter) as you perceive it and why! Then try to understand that situation from the all other involving characters POV. Now you know all characters involved in that scene. The difference in cinema and what happened to you (or a friend of yours or someone you know) is that great scenes are usually great because they affect and change more than one character simultaneously.

[@naphtalieh.gbolahan2568]

Thanks!

[@filmcourage]

Thank you so much naphtalieh! Love to see you finding value on this channel. Best to you and your work!

[@MCG19]

Great video. Helpful advice. Film courage, you never disappoint.

[@filmcourage]

We think it has a lot more to do with these guys, but we certainly appreciate your good words : )

[@rosecolombo2025]

Thank You - so helpful

[@timothycreed3452]

Thank you for this.

[@filmcourage]

These guys are great. Looking forward to posting more of their videos.

[@mikewright3029]

OMG!... I understood what he said! XD

[@epicireland8630]

I have ideas lots of the I just struggle with the writing

[@TonyBabarino]

Oh....can you find (current) script readers (especially the working unknowns) who are still working for big, huge companies and get their honest opinions on what they like in a script....and hate?

[@filmcourage]

We recently interviewed a former script reader who had his first screenplay produced into a movie starring Richard Dreyfuss, Danny Glover, Danny Masterson & Jon Heder. He shares a lot of his experience and insights here From Script Reader To Professional Screenwriter - Full Interview with Justin Trevor Winters

[@heatherthompson91]

Is script writing coach like a job coach?

[@ericwilliams626]

Wanna know how to write a great scene? Put in Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hours into writing. After that, a great scene will just pop out of you like Stewey Griffin on a sunny day.

[@Nautilus1972]

What great scenes have they written??? How To Write A Great Scene? Be a great writer, I would have thought.

[@aaronkaminski9357]

What about characterization? If I have two characters drinking in a bar and the protagonist is just supposed to be bitching, is that alright?

[@stevo728822]

The target -> conflict -> result method will create a story but it won't be a great story.

[@frankhalbiger6007]

Ok how do you tell a great story?

[@isaacbarlow8247]

What I do is write an outline of the entire story scene by scene and then when I go back to write it, I decide to either write it or leave it or just put it somewhere else. If it doesn't move the story it's useless, but maybe at that moment. That's what i do anyway...lol.

[@joeygonzo]

Most of the time it's probably not the scene is wrong. It's just presented wrong.

[@kennethlucious1]

Wow

[@Tookastudios]

for a cinema oriented channel you´re not big on editing...

[@maniveiszadeh8030]

How to write another cliche, happy ending predictable Hollywood movie