Copyright © 2023 Jerry Dunne
Before reading this post, I suggest you first familiarise yourself with The play’s 3-act plot arc structure.
A writer has a list of things they want to incorporate into the scene, such as setting, character, dramatic action, conflict and crisis, issue, theme, and so on; but, of course, they all have to be positioned correctly in order to make sense and create the right dramatic effect as well as offer a solid contribution to the overall plot arc (the 3-act plot arc structure here). In this post, we will discover how using this actual plot arc structure as a guide for the scene structure itself is an incredibly effective way to advance this ambition, if used wisely.
A good scene will have a beginning, middle and an ending, culminating in a climax or climatic moment (also known as a turning point in the scene), just like in the overall 3-act plot arc structure. At the beginning of each scene, establish setting, character, and possibly time as quickly as possible. Like with the start of the play with reference to the overall plot arc, also get as close as possible to the dramatic action and conflict and purpose of the scene as quickly as possible, Then build the scene’s conflict smoothly to its climax or turning point, where we will find the scene’s change, making sure that the stakes and therefore the tension are rising along the way.
This idea of each scene having a climax or turning point is a good way to measure whether the scene is necessary to the plot arc. A scene with a purpose to it will always reach a climax. If there is no climax or turning point, what is the point of the scene? And even if there is a climax but one that is not a plot-related dramatic climax, its inclusion will only stall the plot arc’s rising tension. (And, of course, whatever stakes are offered here are also irrelevant if they are not plot-related. This incongruous scene will also leave the audience baffled as to why it has been included.) Dramatic conflict is the fuel of every scene, and involves two or more people having opposing plot-related goals, which they will attempt to reach through a variety of strategic verbal and physical dramatic actions (a character has a want, desire or need that they act on in some way and which is plot relevant). Someone ‘wins’ the conflict or struggle of the scene, while someone else ‘loses’ it. The ‘loser’ must determine what move they are going to make next because of this ‘loss’, which is always plot related. This is our climax or turning point. The scene forces change on character, because they cannot afford not to make this change, which in turn encourages further conflict in the following scenes.
It might even be suggested that the scene structure ought to be a miniature version of the actual 3-act plot arc structure which spans the whole play. Here are its attributes:
Act 1
Set-up
Inciting event
First plot point – here our protagonist accepts the challenge of the inciting incident.
Act 2
Dramatic conflict (runs through the play’s important events (main plot points, where the stakes keep getting raised and so therefore the tension in the story also keeps rising).
High point
Darkest moment
Act 3
Climax (or turning point in the scene)
Resolution
In other words, you will have the set-up, the inciting incident, first plot point, dramatic conflict, a high point, a darkest moment, a climax (turning point)and a resolution in each scene. However, if you are going to attempt to structure your scene in this way, I suggest you do so with some flexibility in mind. For instance, what does it mean to have a resolution at the scene’s ending? It obviously can’t be a resolution like at the play’s ending.
Let’s go through it carefully and see where we arrive. Set-up seems obvious enough. Only what about an inciting incident for the scene itself? Well, yes, something or someone must trigger the protagonist in the scene; challenge them to overcome an obstacle (dramatic action), and it must be one that relates back to the original inciting incident (the overall plot arc’s), in some obvious way. Then dramatic conflict will obviously arise out of the scene’s inciting incident as our protagonist struggles to deal with the challenge set up by the antagonist. Or the opposite may even happen in a scene. The antagonist struggles to deal with the challenge of the protagonist. The scene will move toward a high point which may in fact have several mini crises points along the path of conflict. It’s hardly unusual. Conflict mostly builds steadily in intensity. Next we have the darkest moment followed by the climax of the scene.
In the overall play’s 3-act plot arc structure, it is generally the protagonist who wins the high point, loses the darkest moment (which is why it is called that) and then wins at the climax. But here in the scene it is often the opposite. Think about it! It makes sense! If the protagonist is struggling for most of the way to overcome the play’s ‘big problem’ how can they be winning all the time?
After the scene’s climax (turning point), we come to the resolution of the scene. If it is the protagonist who ‘loses’, this ‘loss’ will certainly relate back to the inciting incident that kicked the plot into gear for them to begin with, as already stated. Therefore, unlike the resolution of the overall plot arc structure where the issues of the play are resolved, the scene’s resolution only expands the play’s conflict as our protagonist (or antagonist), who has ‘lost’ out in this particular scene’s turning point, must now do something to compensate for that ‘loss’. They must be resolute in pushing the plot forwardin a clearly observable way; of increasing their struggle to resolve the plays ‘big problem’ if they are the protagonist, and probably wanting to have it remain unresolved if they are the antagonist. So the scene has created the conditions for change to occur. If the stakes are also being raised with every scene then the tension continuously rises and the ‘big problem’ of the play to be resolved should look like an increasingly difficult task for the protagonist to overcome.
Certainly think about using this structure as a guide. While helping you align all the necessary plot elements of a good scene in the right order (dramatic action, conflict and climax), it also has you continuously thinking about the structure of the overall play. And, of course, you can tweak it wherever and whenever necessary just as you will undoubtedly do so to the overall play’s plot arc structure.
*
Below is the first scene of the play Liam’s Lament where you will find much of the above structure at work.
We jump right into the scene, discover they are musicians, how important it is to the story, find out almost immediately how they met (important to the story), all delivered through the action of the scene and not through bad exposition, and then how quickly she offers out her challenge to him; her own little inciting incident.
NIAMH: (cautiously). Can’t wait to be home – for good. (LIAM stares at her.) If… if we went now…
The dramatic conflict of the scene, which doesn’t have to be hostile by any means, and, in fact, is often very subtle in drama, builds smoothly here with little crisis points along the way and is very plot relevant. Unless she gets him to agree to move to Ireland, the story can’t unfold. Also, what they are discussing is part of the psychological and emotional underpinning of the whole drama. Their sparring builds to a high point where it looks like he might gain the upper hand…
LIAM: (sighs). But my promotion, Niamh.
… but she is relentless and quickly gains the upper hand again, and then pushes her point home hard, where in the strong climax or turning point she wins out. They have change, the purpose of writing the scene. In the next scene, where we find the overall plot’s inciting incident, Niamh will be challenged.
But notice how Niamh, the play’s protagonist, creates her own inciting incident in this scene that Liam has to deal with. So, as they both have highs and lows, who benefits from the high point and who suffers from the darkest moment? It might be better not to confuse ourselves here, but simply to see it this way: because Niamh is challenging him in the scene with her own inciting incident, and he has to respond to it, the high point and the darkest moment can be seen from his perspective.
LIAM: (licks his lips). You certainly know how to get a man going, Niamh. But…
It may be the only scene in the play where this is the case. However, shouldn’t he win the climax of the scene to be consistent? How come she wins it? That’s why it is best to use this type of scene structure flexibly. The real point is that we used the guide to create a dramatic scene structure. There are no hard and fast rules here. Remember it is a guide, but a strong one, and with practise, as you gain mastery of it, it will truly benefit you. If we hadn’t used it to help us structure the scene, there might have been no back and forth conflict at all, rising in crescendo, or too little, or too much of it and in too monotonous a way, and so the dramatic effect of the scene would have suffered terribly for it.
Once the resolution of the scene arrives, once Liam ‘surrenders’ to her wishes (happily, it must be pointed out), the conflict of the scene is finished and so the dialogue is over, too, though they sing and play their music a little longer. But there is nothing more to say at this point because there is nothing more to accomplish in the scene. To offer up more dialogue would only weaken the scene’s punch.
*
Act 1, scene 1 of Liam’s Lament
London, in their flat
NIAMH is playing on the concertina and LIAM on his fiddle – called Gráinne Mhaol.
We catch them in the middle of a traditional Irish tune. Each has their own spirited musical quirks and flourishes which they throw at one another. No more than a minute before stopping.
NIAMH: Gráinne’s really singing tonight. (LIAM plays a few quirky bars; NIAMH replies with a few of her own.) As beautifully as on the night we first met.
THEY play a bit more, coming out with the quirks, flourishes and spirit in both their individual and team playing.
NIAMH: (laughing). Never even noticed you at first with a huge fellow on the flute sitting in between us. But when I started playing… (Plays a bit more; LIAM replies.) Seemed then like you and I were playing alone. Oh, you were really making love to Gráinne Mhaol that night.
LIAM: Wasn’t long before I was making love to you.
NIAMH: And I’ve been locked in a ménage a trois ever since.
LIAM: (pauses, shows surprise). Jesus, hasn’t that two years flown!
Spontaneously, THEY play another tune for a half minute.
NIAMH: (cautiously). Can’t wait to be home – for good. (LIAM stares at her.) If… if we went now…
LIAM: Jesus, Niamh!
NIAMH: … then a year from now… think how we’ll be communicating with one another! In just a year!
LIAM: Oh, Niamh!
NIAMH: In the old language. (LIAM slowly, thoughtfully runs the bow across the strings.) In our language. Speaking it fluently. To one another.
LIAM: Isn’t that the thing! I… I’d… never really pictured it all like that before. The way you see it. Maybe it takes the deep longing you have to see Ireland this way. With the language at the very centre of it all.
NIAMH: With the music and the language at the very centre of it all.
LIAM: (makes a deep sighing sound across the fiddle). Jesus, Niamh! I want to do it. I’m desperate to do it. And we will do it.
NIAMH: We will?
LIAM: (pause, looks perplexed. Sings a few sad lines of a Gaelic song). Truly I want it. But… we can’t ignore the other side to life. Niamh… to leave our great jobs behind… I mean… Jesus… at this point…
NIAMH: Then…at what point will we leave them behind?
LIAM: What? A… a few more years, I guess.
NIAMH: Give me an exact date! (LIAM shakes his head.) ‘Jesus, hasn’t that two years flown? Your very words. Well, this is how it often works, Liam. The years fly by and… and then… home remains a dream. (NIAMH sings and plays a little bit of ‘From Clare to Here’.) If we stay… in no time at all, we’ll go from rented to mortgage. From no kids to kids. What my parents did. Kept putting it off. Put down roots without realising it. Yes, I know about me, but I mean we as a couple haven’t yet put down roots here. (Pause.) Plenty work over there for a man with your experience. Me, too.
LIAM: (sighs). But my promotion, Niamh.
NIAMH: If you got it here, you can get it there. This is the best time right now. Jesus! We’ve discussed it long enough.
NIAMH sings and plays a little bit more of ‘From Clare to Here’, making sure she gets in the chorus.
LIAM: We have indeed, Niamh.
NIAMH: If we… just hand our notice in at work, close our eyes… and… when we open them again… we’re in sunny Clare.
Pause, while LIAM sits there staring at his Gráinne, as though mesmerised.
NIAMH: Oh, to be writing songs in the old language.
LIAM: What’s that? (Incredulous.) Writing songs in it?
NIAMH: (sings a few lines of a Gaelic song). There it is, in front of our eyes… (LIAM stares ahead.) Can’t you hear it, too, Liam? Yet faint… still in the distance… but the sweetest of sound… (LIAM rubs at an ear, straining to hear it, too. She rises and puts one hand on his shoulder, her head close to his.) A hidden treasure ready to be rediscovered.
LIAM: But can we just..?
NIAMH: Right now buried deep away in our hearts. Hear it singing in a whisper, Liam? (Puts her hand on his chest.) But soon…we’ll unearth it fully, placing it back where it belongs – on our tongues. Oh. God! I’m dying for the full rich fluent taste of it. (Kisses him on the lips.) Aren’t you, Liam?
LIAM: (licks his lips). You certainly know how to get a man going, Niamh. But…
NIAMH: It’s all at the individual level now that this great deed must be done. Each of us adding our own singular voice to it all. Cause if we don’t do it now as individuals, or as couples, how will it ever reappear – on our lips?
LIAM sits there for a while staring first at his Gráinne and then at Niamh. Eventually, he jumps to his feet.) What the hell are we doing sitting around here wasting our time merely talking about it for? What are we waiting for, Niamh? Let’s stop the gabbing and just get on with it!
NIAMH now strikes up a lively number on her tina and LIAM joins in. Maybe a little singing, too, about journeying home to Ireland. BOTH show their little quirks and flourishes in the music. No more than a minute before the song fades out to end the scene.
*
Other posts you might like related to this one:
The play’s 3-act plot arc structure
Inspiration from inside an empty matchbox
Emotion and the play’s plot arc
Character is dramatic action
The plan: a bird’s eye view (for drama)
Also:
Sparking up character for the play
From stereotype to rounded character with speed and ease
CLCK HERE FOR THE SCRIPT & SHORT STORY READING SERVICES PAGE