Ask Dr. Format: Sequences, Scenes, and Cross-Cutting

DAVE TROTTIER has sold or optioned ten screenplays (three produced) and helped hundreds of writers break into the writing business.  He is an award-winning teacher and script consultant, author of The Screenwriter’s Bible, and friendly host of keepwriting.com.  Read more tips on the Ask Dr. Format page.

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SEQUENCES

QUESTION

What is a sequence in a screenplay? How many sequences will there be in a screenplay?

ANSWER

A sequence is a dramatic unit made up of more than one scene. It is usually about 10-15 pages in length (but can be more or less) and has its own beginning, middle, and end. You can think of car-chase sequences from movies as examples.

Movies are composed of acts, which are composed of sequences, which are composed of scenes. Well, not always…but generally that's true. There is no magic number as to how many sequences should be in a movie. Some movies, by their nature, will have more or fewer sequences than other movies.

SCENES

FOLLOW-UP QUESTION

So what's a scene?

ANSWER

A scene is a much shorter dramatic unit than a sequence. Technically, a scene changes when one of three scene elements change: camera placement (INTERIOR or EXTERIOR), location, or time (usually DAY or NIGHT). Those three scene elements can be seen in a master scene heading:

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

Most often, people use the term scene casually and seldom refer to a "technical” scene, but to a short dramatic unit that may consist of a scene or several scenes, but not long enough to be a sequence.

CROSS-CUTTING

QUESTION

What is cross-cutting?

ANSWER

Cross-cutting is an editing technique when the editor cuts back-and-forth between action happening at two different locations. Thus, it is possible to cut back-and-forth between two sequences.

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One reason I recommend that screenwriters read a lot of screenplays is so they can gain a true sense of how screenplays, acts, sequences, and scenes work. Good luck and keep writing!