As my script nears ten pages, I am wondering if my scene (singular) is too long. I know there are a lot of lines and the three main characters are on stage when the curtain rises, and never really go off stage, although another character comes on and passes through quickly.

What length are y'all doing your scenes at? I know when I edit this I can make it significantly shorter, but in the meantime, I'd like to keep the other scenes down in pagecount a bit, and I'm not sure what that should look like yet.

I'm sure the length of a scene depends largely on the story, so each play will have varying lengths. Mamet does this a lot (Speed-the-Plow, Oleanna) as do many, many other writers. I'd say don't worry about it, especially for an establishing first scene.

I wouldn't worry about it -- I've seen plays and been in plays where the main characters are continually onstage. Honestly, I find short scenes far more annoying -- they tend to break up the flow of the story. Of course, if that's the intention, that works, too.

I would say use scene length to tell your story -- not just with the words and action, but with what you what your audience to focus on.

God i've been at theatre school too long...

Scenes that go for more than a few pages tend to be rare in film/TV scripts these days, but the theatre allows for, even encourages, much longer scenes. Partly this is a restriction of the medium (it's harder and slower to change scenes on stage if you're using naturalistic sets) and partly this is because on stage words tend to be more important, whereas in film images are usually primary.

If your scene goes on for ten, twenty, thirty pages, don't worry about it until the edit next month. Then you can decide what's important in the scene and what can be cut.

On the other hand... how short is too short for a scene?

I have a couple of scenes which are about one page long. One is a monologue at the end of Act3 and the other is a short action scene near the beginning of Act1, both explaining things that otherwise won't sense.

Will these be a problem to produce? My sets need not be complicated at all so it shouldn't take too long for a couple of stage hands to run in and switch everything. I'm worried that it will create too much waiting around too close together.

What do you think?

Does your monologue at the end of Act 3 need to be it's own scene? Could you instead just add it to the end of the previous scene or the start of the next?

If those are not options, and the monologue is needed then keep it. I would caution you though that you should think about how your audience will respond to the change in the 'flow' of the play. If you are writing about confusion or disorganization and wish for their to be a confused or disorganized element to the play itself. If on the other hand, you are looking for something to be easy on the audience I would recommend you try and think about what will be the most natural feeling.

After re-reading your post I began thinking about Henry V (though this technique is used a fair amount.) If you are trying to tell the audience things that are not seen you could simply use a "chorus" or "prologue" to some or all acts in which a single person simply speaks to the audience, telling them what has gone on since you last spoke to them. Just a thought.

Long scenes are good. Short scenes are good. This is script frenzy! Write it down and don't think too much!

I'm using narrators between my scenes. I have lots of scenes, most pretty short. Minimal staging. At least one very fast costume change. Occasionally, I go back and add in things I later realize I need to have happened (and so some of the dialogue hangs wrong).

It isn't pretty.

But this is SCRIPT FRENZY! Mostly, I'm sorting and doing a very rough organization looking for the story I know is there. (Now I just need to write.)

Saipanwriter
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My scenes are related to the passage of time. The entire play takes place on one set (no set change) so Scene 1, Scene 2, etc... are marked by at what time the action takes place. Scene 1 begins the play, Scene 2 is a few hours later. It's working for me, but like Saipanwriter says, just get it down and worry about it later.

Terena

Medusa's Muse
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Jonathan - Those monologues will probably be given with a spotlight, in front of the curtain, on a corner of the stage (probably while the scene change is going on, to give the actors and stage crew some time). Or, if the character is in both scenes, the director might have him/her walk "through" the scene change while talking (I think I've seen stuff like that done). Those monologues will not have their own "set," more than likely, so don't fret over them.

After all, if the director doesn't like them, he/she will just cut them from the show. (I know, that's blasphemy to say in a room full of writers, but directors can be cruel, cruel creatures.)

Regarding "too long" scenes - many plays only have one scene per act. Makes things nicer; no set changes to worry about. Makes life less hectic.

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I'm finding that my scenes are varying widely in length. Mostly when I'm not sure where one is going so it ends up short! Does scene length stay relatively constant in a single play or can it vary? Does anyone have examples?
___________________________________________________________________
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I've seen all kinds. It varies from play to play.

You can have as many or as few scenes as you want, as long or short as you want, as varied in length as you like; the concern (in my opinion) is about the set, not the scene - you can have one massive set change at intermission (if it's a three-act play, you can get away with two intermissions), but other than that your scene changes should be simple, quick, and easy - minimal. Especially if there's lots of them, because you don't want to bore your audience.

:)

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