Shot, Scene, Sequence

SCENE, SHOT; SEQUENCE

 

The terms scene, shot and sequence are sometimes misunderstood.

 

Scene defines the place or setting where the action is laid . This expression is borrowed from stage productions, where an act may be divided into several scenes, each of which is set in  a different locale. A scene may consist of one shot or series of shots depicting a continuous event.

 

Shot defines a continuous view filmed by one camera without interruption. Each shot is a take.

When additional shots of the same action are filmed from the same set-up - because of technical or dramatic mistakes - the subsequent shots are called re-takes. If the set-up is changed in any way - camera moved, lens changed, or different action filmed - it is a new shot, not are-take.

 

A sequence is a series of scenes, or shots , complete in itself. A sequence may occur in a single setting, or in several settings. Action should match in a sequence whenever it continues across several consecutive shots with straight cuts - so that it depicts the event in a continuous manner, as in real life. A sequence may begin as an exterior scene, and continue inside a building, as the players enter and settle down to talk or perform.  A sequence may begin or en d with a fade or dissolve; or it may be straight-cut with bracketing sequences.

 

Confusion arises when the terms scene and shot are used interchangeably. Individual shots in a script are referred to as scenes. But , a master scene script would require a number of shots to film the entire event. In such cases, a single scene number may be used and the shots designated by letters a, b, c, etc . While production personnel may consider a single take as a shot, they refer to the shot by scene number. For practical purposes,  therefore, scene and shot arc generally interchangeable.

 

A shot - or a portion of a shot - is also referred to as a cut. This term is derived from a portion of a shot which is cut out and used separately such as a cut of a player's silent reaction removed from a dialogue sequence.