Exercises
- Think about the funniest, most frightening, or worst moment of your life. Write a scene
about it. Now change it to make it even funnier or more dramatic. - Recall a scene from a well-known animated movie, one that almost everyone in class can
remember. Discuss the scene. What made it effective? Why do you still remember it? Can
you think of ways to make it even better? - Watch the opening scenes of three television cartoons. How did the writer set up the
important information: the hero, the villain, the problem and goal, the terrible thing that
is going to happen if the hero doesn’t achieve his goal? What was the catalyst? What
made you want to root for the hero? How many minutes did it take for you to get that
basic information? What happened in the very first scene? - See an animated feature. Look for the same information as in exercise 3. Notice the addi-
tional time that you have to get the same information. Did the action start any slower?
Did you learn more about the characters? - Write a scene opening that will leave us sitting on the edges of our seats.
- Script a short scene that’s either action-packed or emotional. Be sure it furthers plot,
reveals character, contains some humor, changes the status quo, and leaves unanswered
questions, whetting our appetite for more. - Write the scene for a video game. How did you keep the story effective (funny, action-
packed, moving the plot ahead, defining character) while still providing a good gameplay
experience? - Work on the scenes for your own original script.
The Scene 179