Renumbering when moving a scene
Let’s say you’re doing revisions and are dealing with scene numbers, and a scene gets moved up/down. How do you format the scene number?
Say scene 70 moves up in front of scene 69. Do the numbers read: 68, 70, 69? Or: 68, 68A, 69, 70 OMITTED.
Technically the scene still exists, i.e. was not omitted. What to do?
– Johnny
The second form is correct, though my AD’s prefer to use the letter before a scene number, for reasons I explained in an earlier post. So I would number the scenes…
68
A69 (the scene you moved)
69
70 OMIT1 (where the scene used to be)
With rare exception,2 you always maintain scene number continuity. If you’re pretty far into pre-production, it may be helpful to include a note either with the script revision or on the page itself to point out the change, so a harried production designer (for example) doesn’t look at the “OMIT” and suddenly stop construction on a needed set.
The “OMIT” is a good place to put such a note:
70 OMIT [This scene is now A69.]
- “OMIT” or “OMITTED”. Either is okay. ↩
- One exception was The Nines, due to some complicated time-and-reality issues, which made normal sequencing too confusing. When revisiting an earlier scene, we’d put an X in front of the scene number. So, X48 was a version of scene 48. ↩
Articles
March 29th, 2007 at 8:47 am
You’re a lifesaver…
March 29th, 2007 at 9:34 am
This is now my second all time favorite post on your radical blog — after the number one all time greatest post about The Fraunfelder’s preference for letters in front of numbers — because Scene Numbering must be the blackest, yet sweetest art of all.
Like peppermint candy on a barbecue, baby! If you can dissolve your way through the char, you will reward yourself with peppermint-y sweetness. That is, assuming you like peppermint-y sweetness.
God bless you, sir.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Christopher? That was the best post I’ve ever seen ever. Of all the blogs, journals, forums, comments and replies that have ever existed, yours is the best.
God bless YOU, sir.
March 29th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
What happens when you move scene 70, but later insert a new scene where it used to be. Would you call that new scene “70″ or “A69″ and leave 70 as “OMIT”?
March 29th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Wonkiness from the guy who wrote the Screenplay about Willy Wonka
March 29th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Will: Sorry for the ridiculous/seemingly sarcastic post. I’m legitimately delighted about scene numbering. And I happen to have made a pretty unbelievable cappuccino before getting behind my keyboard this morning. So I was a little too delighted…
My plan for next time: 1) write post in TextEdit instead of at quality site 2) save TextEdit file 3) delete file 4) allow others to continue enjoying highly excellent information without polluting the comments section
March 30th, 2007 at 12:36 am
I wasn’t even being sarcastic; your post helped wake me up in time for that early art history lecture!
March 30th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Lex,
When you omit a scene, it’s best to keep that scene number as an OMIT, so there’s no confusion down the road. So in your case, the numbering would go…
68 A69 69 70 OMIT A71 (The new scene you’re adding) 71 (An existing scene)
Could A71 be just as easily numbered A70? Yup. Your call.
March 30th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Thanks, John.