No Film School released a great article / writing exercise this week on breaking down a scene. Check out the article for some great insights to up your scene writing game.
I thought I’d give it a shot with my favorite movie - MacGruber. Warning: clip contains some NSFW language…
Set up: MacGruber’s dream team of badass heroes is assembled and eager to start their mission, but MacGruber has to deal with the "brass" :/
Call to Action: The President calls. MacGruber is on the case, we know how big the stakes are.
Act One Turning Point: We’re reminded how much MacGruber and Piper hate each other as MacGruber describes what Piper wishes his nose was and what he should do with it. They also both tell each other how ugly they are.
Midpoint: MacGruber let’s the Colonel know how awesome his team is: including the likes of Tut Beemer, Tug Phelps, and of course Vernon Freedom. Colonel Faith thinks Piper would be a great addition to that team. MacGruber scoffs at the recommendation.
Climax: The van full of Mac’s homemade C-4 explodes, killing the dream team inside.
Denouement: MacGruber can’t even get the eulogy right, dropping too many f-bombs (no pun intended) even though there were kids present.
MacGruber: MacGruber assembles his team. They're ready to embark on the mission.
Let us know how breaking down your favorite scene goes! And check out our very own MacGruber Project from a few years back.
