Scene

Scene is a unit of narrative used across drama, film, and literature. In theatre, a scene is a subdivision of an act that presents a continuous time and place and in which the action remains constant. A new scene typically begins when the setting or time changes, when a major character enters or exits, or when a new line of action begins. Scenes are the basic units of a play’s structure and can be rearranged or repeated to shape pacing and emphasis.

In film and television, a scene is a coherent block of action occurring in a single location and time, often composed of multiple shots. Scenes may shift in place or time, but within a scene the continuity of time and space is generally preserved. Screenplays label scenes with slug lines, such as INT. KITCHEN - DAY or EXT. PARK - NIGHT, and editors connect scenes through transitions to form sequences and acts.

In literature, the term can refer to a vivid depiction or a dramatized moment within a narrative, not necessarily staged. It emphasizes immediacy and sensory detail, sometimes functioning like a “mini-scene” within a longer work.

Etymology: from Old French scene, from Latin scena, from Greek skene, meaning stage or background. The concept varies by medium but commonly serves to organize action, direct attention, and control pacing.