Scèneoverkoepelende

Scèneoverkoepelende is a Dutch adjective used in film studies, theatre analyses, and narrative criticism to describe elements or devices that span across multiple scenes, creating continuity or a unifying frame. The term combines scène (scene) with overkoepelend (overarching, umbrella-bearing).

Etymology and usage: The term is a compound formed in Dutch, drawing on the French loanword scène for “scene” and the productive adjective overkoepelend. It is not a term of classical theater theory but appears in contemporary Dutch scholarship to refer to attributes that link successive scenes rather than belong to a single, isolated moment.

Applications: Scèneoverkoepelende elements include recurring motifs, a throughline in characterization, a consistent cinematographic frame, or an overarching narrative voice or framing device that connects acts or sequences. It can describe both content (a motif that appears across scenes) and form (a consistent editing rhythm, recurring sound cues).

Relation to related concepts: The term overlaps with concepts such as leitmotif, throughline, or framing device, but emphasizes cross-scene continuity rather than a single scene. It is not widely standardized, and its exact meaning can vary among scholars or critics.

See also: leitmotif, throughline, motif, framing device, continuity editing.