onscene

Onscene is a term used primarily in media studies, film and television production, and journalism to indicate content that occurs within the visible scene or at the location being depicted. It describes events, actions, or dialogue that appear directly in the frame and are experienced by the audience as part of the depicted world. The term is often encountered in discussions of narrative perspective and shot composition, where onscreen elements are contrasted with off-screen or off-camera elements that are heard or implied but not shown.

In film, television, and theatre, onscreen (or on-scene) elements are those captured by the camera or performed within the audience’s view. Off-screen or off-scene elements refer to actions, sounds, or events that take place outside the frame or beyond the audience’s line of sight, yet influence the scene’s meaning. The distinction helps editors, directors, and writers plan pacing, tension, and spatial relationships.

Spelling and usage vary by style guide. Some writers use on-scene or on-scene as a hyphenated form; others prefer on-screen or simply onscreen as the standard term for visible content. In journalism, the two-word form “on scene” is common when describing presence at a location, though compound forms appear in certain databases and metadata schemas.

See also: On-screen, Off-screen, On-set, In-frame.