Two of the best three best lines in the movie are in this scene. “It’s not an easy thing to meet your maker” and “The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long, and you have burned so very very brightly, Roy. Look at you. You’re the prodigal son. You’re quite a prize!” Several weeks ago I spent about a week breaking down each scene in Blade Runner, film (the Final Cut) versus script. I believe Blade Runner to be as structurally sound as any I’ve read. And as a bonus, I came to a synthesis of how I will “read” scripts going forward and how I will approach how I write a scene (at least upon serious re-writes). This is really just a synthesis of a lot of things that are in the literature. Nothing new here, but conceptually I think it helps me boil down to the basics what I want to look for in a scene. For what it is worth – from a newbie. – Checkpoints for analyzing a scene: (Is it interesting - that is the central question) 1. T.E. – Transitional elements. Is there a way to make a transitional element interesting and additive to a story element (tone, theme, ambiance, etc,) 2. V.I. – Visually interesting. What about the action description is visually interesting? It can be a little thing, as with the origami folding in Blade Runner. Each scene, if possible, should have some big or little thing that is visually interesting and adds to story elements (tone, theme, ambiance, character revelation, etc.)? 3. C.U. – Character Uniqueness. What hint, or reveal, is there which teaches us something about a character? 4. A.C. – Action. What about the scene’s action is interesting/central to the story and moves it forward; what conflict or question is raised? I set up a grid with these elements and found that each cell was easily filled for Blade Runner. Of course, the film was a feast in the visuals department, but upon close analysis it also hits triples and homers in about every other area. What a movie!

Nice bit of synchronicity re Blade Runner and agree those lines of dialogue in this scene you highlighted... fantastic. Your 4 points re scene-writing are also synchronistic as I just had a lengthy discussion last night with a writer about how to write a scene. Which got me thinking: Why not a blog post, perhaps a few, in which we discuss that very subject. To that point, would you be up for me to include your take as part of that discussion? I suspect readers would not only find your ideas helpful, they would also help frame a broader conversation. Let me know and thanks!

Happy to add in any way. Use my take anytime and anywhere you like. I’ve been doing “online” reading and education for several years. What I’ve found is there is a lot of good stuff “out there” and a lot that doesn’t really help. In fact, I’m convinced there is a lot that is simply bad. And, starting off, how is someone to know? I’ve got about one hundred “bookmarks” in my education folder. I decided to take the best of what I’ve read (which is consistent with what I believe will work for me) and boil it down into a folder of essentials. Its about twelve pages. I’ll review this folder often, and use it as guideposts for my conceptualization, outlining, and writing. I’m ready to start that third script in about a week. I have a better idea of the approach. We’ll see. It is fun.

This is a very useful punchlist, another example of why I consider screenplays the most difficult form of writing.