Blocking A Scene
By Peter D. Marshall, Sat Dec 10th

When I was a Second AD (many, many years ago) I learned avaluable lesson from a dolly grip on how a film set works. Verysimply, every film shoot is divided into four parts:

1) Block - determining where the actors will be on the set andthe first camera position

2) Light - time for the DOP to light the set and position thecamera for the first shot

3) Rehearse - camera rehearsal of the first set-up with theactors and crew

4) Shoot - shooting the first scene (then repeat the process)

Blocking is the first, and most crucial, aspect of this 4-partsequence. When you first start directing, blocking a scene canbe one of the hardest - and most embarrassing - parts of yourjob. Get it wrong here, and you could waste valuable shootingtime trying to get out of the mess you created!

a) Director Prep - Before you step onto any film set, you needto first do your homework on Script and Character Analysis. Inthe last two articles, we talked about Understanding the Script(what the story is about; the themes; the story points) andCharacter Development and Analysis (the development andobjectives of the characters).

b) Blocking a Dramatic Scene - The first thing I do when theactors arrive for a blocking is to get them in a group and readthe scene: no moving, no "acting" - just reading the scenethrough. This makes sure everyone is on the "same page".(Sometimes actors do not have revisions and this is a good timeto find that out.) Also, by reading together, the actors startto feed off each other - and you get to watch the process.

After the actors read the scene, I ask them to show me what theywant to do. I just step back and let them go for it. If it is aset no one has been in before, I take a few moments to discussthe physical lay out of the room - the door an actor will comethrough; a window they can walk up to; which desk they can sitat etc.

The actors then begin their first walk through - they read thescene and walk around the set to get a feel of what they want todo and where they want to be. During this initial blocking, Itry not to make any suggestions to the actors - it is importantthat they show

me what they have in mind. Remember, this is thefirst time the actors have been together on the set and theyneed their time to explore. As you watch the actors, you get afeel for what they want to do, where they want to go and howthey are relating to each other.

On the next blocking, you begin to make your changes. Maybe youwant an actor to sit in a chair by the window instead of on thecouch; you ask an actor if it would be okay to pace beside anactor and not in front of him so you can save a set-up; you makea suggestion to an actor to move across the room instead ofstanding by the door etc.

Once you have discussed the scene, and everyone agrees with thesuggestions, the actors do it again. This time, you begin tofigure out your camera placement based on their movement andwhat you first had in mind. As the actors go through the scene,you walk around them looking at all your camera positions.Usually the DOP is with you to discuss camera set-ups andpositions. This is also a time where you can stop-and-start theactors - move them around to get a better background. Duringthis blocking, a camera assistant will place marks on the floorwhenever the actors stop.

When everyone is satisfied, the actors leave and you discuss thefirst set-up in more detail with the DOP and the cameraoperator. When the DOP begins to light, you go over all yourset-ups with the First AD and the Script Supervisor.

c) Blocking Tips - having a shot list will help you during theblocking process. The shot list is like a map: it gives you apath to your destination but you don't always have to follow it- let the actors show you what they want to do first, then, whenyou make a suggestion, it is based on something you have alreadyseen - in Television, speed is essential, so try and block somescenes so that your action takes place in one direction (toavoid turning the camera around for reverses)

About the author:Peter D. Marshall has worked in the Film and TV Industry forover 32 years. In 2000 he created www.ActionCutPrint.com as anonline resource center for Filmmakers where you will findfilmmaking tips, articles and directing workshops. Peter alsopublishes the free monthly ezine, "The Director's Chair."http://www.actioncutprint.com/AS.htmlmailto:pdm@actioncutprint.com