Scene Structure - length and structure

[Judaicdiablo]

I come from a D&D background and thus have a much more Task oriented frame of reference.  That being said, I have been reading PTA and I am a little confused as to how a scene's structure actually works out.

I am going to use the example from the book (with Brae going to see the contact and then seeing her nemisis.)

So the scene is set by the producer and Brae sees her rival. 

• How much of the scene is intended to be roleplayed up to the moment when the rival insults her and conflict is triggered?
• Is this just a matter of taste?
• Does there "need" to be any roleplaying at all?  I.E. could everything be set up in a 3rd person narration.  "The nemisis see's Brae and insults her."  "Brae turns on him and reply wittily" (begin conflict.)
• After the conflict is resolved, would the scene then continue on to Brae talking to the contact?
• Could another conflict happen where Brae needs to get the info from the contact, or is that already a "given" in this scene since this is conflict resolution and not task resolution?
• Is there a practical limit to the number of conflicts that should be in a scene?
• What are typical scene lengths?  this is probably a stark contrast to D&D where an encounter can last several hours to cover about a minute of actual combat.

I have read through several actual play posts, but they don't give a good sense of this.   

--Brandon

[Matt Wilson]

Hey Brandon:

How much of the scene is intended to be roleplayed up to the moment when the rival insults her and conflict is triggered?

I hate to say it, but it kind of depends. Sometimes it's going to click, and you're going to go, 'aha, this scene is totally about Brea having a duel of wits with her rival." At that point the result of the conflict is probably going to be more useful sooner rather than later, so that we all can use it to describe what happens. With that kind of conflict, a scene tends to be conflict right away, and then a lot of roleplaying afterward.

After the conflict is resolved, would the scene then continue on to Brae talking to the contact?

Part of that depends on how interested everyone is in playing out the getting of the information. The way it might go down is that the conflict happens by way of Brea's rival interrupting her right in the middle of introducing herself to the contact. But it could also be entirely separate from the conflict.

Could another conflict happen where Brae needs to get the info from the contact, or is that already a "given" in this scene since this is conflict resolution and not task resolution?

Well, the trick here is that the scene is a character scene, which means that advancement of the plot isn't what's on the line. If it were a plot scene, then the conflict would be about that. Otherwise you'd just sort of 'roleplay' the part about getting the info.

Is there a practical limit to the number of conflicts that should be in a scene?

Yep. One. Conflict done? Next scene.

What are typical scene lengths?  this is probably a stark contrast to D&D where an encounter can last several hours to cover about a minute of actual combat.

That's going to vary. Probably anywhere from 10-20 minutes, depending on the group's style.

[Judaicdiablo]

Matt,

     Thanks for the clarification.  That makes perfect sense.  It seemed as though it was setup to have one conflict per scene (or else all of the fan mail and those edges would get burned really fast.) 

     The meat of the scene really happens after the conflict is resolved and then the characters can "respond" to what has happened.

     Is the scene over when it seems to have naturally come to a conclusion or when the Producer says its over?  Meaning, could a Producer "cut" a scene before it has reached its "natural" conclusion? 
     Why would he do that?  Maybe for dramatic reasons, or for pacing (to try to keep things fast paced.) 

-Brandon
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"Y'know.  Except for one deadly and unpredictible midget, this girl is the smallest cargo I have ever had to transport And the most troublesome."  Bountyhunter - Firefly