I need help coming up with short film scenes for two or three actors.

June 15, 2010 9:46 PM

I'm teaching a film class for gifted teenagers. I need help thinking of short scenes from films for acting / directing practice.

Right now I have a couple of scenes that are the perfect length--approximately two pages or so, with two to three actors. My best examples are from You Can Count on Me (the restaurant scene, when Terry tells Sammy he's been in jail) and Being John Malkovich (the scene where Craig comes into Lestercorp, encounters the secretary, and is interviewed by Lester).

Basically, I'm looking for scenes from relatively recent films, with snappy and interesting dialogue, only two-three actors, and a minimum number of cuts (if it cuts to a new location, it needs to be, like, in the next room so they can act out in the scene in a continuous way). It's okay if the scene contains a few expletives, but I'd like to avoid dialogue that might make a 14-year-old uncomfortable whenever I can.

Also, I have more female students, so it'd be great if anyone could suggest a scene with two or three female characters.

Thanks, everyone!

posted by duvatney to education (32 answers total)

the nighclub scene in Goodfellas?
posted by jfstanley at 10:04 PM on June 15, 2010

The diner conversation in Pulp Fiction.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:09 PM on June 15, 2010

Well, it isn't recent but any few minutes from His Girl Friday will give you exactly what you're asking for. Also, great female character, although only one (but she is awesome).

Zero expletives, just great dialogue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eezwbEZ2lB0#t=04m13s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NM_Jes_poE#t=03m43s



I am biased in that this is my favorite movie of all time. :) But the ENTIRE movie is nothing but what you are asking for. :) It was a stage play to begin with.
posted by smallerdemon at 10:12 PM on June 15, 2010

Maybe something from The Devil Wears Prada?

Can't suggest a specific scene, but the office interaction is usually 2-3 females, and the snarkiness is perfect for teenage girls.
posted by Stellaboots at 10:25 PM on June 15, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obWjZ1dgNnc

no expletives either, just a monumental scene - all in one fluid take
posted by jfstanley at 10:27 PM on June 15, 2010

Thanks, jfstanley, but I'm looking for scenes for them to act out in class (I now see that wasn't entirely clear from my post). That scene is a great example of a long shot, though, so I might end up showing it to them anyways!
posted by duvatney at 10:37 PM on June 15, 2010

Ghost World has some lovely scenes between two high-school-age girls.

Though, not to second-guess your lesson plan, I'm not sure why the gender is so important?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:42 PM on June 15, 2010

ghost world (enid and rebecca talking about/to the old man at the bus stop).

arsenic and old lace has some great verbiage and a couple of lead female roles, albeit older.

Abby Brewster: Oh, Mortimer, don't be so inquisitive. The gentleman died because he drank some wine with poison in it.
Mortimer Brewster: How did the poison get in the wine?
Martha Brewster: Well, we put it in wine, because it's less noticeable. When it's in tea, it has a distinct odor.

deb photographing kip and uncle in napoleon dynamite.
posted by kimyo at 10:50 PM on June 15, 2010

You would probably be interested in the Bechdel Test, which determines if a film has at least two women in it, who talk to each other about something besides a man. It's amazing how few films actually pass this test, but the resulting list will cut down your search considerably.

If you can get away with it, there are lots of scenes in "But I'm a Cheerleader" that would be good.
posted by Mizu at 11:14 PM on June 15, 2010 [3 favorites]

Great! I just need a scene for three males (thanks for all the great suggestions for scenes with females!) and I'm all set.
posted by duvatney at 11:19 PM on June 15, 2010

Something from Glengarry Glen Ross!
posted by stray at 11:32 PM on June 15, 2010

For males... I just rewatched Meet Joe Black.

The scene toward the end, where one person is Death, another is the character Death has come for, and the third male is someone who is in the uncomfortable position of realizing his machinations have led to his being revealed as a cretin.... lots of emotive possibilities for teenagers, and the direction necessary to portray that scene should be educational.

Can't go wrong trying to portray Death : )
posted by Stellaboots at 2:13 AM on June 16, 2010

The sniper scene (at the airfield) in Jarhead does not have the dialogue you specify but it is an emotional and intense scene starting with 2 males and introducing the 3rd more powerful male.

I cannot find this online though.
posted by markx2 at 3:10 AM on June 16, 2010

Brick -- specifically the scene where Brendan first confronts Dode, towards the beginning. This has the advantage of featuring teenagers. I'm thinking of the "I have all five of my senses and I slept last night, which puts me six up on the lot of you" scene.
posted by pxe2000 at 3:34 AM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

I second Brick as an excellent choice.
posted by Sticherbeast at 4:14 AM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

A fun scene for two men could be the scene in Mulholland Dr. where they're in Winkie's, talking about the one man's dream.

The scene in American Psycho where Patrick Bateman is first being interrogated by Willem Dafoe.

The scene in Bug where the doctor shows up.

Any number of scenes from Magnolia.

Not recent at all, but the movie Seconds has some absolutely terrific scenes, especially when the main character is getting convinced to have the procedure done.
posted by Sticherbeast at 4:28 AM on June 16, 2010

The scene from Rushmore when Max introduces Blume to his father. Great acting on the part of Bill Murray.
posted by fso at 4:28 AM on June 16, 2010

It's not new, but Heathers has some great female dialogue scenes, like the croquet match.
posted by emd3737 at 4:44 AM on June 16, 2010

Many, many scenes from Fawlty Towers seem to fit the bill. (For instance, episode one, the scene with the grapefruit in the restaurant).
posted by nicolin at 5:02 AM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Barton Fink arrives at the hotel (two males)
The opening scene from the Godfather or Miller's Crossing (three males in each, I think--or maybe 4)
If swearing's okay, then the pharmacy scene from Magnolia (two males and one female)--or the scene where Cruise is interviewed (one on one) or the scene where Cruise visits his father (3 males)
posted by dobbs at 5:48 AM on June 16, 2010

Brick, written and directed by Rian Johnson, a noir mystery set in a suburban high school, seems to me a perfect choice.

INT. SCHOOL THEATER - CONTINUOUS

Drama people sit on the floor facing the stage. Brendan
steps behind one, the sharp-eyed girl from the picture. She
holds a freshman boy's head in her lap. Pets it like a dog.
She looks back at Brendan, her face in shadow.

GIRL

(through a mocking smile)

Hello, Brendan.

BRENDAN

Kara.

KARA

Come to see the show?

(Kisses the freshman's forehead, purring.)

BRENDAN

No, I didn't.

(nudges the freshman with his toe)

Lapdog, blow.

(The freshman sits up, looks to Kara like a spooked puppy.)

KARA

(to the lapdog)

Stay.

(to Brendan)

Don't be mean.

BRENDAN

I'm all friendly.

(to the lapdog)

Watch your head, kid - that thing bites.

(The dog pops up again. Kara pulls him down and nuzzles his ear.)

I need words.

KARA

I'm listening.

BRENDAN

About Emily Kostich.

(She stops nuzzling a little too quickly.)

KARA

(to the dog)

Get me my purse.

(he goes)

Hurry!

(He breaks into a trot. Kara smiles at Brendan.)

BRENDAN

Still picking your teeth with freshmen?

KARA

You were a freshman once.

(She slides her fingers up his arm. He growls and pushes them away.)

BRENDAN

Way once, sister. You and Em were tight
for a bit. Who's she eating with now?

KARA

Eating with?

BRENDAN

Eating with. Lunch. Who.

KARA

You're a cutie.

BRENDAN

You gonna tell me?

KARA

Guess you're up from the underneath
then. The whole Jerr thing blown over.
Lucky strikes, you and your partner get
bulled, you come up clean. But I guess
you were always the brains of the
outfit.

BRENDAN

Where's Emily?

KARA

Sometimes I wonder why I dumped you.

BRENDAN

(standing to go)

God.

KARA

I don't know where she's at, Brendan.

BRENDAN

I know you do, so why don't you want me
to find her?

KARA

Maybe I'm looking out for you.

BRENDAN

(going)

Well I appreciate that.

KARA

Brendan... you looking to get back into
things? I could use you.

(He is gone. Behind Kara, the play goes on.)
posted by Joe Beese at 5:48 AM on June 16, 2010

If you need a scene for three boys, SHUTTER ISLAND has multiple single-room, 3-men scenes in it.
posted by headspace at 6:09 AM on June 16, 2010

Oh, or more in the vein of fun, ZOMBIELAND might be something to look at- it's essentially a road movie, so almost all the scenes are enclosed.
posted by headspace at 6:11 AM on June 16, 2010

A scene that I use all the time when I talk about film performance is one from my old favorite, the underrated Miami Blues. It starts Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh (and the incomparable - and incomparably named - Bobo Lewis), all of whom are very very fine screen actors. (Bobo Lewis was female, so there's your two women, one men.)

The scene is, oh, about midway through the film -- and, hey, I just found it on YouTube.

This is the bit where Baldwin's character gets his eyebrow cut off (!), Leigh's character nearly faints in dealing with the blood, and the tough-as-nails Bobo Lewis (damn, that's fun to type) steelily sews the 'brow back on. A great, great scene with fun dialogue and a wide range of emotions.
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:30 AM on June 16, 2010

First of all, you should get the book 99 Film Scenes for Actors, which is full of the types of scenes you're asking for -- they're the right length, relatively fun, and not too profane. It was published in '99, so it's not totally recent, but it should have plenty of stuff that's recent enough to work. You can see the table of contents on the Amazon listing -- check it out.

If you haven't already, you should trawl around Drew's Script-O-Rama -- look at both the transcripts and the scripts. For transcripts, you'll probably need some memory of the movie to help you find the line breaks.

Finally, one suggestion for scenes with two women: Sex Lies and Videotape is my go-to for this purpose. There are plenty of great scenes between Ann and Cynthia, and with a little skillful cutting (and perhaps the occasional substitution of "screw" for "fuck") it can absolutely work for 14 year-olds. As a start, try the one that begins with "Did you confront John about the visitor?" and ends with "Fine. OK. Now, if you'll pardon me, I have to go to work."
posted by ourobouros at 7:48 AM on June 16, 2010

For 3-4 males, how about the courtroom scene in A Few Good Men? You probably need your best young man for the Nicholson part though.
posted by dnesan at 7:57 AM on June 16, 2010

Ditto Glengarry Glenross. Maybe the discussion about are we talking here or just talking? (The first bit here) but that whole film has good dialogue of a certain sort.
posted by salvia at 8:08 AM on June 16, 2010

A lot of the best scenes of this type will come from movies written by playwrights or based on plays. I recommend David Mamet. (I always recommend David Mamet for most any purpose, but I think he's particularly suited to your ends.) Also, look at older movies. Katharine Hepburn movies tend to have tons of great scenes. I particularly love the scenes between her and her parents in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
posted by decathecting at 8:08 AM on June 16, 2010

Whoops, "Glen Ross."
posted by salvia at 8:09 AM on June 16, 2010

I've taught scene study to teens too, and these scenes were great. Most are at script-o-rama, or you can transcribe them from the movie directly.

Juno: Juno tells Paulie she's pregnant. Juno and Soo-Chin debate abortion outside the clinic. Juno and Leah look in the newspaper for adoption ads. Juno and Leah have lunch together.
Ghost World: Lots of good stuff here for young Thora Burch and Scarlett Johannsen.
NBC's The Office: Karen and Pam discuss kissing Jim (Season 3, Ep. 15, "Ben Franklin").
Can't Hardly Wait: Lauren Ambrose & Seth Green locked in the bathroom together
Ten Things I Hate About You: Julia Stiles gets drunk, tells off Heath Ledger, barfs.
Before Sunrise: Julie Delpy makes a pretend phonecall to her best friend to tell her about the boy she met. Can be done as a scene or monologue.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 9:44 AM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Thanks, everyone! These are great. And now I have lots of new movies to see!
posted by duvatney at 3:40 PM on June 16, 2010

Empire Records (open 'til midnight). This cult classic was beloved by my (gifted) peers and myself in high school. Pretty much any scene with Lucas is awesome. This one is also cute.

AJ
Hey, Joe?

JOE
Yeah?

AJ
I need to ask you something.

JOE
Uh-huh.

AJ
Now I know you know a lot about love and women and all that sort of thing.

JOE
Oh yeah. My wife left me for another woman and my girlfriend forced me to leave at gunpoint .... Does this qualify me?

AJ
Oh yeah, definitely. Look Joe, I've decided that today's the day I'm gonna tell Corey how I feel about her.


JOE
Uh-huh.

AJ
No. I know what you're thinking but I really am. I mean I've been working here off and on for five years, man, so ... I've gotta tell her how I feel, you know? I've gotta tell her that I, er ... well you know, that I er ...

JOE
Love her?

AJ
Yeah. Now how do I do that?

JOE
You say "I love you" ... what do you want? Written instructions?
(looking around backroom)
If I find that kid, I swear, I swear I am gonna kill him.

AJ
OK ... I'm gonna tell her this morning.

JOE
Good.

AJ
By noon ... definitely.

JOE
Right.

AJ
No. by noon or one.

JOE
Uh-huh.

AJ
By 1:37 exactly, Joe.

JOE
Well good luck.

AJ
Well thank you.
posted by purlgurly at 5:55 PM on June 16, 2010