A-scenes: Meaning in Film Production

A-scenes

Definition

A-scenes are scenes inserted into a locked script after its scene numbers have been frozen. A new scene that falls between scenes 42 and 43 is numbered 42A, the next one 42B, so the existing scene numbers on schedules, strips, and slates never change. A new scene before scene 1 is A1.

A typical A-scene

The blue revisions add a short beat between the gas station and the chase:

42   EXT. GAS STATION - NIGHT                             42
     ...
     The clerk reaches for the phone.

42A  INT. GAS STATION - CONTINUOUS                       42A   *

     The CLERK dials. Watches Maya's taillights.          *

                         CLERK                            *
               Yeah. She's headed north on 9.             *

43   EXT. ROUTE 9 - NIGHT                                 43

Scene 42A gets its own breakdown sheet, its own strip, and its own entry on the schedule. Here it's a new interior set (the store interior), 2/8 of a page, cast member 7, and a phone. It might shoot on the same night as 42 or on a different day if the store interior is a stage set.

Rules most productions follow

Situation	Number
First new scene after 42	42A
Second new scene after 42 (after 42A)	42B
New scene before scene 1	A1
A-scene later cut	42A OMITTED
New scene after 12, where I would be next	many skip to 12J, avoiding 12I

Skipping I and O is common because 12I and 12O are easy to misread as 121 and 120 on a slate or in an editor's bin. Check your production's convention before the first revision goes out.

What to update in the breakdown

When an A-scene appears in revision pages:

Create a new breakdown sheet with the A-scene number and measure its page eighths.
Tag its elements. New sets and new speaking parts are the expensive surprises.
Add a strip and place it on the stripboard, usually on the same day as its neighbors if the location allows.
Update the day out of days if it changes which days an actor works.
Tell the script supervisor and the editor so the new number is expected in slates and logs.

Confusion with A-pages and setups

An A-scene is a scene number. A-pages are page numbers. Adding scene 42A may or may not create page 31A, depending on whether the page overflows. The slate is a third place a letter shows up, which is why A-scenes deserve a word at the production meeting on a show that uses lettered setups. See scene number for how numbering works before any revisions, and omitted scene for the reverse case.

Frequently asked questions

What does scene 42A mean?

It is a scene added after scene 42 once the script's scene numbers were locked. It sits between 42 and 43 in story order. It is a separate scene with its own breakdown sheet and strip.

What is the scene number for a new scene before scene 1?

A1, then B1 for a second one before that. The letter goes in front so the new scene sorts before 1 without renumbering.

Is scene 42A the same as setup 42A on a slate?

No, and the overlap causes real confusion. Under the letter-setup system, 42A on a slate can mean the second camera setup of scene 42. When a script has A-scenes, the script supervisor and editor agree on a slating scheme before the first shoot day so the two can't be mixed up.