The Button
Also known as Scene Button, Buttoning a Scene
The final strong line or image that caps a scene, signaling the edit and leaving the audience on a peak rather than a fade.
Known for
- A good button is usually the funniest or most resonant beat available, played and then left alone (the temptation to keep talking past it is the most common rookie error).
- Buttons cue the backline: a clean button tells whoever is editing exactly when to sweep, which is why buttoning and editing are taught together.
- In game-driven scenes the button often lands on the highest heightening move; in organic scenes it can be a quiet emotional image rather than a joke.
- Distinct from a callback: a button closes the present scene, while a callback reaches back to an earlier one.
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