Scene Dominoes
We’ve all seen pictures of domino constructions, where the first piece is nudged just so to set off a beautiful chain reaction. Domino is a generic term for any sequence of events that cascade from one cause to another. In terms of writing, it could be any plot beat that moves the story forward or draws us closer to an emotional climax. This concept is central to the theory of scene domino—and it’s what I try to help my clients understand when I ask them to think about their scenes like dominoes.
Domino is a table game involving the use of small rectangular blocks called tiles, traditionally made from bone or silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother-of-pearl). Each tile has an arrangement of dots, known as pips, on one side, and blank or identically patterned on the other. A typical double-six set contains 28 tiles. Each player begins with seven of these tiles, and as they draw more, the number of remaining tiles in their opponents’ hands decreases. The players then alternately place the tiles in front of them on their domino table, where they can see each other’s total number of tiles but not their individual values.
The most basic domino variant involves two players, and requires only a double-six set. The simplest way to play the game is for each player to draw seven tiles from the stock or boneyard, and then place them on their domino table in a line, in order of their value, with the oldest at the far left. The players then move their pieces according to the rules of the game. The first player to reach the end of their line wins.
Domino can be played with as few as two or as many as eight people. In addition to the usual double-six set, there are many other types of domino sets with varying numbers of sides and values of pips. These include sets with higher numbers of pips, as well as special “extended” versions that add additional tiles to a standard set.
Hevesh, a professional domino artist, uses her skills to create spectacular displays for movies, TV shows, and events. Her YouTube channel features more than 2 million subscribers who watch her build and demonstrate amazing domino setups. She even competes in domino shows, in which she builds complex chains and reactions in front of a live audience.
When Hevesh designs her elaborate domino displays, she makes test versions to make sure each section works correctly before moving on to the bigger, 3-D sections. She also films her tests in slow motion, which enables her to correct any errors and ensure that the final display is seamless. As a writer, you should do the same. It’s important to have every scene fit the pace of your narrative, and be sure that each scene is in place and ready to fall at just the right moment. It’s also vital that the next scene is a natural progression from the previous, rather than a rehash of what came before it.