I Have a Question - How to say 'happen' in Chinese?

Okay, usually the first word that most of us learn that means 'happen' is 发生, but then when I tried to use it way back when, people often looked at me funny.  I asked my teacher, and she said it was mostly used for negative things.  Fair enough.  I just found ways around using 发生.  But recently I have been having trouble translating move chat.  I want to say something like:

"what happens in this scene?"  

I'm not sure how to say it.  Should I use 发现?  Something else?

Thanks!