Escalating tension

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  • Escalating tension

    Each scene is supposed to build on the one before it so the story flows instead of feeling episodic. Anybody want to talk about specific methods you use to block out this rising tension/sense of building as you're outlining?
    "Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.-
    ― Ray Bradbury

  • #2
    Re: Escalating tension

    I wish I knew.

    I tend to think in terms of wants and hopes.

    Initially, the wants of one character works opposite the wants of the antagonists. But then you build the internal hope which often works against the want.

    So in addition to the want of one working against the want of the antagonist, you have the hope of the protagonist working against the want.

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    • #3
      Re: Escalating tension

      Whenever a character solves a problem, it can directly or indirectly backfire and cause a new, bigger problem(s). It doesn't have to be linear, though. Maybe three of the small solutions combine into a bigger problem, and solving that problem leads to three more small problems that eventually lead to a huge problem. There's no limit to the possible substructures, as long as the audience is constantly surprised about the results of an action and it always leads to greater stress for the protagonist.

      Somewhere in the middle of Act II it should cross the point where a casual viewer might think they're hitting the climax. Then keep ruthlessly piling it onto the poor protagonist for another 30 minutes.

      Leave a few problems unsolved up to and through the whole climax, which preserves some lingering suspense even during the big confrontation. Then those loose ends can be tied during the resolution.

      Just the way I see it... Probably everyone has a unique way of building tension.

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      • #4
        Re: Escalating tension

        I generally say to myself, "what would be the worst, most idiotic thing that someone could do in this situation that will lead to the most public humilation? Okay, let's do that."

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        • #5
          Re: Escalating tension

          Originally posted by whistlelock View Post
          I generally say to myself, "what would be the worst, most idiotic thing that someone could do in this situation that will lead to the most public humilation? Okay, let's do that."
          That would be my advice too.

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          • #6
            Re: Escalating tension

            Good answers. I think I can use them all in various ways. That's cool. Thanks, guys!






            P.S. I like your sassy icon, Hammy.
            "Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.-
            ― Ray Bradbury

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            • #7
              Re: Escalating tension

              I rule.

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              • #8
                Re: Escalating tension

                Rising tension basically means that things get worse, and that basically means 'don't repeat the beat'. If your hero almost gets caught, don't have them almost get caught again. Have them get caught.

                Every time things seem to be going well, they get worse; and every time things seem like they can't get any worse, they do.

                Look at every scene in your script and ask yourself: "What's the worst that could happen?" Then have that happen. This is often quite fun to think over.

                I'd like to elaborate on some examples, but I'm strapped for time right now, so I'll just say that in Star Wars, the likelihood that the Death Star would be destroyed is microscopic once the heroes dive into the trash chute. The whole Death Star sequence is a great example of things going from bad to worse.

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                • #9
                  Re: Escalating tension

                  like life.

                  you are expecting a call for a new job that you need to pay your rent. but when you get home the door is locked cause you didn't pay your rent and the cell phone is inside and your landlord hates you.

                  you climb through a window as you hear your phone ring, you get in the house and answer it but the phone dies.

                  the door opens and it's the police arresting you for breaking in and entering. you use your one call at the police station to call the person you think called for the job and the police tell the person on the other line that you are obligated to tell you that this call is being sent from a holding cell in jail.

                  that kind of thing.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Escalating tension

                    wow vig, you had a rough friday night

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                    • #11
                      Re: Escalating tension

                      Firstly, I am *so* sorry for how that turned out, Vig. You know I didn't mean for it to go down that way, baby. Next time, I'll look at my caller ID, I mean it this time.

                      Raven - (hi, long time, btw, neighbor!) I use the sequential narrative approach to outlining so I break my script down into ten page sequences and make sure that each sequence has got a beginning, middle and end relative to the sequence before and after it. When my partner Jake and I do that, we never have a problem with escalating tension in one scene; we look at it as sequences then acts and the scenes take care of themselves. Then again we did write a thriller so tension is our middle name, right Jake?

                      Julie Gray



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                      • #12
                        Re: Escalating tension

                        You got it, kiddo. We build our tension more psychologically than clinically, though, so there's a logic to the way it builds and the way it parallels the thinking of the audience. One thing we've kept in mind since working with a producer in developing our project is to make sure every beat is set up properly and that it lands properly.

                        Tension can be built up in the background, as well, which is more demanding on the audience to play a role. Look at "The Sixth Sense". It begins as a "sick child" story. We think Cole is profoundly disturbed and headed for either disaster or an act of violence. Shyamalan keeps us in that mode until the fifty-minute mark, when Cole speaks his famous line about seeing dead people. Now we shift. But until then the tension is located in the "what's going to happen with this poor child" mode. So our sympathies are with the child, with the doctor who seems unable to help him, and the mother who's just trying to keep heart and soul together for the boy.

                        These are all elemental: the protection of a helpless child is something everyone can understand, so the filmmaker has us on his side right from the start. Then he can start fvcking big-time with us.

                        Just to add this: tension can only be built if you've established an "agreement" with the audience. If they don't find someone to side with, if they can't muster the necessary sympathy, they'll remain on the outside. Keep the core of the story simple: injustice, protection, time tunning out--all are things we understand. The more primal it is, the better it'll travel.
                        Last edited by Jake Schuster; 10-01-2006, 07:38 AM. Reason: EDITED TO ADD:

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                        • #13
                          Re: Escalating tension

                          Ever gotta be at work at 9:00 and have to leave at 8:15 to make it but you leave at 8:25?

                          Then you take off and hope to catch every green light? Then someone slowly backs out of his driveway and you gotta ( ) stop? Then the little old man with his walker on his daily morning walk heads across the crosswalk right in front of you at the corner just as you get there and you gotta () wait? Then you get stuck behind the truck that hauls the refrigerator and moves ten miles slower than the speed limit so the frig' won't tip over and you can't pass it 'cause the car beside it moves at the same pace? Then you clear and pass but the guard rail at the railroad tracks drops just before you reach the tracks and a slow a$$ train crosses? Then you take off and finally make it in time! Remember, you've been speeding in between.

                          And you let out that sigh of relief?

                          Somethin' like that.

                          Corona
                          I love you, Reyna . . .

                          Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

                          Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!
                          I ain't no punk b1tch...

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                          • #14
                            Re: Escalating tension

                            Corona, LOL. Yeah, I do that a lot... but I always end up later than I originally was. I never actually make it on time on those days.


                            Femme, hi. This is all helping. Thanks, guys!
                            "Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.-
                            ― Ray Bradbury

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                            • #15
                              Re: Escalating tension

                              Whenever I'm running late, I always just make it to work with a minute or less to spare. I drive like an ******* to get there, but at least I'm not late.

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