Tension in a story is one of the best possible skills you can master as a writer. In a finished product, how tension plays out comes down to your whole team—how actors are directed, the production design that lends visual conflict, the editing between different perspectives, and more—but it all starts on the page. You can probably think of a few examples from film and TV, moments that made you feel the mounting dread of nearing danger. I'm a Star Wars nerd, so indulge me while I point to the Ghorman Massacre from Andor as one of the strongest recent examples in TV. It's masterful, even as the viewer might guess what exactly is about to happen.Another one of my favorite, tense scenes is the prom finale from Carrie. All that slow-motion build-up. It's so good.Creating that effect on the page, without music or editing or performances to lean on, requires techniques that writers have refined through the years. Your goal is it get your audience invested. Influence them to ask, "What could happen next?" Then, at the right moment, deliver a powerful release.Here's what some of the industry's most successful screenwriters and directors have learned about building tension in their scripts. InceptionCredit: Warner Bros.Give the Audience More Information Than Your CharactersAlfred Hitchcock explained the difference between surprise and suspense with what he called the bomb theory. Imagine two people having a mundane conversation when, suddenly, a bomb explodes. That's a surprise. "Now take the same scene and tell the...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday