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Writing screenplay techinques > Tips for building suspense

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message 1: by Gabriel, Admin (last edited Oct 01, 2017 07:52AM) (new)

Gabriel (ghiby) | 19 comments Mod
Here are some tips for screenplay writers on building suspense as a storytelling device, from Rob Bowman

build up suspense using gradually
1. Expectations
2. Anticipation
3. Possibility
4. Probability

by this point, your readers/audience should be on the edge feeling something really bad and/or thrilling is going to happen, so this should keep them engaged and interested.

5. Villain will act
- the next step would be for the villain to act, to either eat something, or kill something, or do some kind of massive damage in a show of force, to sell the villain character

Tension, suspense, and action is created by the distance between the two opponents, the villain vs hero, confronting each other.

The closer they are in their upcoming clash, the more concern your readers/audience will be.

Those are just basic tips from the filmmaker Rob Bowman (director), the director of X files series while shooting in Ireland, a scary, monster action fantasy movie released in 2002, about human race living in a post-apocalyptic world and fighting dragons who are, in this particular scenario, a superior ancient race awaken and trying not only to survive but to dominate the world.
The movie in question is Reign of Fire with the screenplay written by Matt Greenberg
Matt Greenberg, Gregg Chabot, and Kevin Peterka.

Please note that often screenplay writing is a collaborative team effort.

Thus, our group here, maybe a good start for collaborative writing as well.


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