Life or Death The stakes for your story must not only be clear, they need to boil down to life or death, it's that simple. If not physically through world destruction, disease, or murderous intentions, then metaphorically through your character’s personal life stakes… The job they don’t get will mean they’ll lose their home and family. Losing the game will not only mean letting down everyone of their fans who mean the world to them, but it will also mean they have wasted a year of their life preparing when they could have been spending that time with loved ones. The audience should understand your character/story well enough that they know, in their mind success or failure will be the equivalent to life or death for them. Often, stories and plots get convoluted and the stakes become muddy. Keep us focused on amping up just how much life is at stake for your character. Erin Brockovich worked so well, not only because David beat Goliath, but because throughout, the life or death stakes of Erin were kept front and center. She had to fight for the job to feed her kids, she had to fight for her clients so they could get the life-saving care needed and her fight for them made her have to turn around and fight for the love of her kids again -- who were her whole reason for being. Clearly some genres make this easier than others but even in a rom-com, not finding love works best when it feels like the end of the world… Harry is destined to spend the rest of his life walking around NYC, alone on every holiday – essentially killing his outgoing personality… until he sums up the theme of the movie by running to Sally and telling her, ‘when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.’ In other words, Harry has finally figured out how he wants to live. If there are no life or death stakes, there is stasis, and that is a death knell to a story. Live like you mean it.
Screenwriting : Today's Wish and Creative Tip by Laurie Ashbourne
WRITER-PRODUCER at https://www.lastorystudio.com ♦ Screenwriter, Producer, Author
9 years ago
Today's Wish and Creative Tip
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1 person likes this
I just viewed "Never Let Me Go" from 2010. The beauty of the story combined with the life/death motif evoked a certain thoughtful meditation on the value of life and what being human means. The end of the world for the protagonists meant longer life for others they did not know.
I haven't seen that one, but it sounds fantastic. Thanks.
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I read a lot of scripts from novice writers, and the stakes/conflicts/tensions are one of their biggest weak points. They understand that after I explain it to them, thankfully. I can use a low-rated but very funny comedy (The Hot Chick) as a reference for them. Yes...I know many might not consider that to be a good film, but I think it is quite brilliant. I also reference the higher-rated drama, Runaway Train, where the actual death of Manny is considered success (at least by Manny). All effective dramatic films - no matter our personal likes or dislikes of those films - maximize the stakes and dramatic needs of their characters, and culminate in outcomes that aren't underutilized. Great post, Laurie.
Ha ha, Bill. My son went through a phase last year (when he was 10) where he watched every Rob Schneider film he could, he's a pain the ass but he does grow on you (Rob that is).
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The film CEDAR RAPIDS the life/death struggle turns into a moment of clarity. the main character's own viewpoint of his life/death decision changes over the course of the film based on what he endures. Great film..
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Basically, stakes should max out at EOTW level, whether literally or metaphorically. Otherwise, monsieur and madame moviegoer lose interest.
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Dan, life, death and passion of biblical proportions -- that and existing IP.