OPINION: Why Your Second Act Must Have Escalating Stakes

The second act is all about escalating stakes. Absolute urgency. There’s a gap in the classic three act structure as extolled by many screenwriting books and teachers. The problem is the second act, which is usually the bulk of the story. Depending on your terminology of choice, you’ll likely find a plot point or turning point at the end of the first act. There might be another in the middle of the second act (the midpoint). Then there’s a low

Read more

Members only

This article continues in the IS Vault

Join Industrial Scripts for full access to 700+ guides, whitepapers, the script library, industry interviews and much more.

Join the IS Studio — $9.99/month

Cancel any time · No commitment

Join 70,000 Screenwriters

Tackle one of the trickiest areas of screenwriting with our exclusive eBook. Get more free resources when you join our mailing list. We're judicious when we message and will never flood your inbox.

Success! Thanks for signing up, now please check all your email folders incl junk mail!

Something went wrong.

90

Join 70,000 Screenwriters

Tackle one of the trickiest areas of screenwriting with our exclusive eBook. Get more free resources when you join our mailing list. We're judicious when we message and will never flood your inbox.

Success! Thanks for signing up, now please check all your email folders incl junk mail!

Something went wrong.

Send this to a friend