How To Create Conflict In A Screenplay
Transform your screenplay with the right conflict
I wanted to write a new article as a follow-up to my previous two writing tips articles.
It’s crucial to grasp your character’s conflict after you’ve created the structure of a story and its characters. The story will be propelled ahead by a strong conflict.
But how do you build compelling continuous tension throughout the screenplay once you know who your characters are, what they believe in, and what they want?
Characters are placed into conflict when their beliefs and philosophies compete with other characters who have differing beliefs and philosophies.
But how can you create compelling continuous tension throughout the screenplay writing process once you know who your characters are, what they believe in, and what they want?
Treat conflict as your magic tool
A conflict is a writing approach that generates suspense by putting the main character, the hero, to the test of his or her ideals and beliefs.
It gives your plot a sense of direction. You may give your story direction, action, and purpose by introducing the conflict at the beginning and resolving it by the end. A story would float onward without a beginning, middle, or end if it didn’t have it.
It will help your character grow more naturally. Nothing will feel compelled. Everything will appear to be flowing naturally. Character development is aided.
When a character is confronted with an adversary, their actions and feelings reveal their personality qualities. This results in multi-dimensional personalities that are more relatable to the reader. Imagine someone who has never picked up a gun (in the entire story) suddenly running into battle in the climax scene. It’s neither plausible nor natural.
Use hurdle as conflict creator
When anything hinders your character from getting what they want, conflict arises. You can raise the stakes by turning their desire become an obsession. Your plot will fall flat if you always give your characters what they desire.
A good plot is propelled ahead by good conflict. This is exactly what your characters require in order to mature, therefore don’t let them off the hook. Don’t limit conflict to dramatic action; it can take many different forms, depending on what your characters seek and what stands in their way.
Create obstacles for them, and as the character morphs and evolves to meet the antagonistic forces’ challenge, the antagonistic forces must get stronger and more intense in order to continue to push the primary character into deeper change.
Remember, your character can have a conflict with himself/herself, with the world, with an alien, with his/her partner, with nature.
A story’s narrative thread is created by a confrontation between two opposing forces(the conflict).
Create a dramatic struggle
Create a rival force that is at least as powerful as, if not more powerful than, your protagonist. Your protagonist must strive hard to overcome hurdles and achieve the story’s objective. A compelling emotional conflict will be created by a strong opponent.
They’ll also make the character undergo some sort of transformation, resulting in an engrossing character arc. Maintain the momentum of the struggle throughout the story.
During the course of the story, your task is to make the hero’s/herion’s mission as tough as possible, so that their victory looks less feasible at every turn.
Along the journey, you must raise the stakes and create barriers of increasing difficulty while remaining focused on your goal. Add fresh difficulties to the mix. Remind the reader of the stakes on a regular basis.
Maintain the conflict until you reach the climax.
