The Tension of a Coin Toss - No Country for Old Men

What makes the coin toss scene in No Country for Old Men so good? One of the key ingredients is tension. In this episode of Script Study, WGA Screenwriter Micah Cratty breaks down how the Coen Brothers used tension to make the coin toss scene unforgettable and shares what lessons it holds for screenwriters. #screenwriting #movie #film

The video on writing better scenes: https://youtu.be/z2iWZfGF-CU

Brought to you by Arc Studio screenwriting software. Start writing your script for free at https://www.arcstudiopro.com/?via=YouTube

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:49 Tension
01:23 THE SETUP
01:40 Dramatic irony
03:12 Time is your friend
03:25 Use what's happened before
03:38 Reveal more aspects of the character
03:52 THE SCENE
04:01 What does each person want in the scene? (Gives you the structure!)
06:54 Obscure motives
07:01 Make the audience invested with stakes
07:21 Give hints about motives
07:42 Put the characters in conflict
08:32 Let the character know they're in danger
10:18 Give the audience a place to focus their discomfort
10:48 Force the characters to deal with the difficult situation
12:40 Release the tension... with a surprise

Видео The Tension of a Coin Toss - No Country for Old Men канала Arc Studio Screenwriting