"Emotion always takes time to build up, so start small and escalate to a powerful climax." Jen McVeity - Seven Steps to Writing Success.
Build up the tension with a series of problems or challenges for the character to triumph. With each near miss empathy is built for the character.
Pebble: the first problem, small. Rock: the second problem or challenge. Boulder: the final major obstacle/challenge/problem which is building up to the climax, the most exciting part of the story.
Advertisements often use storytelling techniques to capture the audiences attention. Are there any other adds that you know that use this tightening tension strategy?
Watch the following Codral Cold and Flu add and identify the pebble, rock and boulder faced by the characters.
MINUSCULE This silent (no dialogue) short story escalates the tension using pebble, rock, boulder strategy. Can you identify them?
Complete the Seven Steps Story graph plotting the pebble, rock and boulder.
View the following silent movies. Can you identify the storytelling techniques?
You and a partner will now plan a narrative using the Seven Steps to Writing Success story graph. You will illustrate your story, then take photos of the illustrations to make a silent movie.
What would you like your silent movie to be about? Who is the main character? Where is the story set? What problems or challenges will your character face? (pebble, rock, boulder) What will be most exciting part of the story? How will the story end?