Got Act Breaks?
Act Breaks, they’re not just for TV anymore. We all know the structure of a typical story. Rising tension leading up to a climax and then the end (see figure 1-a).
In TV land the structure is often very defined to coincide with “and now a word from our sponsor.” How do they make sure you will return after the commercial? How do they keep you looking around the kitchen doorway at the screen to check that the show isn’t back on? The old TV serious Batman(1966-1968) was ridiculously good at this, actually asking you – the audience – before the break how Batman will escape from being dropped into boiling acid? (And why do you need to boil acid?)
George R.R.Martin, author of the Games of Thrown series,worked as a TV script writer in the 1980s on the Twilight Zone and Beauty and the Beast. You can see this influence in his writing as he keeps readers on edge with scene breaks that are mini climaxes, leaving the hero dangling as he moves from character to character. Tension is what keeps the reader turning pages, and it is vital with modern readers. As a writer, you might ask the question: “can I finish this scene with more tension?” The Act Break climax is a power tool that is definitely not just for TV.
