If you've ever watched the TV coverage
of no-limit hold'em poker tournaments, you've seen how dramatic some
of the confrontations between players can be. If you watch closely,
you can see how the action of these high-stakes tournaments can add
intrigue and tension to your story.
Character Is As Character Does, Not As Character Says
One of the most dramatic aspects of TV
poker tournaments is the tension that the players show as they must
make a crucial decision. In most cases, the player will remain silent
for minutes at a time while they deliberate whether to fold their
hand, call the bet, or raise the stakes.
While such a long silent period in a
screenplay may not always work, screenwriters should understand how
to create tension from the situation, rather than from extensive
dialogue. Since poker players are not allowed to tell the truth when
asked about their cards during a hand, screenwriters should apply
that rule and put their characters in positions that require them to
lie and increase the tension in their scenes.
Keep The Audience In The Know
Another appealing aspect of TV poker
tournaments is the “hole card cam”, which allows the TV viewers
to see the cards each player holds. (NOTE: The "hole card cam" was invented by Henry Orenstein, a Polish immigrant and Holocaust survivor who also helped launch the "Transformers" toy line in the U.S.) While the audience is privy to
this information, the other players aren't. This information allows
the audience to recognize when a player is bluffing, or when they
have the best hand, which keeps the viewer invested in watching the
results.
While many rookie writers value the
“twist” ending, this technique can come across as more of a way
for the writer to show off, rather than a way to keep the audience
engaged. The classic horror trope of showing the killer on one side
of the door and the soon-to-be victim on the other has kept audiences
engaged for decades. Not only is it not a sin to reveal information
to the audience before the characters know, it can keep the audience
riveted to see the character's reaction when they find out.
Around The Turn And Down The River
After each player receives their two
hole cards and decides whether they want to stay in the hand, the
dealer puts out three cards on the table, face-up, for each remaining
player to use. These three cards are collectively known as “the
flop”. After another round of betting, the dealer puts out a fourth
card, called “the turn”. Another round of betting ensues, and the
dealer puts out the fifth community card, called “the river”. The
remaining players show their hands in a “showdown” at the end of
the hand.
This structure bears a resemblance to
the “three-act structure” often taught in most screenwriting
classes. The character starts off with the hand they're dealt, and
must make a decision to proceed with their journey. The character
“flops” into a new situation at the start of Act II and
encounters new allies (a strong hand) or new enemies (a weak hand).
The story takes a “turn” at the midpoint of Act II, then the
character takes a trip down a menacing “river” at the start of
Act III, leading up to a “showdown” with the antagonist.
Standing Still Is Not An Option
In no-limit hold'em, two players are
required to make minimum “blind” bets before the hand starts to
ensure that at least some chips are already in the pot. In tournament
play, the minimum bets increase at specific time increments. As the
blinds go up, the player's holdings get relatively smaller, even if
they maintain the same amount of chips. The increasing minimum bets force players with "short stacks" into desperate moves to stay alive.
In all types of fiction, but especially
in screenwriting, stasis equals death, at least the death of the
audience's interest. When the character chooses to stand still, the
world will still move on around them—and, quite possibly, run over
them. The writer must keep the character moving, either physically or
emotionally or both, to keep the story going and to maintain the
audience's interest.
Heads-Up To The Finish
When the final two players of the
tournament remain, they face off in “heads-up” play. These final
hands are often as much about will and skill as they are about cards
and chips. The final two players may have clashed previously over the
course of hours or days, but now it's for all the marbles.
Whether it's poker, boxing, MMA, or
tennis, audiences love to see a great one-on-one matchup. The same
appeal holds in screenplays. Whenever the writer can set up a
climactic confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonist,
whether that confrontation uses fists, guns, legal tactics, or
emotional manipulation, the audience will want to see who wins.
All In
The most thrilling part of any no-limit
poker hand is when one player bets all their chips on a single hand.
If they win, they double up and stay in the tournament. If they lose,
it's “Wait Til Next Year.” This moment comes when the player says
two simple words: “All In”.
As a writer, you have to risk a lot to
put your story on paper. You have to risk putting in long hours for
little or no reward. You have to risk missing out on fun times with
friends and family to work on your story. You have to risk feeling
like your story isn't good enough for anyone to want to read or see.
Just like in poker, the only way to win
at the screenwriting game is to go “All In”.
If you want your story to be a winner,
Story Into Screenplay offers a wide range of script services,
including coverage reports, rewrite services, and both live and
online hourly consultations.
You can email Story Into Screenplay at
storyintoscreenplayblog(at)gmail(dot)com, or send a message through
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