GUIDE: How Rising Action Works in Storytelling

Rising action plays a vital role in storytelling because it:

• Connects characters with conflict: It forms the bridge between the characters and the central conflict, allowing the audience to undersatand their motivations, challenges, and personal stakes. This connection highlights the obstacles the characters must navigate.

• Builds tension: Rising action sets the foundation for the story’s climax by increasing suspense and raising the stakes . It’s a critical component that ensures the plot adheres to traditional story structure.

Examples of rising action

Here are three examples that illustrate how rising action integrates into a film’s overall narrative (spoilers ahead!):

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

Director George Miller presents a literal and visual representation of rising action through the escalating obstacles faced by Max and Furiosa.

The story kicks off when Furiosa escapes the citadel with Immortan Joe’s wives. What follows is a series of intense chases and escalating action sequences, all building to the climactic final race back to the citadel.

Each challenge adds more complexity and emotional intensity, keeping the audience on edge.

2. Romeo + Juliet

Writers Craig Pearce and Baz Luhrmann deliver a textbook example of rising action to heighten conflict and tension. The inciting incident – a gas station shootout between the Montagues and Capulets – establishes the deep feud between the families.

The rising action unfolds on two fronts: the ongoing feud and the forbidden love between Romeo and Juliet. These events culminate in two climaxes – Romeo killing Tybalt and the tragic dual suicide of the lovers.

Luhrmann’s adaptation amplifies Shakespeare’s rising action to create high stakes and cinematic tension.

3. Die Hard

The rising action begins when Hans Gruber and his crew take control of Nakatomi Plaza with John McClane trapped inside. From there, the tension mounts as McClane works to foil the terrorists’ plan, leading to the explosive climax on the rooftop.

Along the way, the film layers suspense through McClane’s daring stunts, bare-footed gunfights, and clever strategies, showcasing his resilience and resourcefulness against overwhelming odds.

Tips for writing rising action

• Place rising action after the opening act: It should come after the introduction of your main character and the stakes, giving the audience a clear view of the challenges and objectives they’ll face.

• Kick off with an inciting incident: Rising action generally begins with an event that sparks the main conflict and introduces hurdles for the character(s) to overcome.

• Build momentum toward the climax: Use the rising action to steadily ramp up the tension. Introduce multiple narrative subplots to keep your reader or viewer engaged and curious.

• Develop character depth: Rising action is an excellent opportunity to reveal your characters' motivations, beliefs, and internal struggles. Ask yourself: What’s holding them back from their goals? How can you evolve this conflict to heighten the tension? Does the conflict have a personal impact on them?

• Raise the stakes with external conflicts: Whenever possible, tie your rising action to external pressures that amplify the stakes for your characters.

Now, it’s time to put these tips into action and create stories that keep your audience on the edge of their seats!

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