From the course: Script Writing for Nonfiction Video

Defining a climax

From the course: Script Writing for Nonfiction Video

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Defining a climax

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- Let's take a look at where we came from. We started with a hook, some kind of open to draw people in. We did a quick exposition, so we could talk about some background information about the people or the organization, and then we set forth some kind of central theme or challenge, and now we're at the most important part, which is the climax. Something has to happen here. Something has to change, so people need to change their minds about something, take some kind of action or the organization makes some kind of change, something happens at this point that changes everything. So think about how that could work in your script. In the story about the girl who's getting the surgery, she obviously has to make the decision to get that surgery, and it's not just about the surgery, but it's about taking the step to change her life, to change how she lives, and all the people in the hospital are involved in that change. - So surgery's not a cure-all. It's a tool that helps patients achieve what they need to, but it still requires eating the right foods, getting enough exercise to maintain good health. - There are treatments available that can work, and our team is there to support these families, improve the lives of their children. And that's really important to me. That's what drives me to come to work every day and to do what I do. - They're truly passionate about helping you succeed in your weight loss. - In the story about Wolf Trap, they make a decision to rebuild, and obviously that ties back to the hook, the open, where remember we talked about the woman who founded the organization and sort of her personality of persistence. That ties in directly to what she decides to do at the climax. She decides to rebuild, and remember we talked about how the hook and the climax have some direct connection to each other. - Well, finally at 2 o'clock in the morning I reached her, and I said, "What are you gonna do?" And typical of mother, "Rebuild!" - Mrs. Shouse said we're not gonna let this stop us. We're gonna go right back to it, and not only that, we're not gonna lose a season! - Whatever it is in your script, just make sure that you have some kind of connection there, some kind of thing that you hint at at the beginning, but here is where it's fully revealed. And if you're working in graphics, that can happen too. You can show a process, and then the whole process unfolds at the climax, or maybe you pull back and reveal a much wider shot of how everything works and how everything's interconnected. So just think about building that momentum up to that high point of your script, and that'll give you what you need for a climax.

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