Ever since I saw the first Matrix, I became a believer in what I call an “escalation of action.” When I first saw Neo in the dojo scene, I was like “Holy shit!” Then, when I saw him in the lobby shootout, I was like, “HOLY SHIT!” As he faced off one on one against Agent Smith, I damn near leapt up and started hooting like an ape. Yeah, they fumbled the ball in later movies, but that first Matrix…god DAMN it was good.
When I think about how to structure escalation of action, I think about what makes a character’s expression of violence both thrilling and personal. Then, as they evolve, how their subsequent expressions can be even more badass. Sure, I’ll put in symbolism and themes and societal commentary, but my teenage self gets first dibs on my stories. At the end of the day, my priority is making him say “Holy SHIT!” with increasing volume and clenched-fist excitement–the kind that makes you stay up long past midnight, thoughts racing, obsessing over how you can channel an equally joyful and exhilarating moment onto the page or the screen.
If something in today’s post resonated with you, hit reply or leave a comment and tell me.
Kent Wayne 
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