Emerging Conflict

From Spark to Fire

Following the inciting incident—the event that kicks the story into gear—the narrative enters a phase where the initial problem begins to grow and complicate. This is the stage of emerging conflict, also known as rising action. It is not a single event but a sequence of interconnected scenes and events where the protagonist’s initial attempts to resolve the central conflict are met with increasing resistance. The antagonist or antagonistic force begins to reveal its strength, and the initial, seemingly straightforward goal becomes far more difficult to achieve than anticipated. This phase is critical for establishing the story’s stakes and demonstrating the true nature of the opposition the hero faces.

This is the portion of the story, typically comprising the bulk of the second act, where the world of the story is explored, supporting characters are introduced, and subplots are woven into the main narrative. Each scene should, in some way, escalate the conflict. This doesn’t always mean bigger explosions or louder arguments. Escalation can be emotional, psychological, or moral. A character might win a small victory only to discover it has created a much larger problem, or they might learn a piece of information that reframes their entire understanding of the conflict, making it more personal and the stakes much higher.

The Mechanics of Rising Action

Emerging conflict is built through a pattern of cause and effect, where each of the protagonist’s actions is met with a reaction from the opposing forces. This creates a back-and-forth dynamic that systematically breaks down the protagonist’s initial plan and forces them to adapt, grow, and learn. Screenwriters often structure this phase around a series of obstacles, each more challenging than the last.

Key elements often found during this narrative phase include:

• Complications: New problems arise as a direct or indirect result of the protagonist’s actions. In Jurassic Park (1993), the initial problem is a stalled tour vehicle, but the conflict emerges and escalates as the power fails, fences go down, and dinosaurs escape.
• Reversals: Moments where the protagonist’s situation goes from good to bad, or seemingly bad to even worse. A character thinks they’ve found a safe haven, only to realize it’s a trap.
• Subplots: Secondary storylines that often mirror or comment upon the main plot’s theme. A romantic subplot might complicate the hero’s main quest, forcing them to choose between their goal and their relationship.
• Midpoint: A major event often occurs in the middle of the second act that raises the stakes dramatically, reveals a crucial truth, or changes the hero’s goal. In The Empire Strikes Back (1980), the midpoint could be considered Luke’s decision to leave his training with Yoda to confront Vader, a choice that dramatically escalates the personal conflict.

Its Importance in Filmmaking

Without a well-structured emerging conflict, a film can feel stagnant or episodic. The rising action is what keeps the audience engaged, constantly asking “What will happen next?” It’s the engine of narrative momentum. This phase is crucial for character development, as it’s through these escalating trials that the protagonist is forced to confront their flaws, acquire new skills, and evolve. By the end of the rising action, the character should be pushed to their absolute limit, stripped of their non-essential defenses, and prepared for the ultimate test of the crisis and climax.

A film that masterfully handles emerging conflict is The Fugitive (1993). After the inciting incident of his wife’s murder and his wrongful conviction, Dr. Richard Kimble’s escape sets off the rising action. The conflict emerges not just from him running, but from him actively investigating his own case while simultaneously being hunted by U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard. Each step Kimble takes to find the one-armed man creates a new complication, alerting Gerard’s team to his whereabouts and escalating the manhunt. The tension builds relentlessly, scene by scene, until the final confrontation.