Stakes
Also called high stakes, raising the stakes
Stakes are what a character stands to gain or lose in a scene, and they set how much urgency and tension an actor needs to bring to it.
Asking what is at risk if the character fails helps an actor respond when a director asks them to raise the stakes.
In use
The scene feels flat, so find what she loses if he says no and raise the stakes.
Last updated 4 Oct 2026
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