“Raise The Stakes”

A common note given to an actor is that the stakes aren’t high enough. “Raise the stakes.”

How exactly do you do this?

Here’s a simple cheat…

Go back through the script and for every action, say to yourself, “I will die if I don’t get what I want.”

That could mean physically, emotionally, mentally, etc…But you will die if you don’t get what you want.

Boom. Stakes raised.