Drama = desire colliding with an obstacle
The essence of drama is conflict: what the hero wants collides head-on with the obstacle in the way. With no obstacle, the hero gets what he wants right away and there's no story — 'he wanted water, he got it' isn't drama.
Obstacles come from three sources: an opponent (a villain or rival with goals who fights back), the environment (a storm, a dead end, a time limit), and the inner self (fear, a flaw, a dilemma). The best stories have all three — especially a strong opponent.
Stakes: what's lost if he fails
Obstacles alone aren't enough — you also need stakes: 'what's lost if he fails.' The bigger, more concrete, and more personal the stakes, the more tense the audience. Each time you raise the stakes, the drama tightens.
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Why is it said that 'without conflict there's no drama'?
答案：Because drama is desire colliding with an obstacle; with no obstacle the hero just gets his wish and there's no story
Drama = conflict. The hero's desire must collide with an obstacle to create tension and story.
To make the hero greater and the story better, what's often most effective?
答案：Give him a strong, smart opponent who jabs at his weak spots
The stronger the opponent, the more it forces the hero to his limit; a strong adversary is half of a good story.
True or false: the grander the stakes the better — 'save the whole universe' is definitely more gripping than 'get my daughter back.'
答案：False
Concrete, personal stakes (saving the daughter) often grip the audience more than abstract grand ones (saving the universe).