Development of Drama

Conflict:
- Having conflict is essential in drama, whether it be a short film or a full film involved with drama.

External conflict:
- This can be the weather, or even if an alien invasion were to happen. Or even super heroes fighting, they are both each others external conflict.
- Encounters between protagonist who has a dramatic need in the scene and an antagonist, who opposes that need in the scene.
- When things come to a head the editor will often rely on the editorial technique of shot-reverse-shot to move back and forth between the two characters.
- Showing the audience a character in close-up will immerse the viewer in the burgeoning emotion in that character; at the same time, the viewer will be anticipating the reaction of the off-screen agent in the exchange. 


Withholding information:
- Audiences enjoy suspense in all its various forms. They like to be teased and challenged.
- Withholding a character's identity at a key moment challenges an audience to make intelligent guesses.
- Cutting away from a scene (for example cross cutting to another scene) invites the audience to imagine how the action in the first scene might be continuing. 

Internal conflict:
- When the protagonist is involved in a battle with himself or herself [feeling two opposing needs] internal conflict arises.
- The editor may favour close coverage to capture this internal struggle.
- Shots will be selected which focus on eyes and mouth to show feelings of discomfort/ unease/ tension or on other bodily parts such as hands, feet to show signs of strain and tension, in the hope that the viewer will vicariously feel the same struggle.