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Happy Ghost Blog

How to Write "Jeopardy Shots"

1/15/2025

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In filmmaking, the term "jeopardy shot" typically refers to a shot that emphasizes danger, tension, or high stakes within a scene. It’s often used to visually communicate that a character is in peril, or a situation is about to take a turn for the worse. 

In writing, the "jeopardy shot" concept translates to heightening stakes and tension in a scene that makes the reader feel the character’s danger, urgency, or emotional turmoil. 

Instead of using a camera, you achieve this with word choice, pacing, perspective, and sensory details. A "jeopardy shot" in writing is about immersing the reader in a moment of high stakes, making them feel the tension rather than just telling them it exists. 
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Ways to Apply a "Jeopardy Shot" in Writing:
  1. Close point of view and internal monologue
    • Zoom in on what the character is feeling—heart pounding, breath quickening, sweat dripping.
    • Show their internal conflict, doubts, or racing thoughts.
    • Example: She gripped the doorknob, her pulse thrumming in her ears. On the other side, silence. Too much silence.

  2. Sentence structure and pacing
    • Use short, punchy sentences for urgency.
    • Slow down with detailed description to build suspense.
    • Example: A shadow moved. Then another. She wasn’t alone.

  3. Foreshadowing and sensory detail
    • Describe sounds, textures, and smells that hint at danger before the character fully realizes it.
    • Example: The floorboards groaned beneath her. The air was thick, stale. Had someone been here… waiting?

  4. Dramatic irony and perspective
    • Let the reader know something the character doesn’t, increasing tension.
    • Example: He stepped forward, unaware of the figure lurking behind the curtain.

  5. Scene framing (literary "camera work")
    • Describe the setting in a way that makes the character feel small or threatened.
    • Use metaphors and similes to emphasize danger.
    • Example: The alley yawned before her, swallowing the last of the streetlights. Shadows stretched like grasping hands.
 

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