In Episode 13 of Frequently Made Mistakes, we tackle one of the biggest traps in modern action filmmaking: confusing scale for stakes. Explosions get bigger. The threat goes global. But the emotional cost never changes. Using examples from Tiger 3, Casino Royale, Mission Impossible: Fallout, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, this episode breaks down why raising scale does not automatically raise stakes — and how it often dilutes drama instead. We look at:
The difference between scale and stakes, why protecting your hero kills tension, how validation replaces drama in franchises, why action only works when success hurts
