The snake charmer’s trick

Temporarily neutralizing narrative tension with a “charm” that lulls the opponent allows for the creation of an emotional rhythm akin to breathing. This technique avoids numbing the audience by alternating moments of danger and relaxation, ultimately heightening the sense of threat.

Why charm a snake?

The snake, as we imagine it, is a dangerous, unpredictable, and vigilant animal with a hostile intent. Thanks to the charmer’s music, the snake becomes like a harmless puppet. Then, once the charm wears off, it reverts to its true nature.

In storytelling, the snake charmer’s trick involves creating a temporary bubble in which opponents are neutralized. Opponents are the elements that work against the desired outcome the audience hopes for in the story. For example, a villain, a murderer who seeks the death of the character with whom the audience identifies and hopes will become the president of a country. The opponent isn’t necessarily a human; it could be a cloud, a car, or anything that poses a danger.

The snake charmer’s trick involves placing this opponent in a specific situation tied to a charm—a piece of music, a loved one, a place from their childhood, etc. The charm causes this dangerous character to become harmless for its duration. This trick is a very useful tool for reducing tension and fear, providing a necessary breather within the heart of the tension.

How to charm a snake?

It’s often mistakenly believed that the more tension there is in a film, the more attentive the audience will be. Of course, tension, like any negative emotion, carries its own dark allure. But if it’s too one-dimensional or continuous, it will gradually numb the audience, forcing them to desensitize themselves to endure the film. As a result, the screenplay will need to keep ramping up the intensity. This is evident in some films where, at a certain point, the effects pile up, and the audience disengages, no longer believing in the story.

The great advantage of the snake charmer’s trick is introducing relaxation precisely at the moment of greatest danger. Once the charm ends, the danger regains even greater sharpness. This creates a lively emotional rhythm, like a breath alternating between moments of a blocked diaphragm and deep breathing. During the charm, the breath is deep and serene; we relax, recharge our energy, and prepare to fully experience and resonate with the tension to come.