What: Making what is at risk grow as the story advances, so each victory raises the cost.
Why: Constant stakes bore; escalating them pulls the viewer toward a point-of-no-return climax.
How: After each beat, ask: how does the danger grow larger and nearer? And spread escalation across axes (personal, relational, external).
Common mistake: Repeating the same danger at the same size, so the story feels like it circles.
Exercise: Write three beats where your story's stakes escalate, each costlier than the last.