Progression isn't just random; every event must force the next one to happen. This link is what creates real tension and drives the plot forward.
Tool 1: But; Therefore
Imagine a student plays games all night instead of studying (initial cause); therefore they oversleep and miss their big final exam. **But** because they missed it, they rush to the professor’s office to beg for a retake; **but** getting there, they find a note saying the professor has resigned; **therefore**, the student now has to hunt down the dean to save their semester.
> In this, there is no "and then." Instead, we use "but" or "therefore."

Tool 2: The Protagonist’s Burning Objective
For a screenplay to progress, the main character's goal cannot be a casual interest—it must be a **burning objective**. If the protagonist isn't sweating to achieve a goal, the audience is sleeping. This tool provides the "why" behind every scene.
Weak Goal:Looking for a job.
Burning Objective:Finding one million Naira by midnight to save their family home.
  Every scene must move them closer to that money or push them further away.*

Tool 3: High Stakes as a Catalyst
High stakes are the "heat" that makes causality feel necessary rather than optional. If the consequences of failure are low, the protagonist can simply walk away, and the story stops. The stakes must make your character keep moving forward.

Tool 4: The Action-Reaction Chain
Think of this tool as one thing leading to another, where Character "A" causes Character "B" to react. An action happens, the character reacts, and that reaction creates a brand new action. It has to link; if you remove one link, the whole story falls apart. It is just like table tennis.
 Tool 5: The Point of No Return
At this point, the character cannot (or should not) go back. This could be the end of the character’s world. This is where causality becomes absolutely irreversible for the protagonist (often called the midpoint). Every action the character takes now is a direct consequence of the actions they made earlier.
> Example: In *The Wizard of Oz*, when Dorothy steps her foot onto the Yellow Brick Road, that serves as her point of no return.
> 
Mastering the Craft
By mastering these five tools*The But/Therefore Rule, Burning Objectives, High Stakes, Action-Reaction Chains, and The Point of No Return**you create a screenplay that keeps your audience glued to the screen.
As you look at your current draft, do not ask if your scenes simply follow each other. Instead, ask yourself:
Does my story move forward because of my character's choices and their consequences?
Or are they just passengers on a train of “and thens”
If you can't justify the "Therefore," you haven’t found your story yet.