In Medias Res

Technique

Definition: In medias res (Latin: "in the middle of things") is a narrative technique where the story begins in the middle of the action rather than at the chronological beginning. The audience is dropped into an event already in progress and given context later through flashbacks, dialogue, or gradual revelation.

Understanding In Medias Res

In medias res exists because beginnings are boring. Or rather, beginnings are boring when they are all setup and no stakes. Opening with a character already in crisis — and making the audience work to understand how they got there — is inherently more engaging than a linear origin story. "Breaking Bad" opens with Walter White in his underwear driving an RV through the desert with bodies sliding around in the back. The audience has no idea what is happening, and they desperately want to know. "The Godfather" opens with a man begging for justice, not with Vito Corleone's childhood. Structurally, in medias res does not mean you skip the setup — you defer it. The audience gets the setup after they are already hooked.

Example in a Screenplay

EXT. HIGHWAY OVERPASS - NIGHT

Rain. A MAN hangs from the guardrail by one hand. Below,
thirty feet of nothing, then asphalt.

A WOMAN stands above him, holding his wrist.

                    MAN
          Let go.

                    WOMAN
          No.

                    MAN
          I said let go, Diane.

                    WOMAN
          Not until you tell me what
          happened to her.

SUPER: "Six Weeks Earlier"

(We are dropped into the climax. The rest of the film
explains how these two people ended up on this bridge.)

Common Mistakes

Opening in medias res with a scene that is confusing rather than intriguing — the audience needs enough context to care. Using a flash-forward opening that spoils the climax instead of creating anticipation. Dropping into the middle of the story but then telling it linearly from the beginning anyway, making the opening feel like a gimmick. Not earning the return to the in medias res moment when the timeline catches up.