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BASIC INSTINCT, BLADE RUNNER, inevitable surprise, plot twist, SEVEN, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE SIXTH SENSE, TOTAL RECALL - February 09, 2022

CRAFTING THE TWIST ENDING

A plot twist at the end is always fun. And when it comes to the thriller genre, a twist ending is almost a requirement. However, I have read a lot of thriller scripts that lack the end twist. Or: the writer is aware of the need for a twist, but simply dumps it on the page without crafting the story toward it; the twist is just a thing that happens, empty non sequitur. Instead of “Ah-ha!” it’s “Er… huh?” The best way to get a twist ending to land is to craft it around what is called “inevitable surprise.” That...

When To Pack It In: Rejection in Screenwriting (The Answer is Never)

If you truly believe your script is great, and you have objective reasons to think that opinion is credible, there is no reason to ever give up on it. The crucial point here is that the reasoning behind the belief must be at least somewhat validated in reality. In other words, if this is the first script you’ve ever written, and everyone who reads it hates it, that might not be the hill to die on. But if you’ve gotten objective third-party reads that have been enthusiastic, and you’ve spent years polishing your craft, and in your heart of hearts...

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