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

CRAFTING THE TWIST ENDING

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...

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Broader idea, DARK CITY, ROBOCOP, Theme, TOY STORY -

ON THEME

ON THEME

If the hook/A-story gives us the “what the movie is about,” theme is “what the movie is about besides the plot.” It’s the exploration of a broader idea. This broader idea is the thematic statement. The thematic statement is to theme what the logline is to the A-story; a concise summation that solidifies what the story is trying to “do,” and acts as a guide through both the writing of the script and the shooting of the movie. Not every script needs to be driven by a theme. There is room in the world for kiss-kiss-bang-bang popcorn. But cinema is...

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Denouement, FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, Franchise, STAR WARS, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, THE LORD OF THE RINGS -

DENOUEMENT FOR A POTENTIAL FRANCHISE

DENOUEMENT FOR A POTENTIAL FRANCHISE

Last week, we talked about the elements that make for a strong denouement. Now let’s get super laser specific and discuss the kind of denouement that best helps a project shape itself toward a potential franchise. To clarify: “franchise” is the term the industry uses for an intellectual property (including a film) that can be taken to other projects beyond itself: more films (sequels, prequels, remakes, etc.), TV series, video games, novels and graphic novels, and so on. The current industry is strongly focused on projects that have franchise potential. This is because a movie by itself represents a massive...

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ALIEN, BASIC INSTINCT, CARRIE, Denouement, SPIDER-MAN 2, THE RING -

Denouement

Denouement

The denouement is the final beat in three-act structure. It is the last scene or sequence in the story. The denouement is incredibly important. Because: the denouement is the last opportunity for the film to communicate with the audience before credits roll. It can determine how the audience feels as they leave the theater, and how they perceive the film as a whole. If the denouement lands with a wrong or sour note, the audience comes away with the movie dwelling on their freshest memory: of that wrong or sour choice. But if we end well, we send the audience...

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darket hour, Hero's Journey, Joseph Campbell, rock bottom, THE MATRIX, TRADING PLACES -

Plot Point Two

Plot Point Two

The common wisdom is plot point two is our “darkest hour.” That is: On or around ppg 70-75, our protagonist fails, hits rock bottom, is defeated, is betrayed, his failures come to the fore, his allies abandon him or vice versa. In many cases, the protagonist “dies,” figuratively or even literally. For example, Joseph Campbell is big on protagonist death in the Hero’s Journey, and we see a perfect example of it with Neo in THE MATRIX. The question becomes: How to craft the best possible version of this vital plot beat? And the answer is often to be found...

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