The end literally justifies the means and just as a lot of good movies can be undone by a weak or contrived conclusion, a great ending can elevate a mediocre movie. After all, it’s not called a climax for nothing. Your goal as writer is to ensure everyone craves a cigarette after experiencing your movie. It’s your duty. Rising to that challenge, however, is not an easy endeavour, therefor I’ve listed some quality ways to end your script should you find you’ve written yourself into a corner or you’re bored of writing.
1. The Dream Ending
The sudden yet satisfying twist “it was all a dream” is one of the great, classic ways to end a story. It not only frees you up to go nuts with your writing but to go out on a limb, stark raving mad nuts should you wish. So chuck in that break-dancing midget you love so much, or add that moment where everyone sets each other on fire. With ‘The Dream Ending’ all can be explained away in a simple and elegant shot of your protagonist waking up. It’s the perfect closer to any story. You’ve seen it done before, so do what the pros do.
2. The Just Kill Everyone Ending
This is probably the most fun ending to write. You get all your characters together in a room, easily explained with a montage of characters opening invitations and talking on telephones and then outfit each character with a machine gun. The rest writes itself. In the ensuing orgy of shootouts the audience will be so overwhelmed with excitement you’ll earn enough goodwill to end the movie right then and there. But don’t forget it’s also possible to add humour to and ending of this type with a hilarious walk-on character, i.e. an old lady or monkey, shooting a bazooka. A guaranteed winner every time, so lock and load.
3. The Cut-to-Credits Ending
This ending is the easiest of all to accomplish and works a treat. It’s deliberately confusing, thus delivers the much loved “talked about ending”. Having your audience exit the cinema wondering what the fuck just happened is a great way to build buzz, too. The trick to achieving such a masterstroke is simple: don’t write anything. Or if you already have — simply delete the last few pages of your script. If this cuts off a character mid-sentence then all the better! Endings that tie everything up in a nice bow pander to conventions. Don’t do that. Audiences hate it. Allow the audience to draw their own conclusions by stopping the story without an ending! Audiences love these endings. It makes them feel super smart, so do it!
4. The Twist Ending
Everyone loves a good twist and the great thing with these endings is you don’t see them coming which frees you up to let your imagination run wild. Nothing is off-limits with a twist ending. You can reveal characters never existed, nor did the movie itself. Nothing need add up with a twist ending. Take The Usual Suspects for instance — the big twist in that was that the whole movie was a complete load of bollocks concocted by Kevin Spacey and a coffee mug. There was no story at all and everyone thinks it’s a great movie even though THERE WAS NO STORY AT ALL. Just a reveal. You too can do this and be regarded as an Oscar winning genius.
5. The Joke Ending
This turns your story into an elaborate set-up for a punchline, and it’s a strategy that can work great. Alas, don’t fret if you can’t think of a funny button, a simple sight gag could be all you need. Have someone slip on a banana peel or get so angry their head explodes. The possibilities are endless (pun intended). However, if you really want to knock ‘em for six, kick a character in the balls. Preferably a male character. It never fails to amuse and if executed with panache you’ll have yourself an ending worthy of Capra.
6. The Voice-Over Ending
With this style of closure all you need is Morgan Freeman and a page and a half of poetic narration for a heart rendering resolution. For example:
……………………………..MORGAN FREEMAN (V.O.)
In the end, Jack never found the gun and decided to move on with his life and he hooked up with this chick called Mags or something I dunno, and they had a bunch of kids and shit and he named one after the dude he knew on page 12, and yeah that’s how it ends. Or does it? Haha. Just kidding. Thanks for watching. Peace.
It might also prove helpful to include text on screen so an audience can read what is being said. All in all this style ending will turn any script into The Shawshank Redemption, no matter the genre.
7. The Sequel Set-Up Ending
If you so happen to use any of the endings suggested here, you are beholden to include the sequel set-up ending. These days it is a prerequisite of a satisfying end. If by any chance you have killed all your main characters or revealed it all to be a dream, or a story told by a coffee mug, the sequel set-up ending is your double twist and by applying it you’ll have people cheering and punching the air. If the main bad guy is dead, a simple shot of him opening his eyes is all you need. If your lead wakes up at the end revealing it was a dream all you do is have them wake up again and show they were dreaming they were dreaming. Pure poetry. And with a lovely tune play us out — by, say, Snap or Yazz — you’re home free.
So now you know what to do, go do it . . . and don’t mention my name.
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