Story Resolution in Screenwriting: An Examination
Ending a story arc can be a challenging task for screenwriters, but it's an essential part of crafting a compelling narrative. Here are some common mistakes to avoid and strategies to employ when crafting a powerful resolution for your screenplay.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Rushing the ending: Take your time to ensure the resolution is well thought out and impactful.
- Undeserved outcomes: Characters should earn their outcomes through their actions and growth.
- Incompletely resolving character arcs: Ensure all character arcs are resolved, showing growth or transformation.
- Overexplaining: Let the resolution speak for itself, avoiding unnecessary exposition.
- Confusing ambiguity with depth: Ambiguity should be intentional and serve the story, not leave the audience confused.
Strategies for a Powerful Resolution
A powerful resolution should:
- Address the aftermath practically and emotionally: Focus on the fallout of the climax, both physically and emotionally. Show how the climax affects the characters and the broader world.
- Ensure clear resolution of conflict and stakes: The resolution should tie up central conflicts in a way that reflects changes in characters and circumstances, highlighting growth or transformation.
- Connect resolution to theme: A powerful resolution aligns with the story’s underlying themes, making the ending not only plot-appropriate but thought-provoking.
- Use setups and payoffs: Plan the resolution through earlier setups to increase its impact. When the resolution references or fulfills earlier promises or mysteries, the story feels cohesive and rewarding.
- Craft emotional resonance: Even if the resolution doesn’t end on a happy note, it should evoke strong emotions and provoke reflection.
- Maintain narrative structure: The resolution functions as the final part of the story arc, smoothing the transition from climax to closure and ensuring pacing feels deliberate rather than rushed or abrupt.
Building Toward a Stronger Resolution
- Use beat sheets to build toward a stronger resolution in your story.
- Consider your resolution as a mirror to the beginning of your story, asking yourself: What has changed? What has stayed the same? What does it all mean?
- Take the time to consider character arcs, theme, conflict, and tone when writing endings that feel earned.
Determining if Your Resolution Works
Ask yourself several questions to determine if your resolution works:
- Does my resolution resolve the core conflict?
- Does my resolution reflect the character's growth or failure?
- Does it align with your story's tone and theme?
- Will it make your audience feel something?
If the answer is yes to all these questions, you're on the right track! Seek feedback from trusted friends or fellow writers to see what they think from an audience perspective.
Examples of Powerful Resolutions
- Whiplash (2014) features a thrilling yet bittersweet ending, as protagonist Andrew earns the approval of his abusive mentor at a great cost.
- The resolution in The Shawshank Redemption (1994) is emotionally fulfilling, as Red finds freedom and hope by joining Andy on a beach after years of imprisonment.
- In Her (2013), the protagonist lets go of his AI lover and reconnects with humanity, honoring the film’s emotional journey.
- Breaking Bad (2008-2013) concludes with Walter White dying on his own terms, surrounded by the consequences of his choices, as a good man turned villain undone by pride.
The author of this article, Natasha Stares, is a UK-based freelance screenwriter and script editor with a love for sci-fi. To plan, write, and revise your story with purpose, visit our website to bring your story to a satisfying close.
- To create a screenplay with a compelling home-and-garden lifestyle, consider focusing on the practical and emotional aftermath of the climax in the resolution, just as a screenwriter might do in crafting a powerful screenwriting narrative.
- A successful screenplay, much like an engaging home-and-garden media piece, should aim to connect the resolution to the underlying themes, ensuring it is both plot-appropriate and thought-provoking, reflecting the growth or transformation of characters.
