Meaningful Endings

The purpose of every great story should be to present an audience with something meaningful, some greater reason for the events that unfold. With that in mind, the key to solid story structure is making sure that every moment leads to an ending that supports this greater purpose. The articles in this series outline the different ways a screenwriter can successfully fulfill this responsibility.

1. How to End a Movie

Screenplays that strive to be about something more than explosions and attractive personalities must come to a conclusion with one of four meaningful endings. No matter how subtle or obvious the storytelling may be, every single complete story told will either be a Triumph, a Personal Triumph, a Personal Tragedy, or a Tragedy. In this first of a series of articles, Hollywood’s favorite — the Triumph — is examined.

2. How to Write a Tragedy

The tragic story, while a downer for any audience, carries with it significant meaning. Authors who wish to write stories that tell of both personal and extra-personal destruction can do so through the use of a tragic story structure. The key is understanding that this destruction comes as a result of failing to resolve the story’s major problems.

3. Writing the Personal Triumph

Screenwriters looking to write films that are a bit more complex and subtle in their approach, would do well to understand the mechanics behind the “bittersweet” ending. Juxtaposing success or failure in the main storyline with the emotional fulfillment (or lack thereof) of the Main Character leads to more complex, more true-to-life storytelling. When looking at the “sweet” half of bittersweet endings, the message is clear: sometimes losing can be the best thing.

4. Writing the Personal Tragedy

When it comes to crafting a screenplay that is both bittersweet and meaningful, many screenwriters turn to the “bitter” half of such stories — the Personal Tragedy. While not as overwhelmingly depressing as the classic Shakespearean Tragedy, this kind of story seeks to create conflicting emotions within the hearts and minds of an unsuspecting audience. Sometimes winning can be ruinous for a character.

5. Of Tragedies and Triumphs

Concluding article on the power of meaningful endings in stories. The meaningful ending is the purpose of every great screenplay or novel. It is the essence of what the author is trying to say and the thing audiences remember most long after the curtain has fallen.