Hi I'm writing a horror story + limited animation thing that has a twist ending. So, there's the type of twist where the audience finds out with the character, and the kind where the audience already knows and the characters are the ones that find out. There may be more, but which one is more impactful in a given circumstance? Also, some examples would be very appreciative too if y'all have some. I'm shooting for like a psychological-cosmic horror type of story that involves the characters losing their minds in the end.
#How to handle twist endings?
echo thistle
scarlet jetty
Plot twists are always exciting and great to watch, but it's very risky material. I don't know how experienced you are with screenwriting, so I'm not going to be the one lecturing you around like a student. I think when you're trying to write a big twist, you always have to be careful of why you're doing it. If the answer is precise and logical in terms of story flow and pace, then yes it may be a great story. But if the answer is to impress the audience or any shallow answer that isn't clear, then reconsidering it would be my advice for you. Hope this helps!
vocal mulch
Agree with @scarlet jetty here. The impact of twist endings are very subjective to the story - it should be built kind of around and towards that ending to give it impact. Because of this, its really difficult to say one is better than another, because it all depends on your story and execution - as well as intent.
Scriptnotes 647 talks about twist endings, referencing Agatha Christie (among others) and why her twist endings work. It’s a great little episode, I suggest giving it a listen.
You may already know this, but probably worth mentioning - a common mistake with twist endings is that it can’t throw away everything the viewers have seen so far for the sake of subverting expectation. This is why ending with a character just waking up from a dream doesn’t work - the viewer is going to think “well what was the point of all that then?” The twist ending should ideally tie everything up and explain the unexplained in a nice red bow, just like endings usually do - no exceptions for twist endings. Of course, I can’t speak for every story - you can have a twist ending that ends ambiguously, but it has to be synonymous with your intent/message.
An example that comes to mind is Martyrs. ||it ends with the woman about to give a speech on what comes after death, after all of life’s suffering and pain - something the movie has been building towards the whole time. However, in a twist, she says “keep doubting” and kills herself. Although ambiguous, its brilliant and WORKS because the message of the film is more or less “the wonder of life is not knowing”. Giving us an answer would defeat the whole purpose, and after searching for the answer throughout the whole runtime, it subverts expectations and results in a very powerful ending.||
Another example of a great twist ending is Interstellar. ||The twist ending being Cooper entering the black hole and realizing it was him hitting the bookshelf all along* This works because it doesn’t topple anything before it - instead, it pays off the unexplained and all that unresolved emotional buildup between Murph and Cooper is enhanced further once we realize what it all means.||
These are two very different twist endings, but both are brilliant and they both work - because it fits the laid out framework that came before it. It’s all subjective to the story - don’t throw everything away for it, but rather make the ending serve everything before it.
echo thistle
Plot twists are always exciting and great to watch, but it's very risky material...
Thanks I don't really have much experience. I just like creepypastas a lot bc I grew up with them, so I want to make something to emulate how they made me feel. Your answer makes a lot of sense so thank you.