Screenwriting Lessons [Part 4]: Michael Arndt
A series featuring insights from the Little Miss Sunshine screenwriter.
Over the years, I have featured screenwriter Michael Arndt numerous times. Two reasons. First, he is a terrific writer whose movie credits include Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Toy Story 3 (2010), and Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens. Second, evidently he has spent a good deal of time reflecting about the craft of screenwriting witness his 2009 appearance at the late, great Cody’s Bookstore in Berkeley, California:
Back in 2012, I ran a 5-part series of screenwriting lessons based on what Michael Arndt says and writes. Seeing as I’m deep into teaching a Pixar: Craft of Screenwriting class, I thought it would be worthwhile to revisit that series.
Here is Part 4 which delves more deeply into the subject of story endings.
The Internet is amazing. And when you have someone like Arndt — who went to film school at NYU, worked as a script reader, and has evolved into a great screenwriter — someone who has put considerable thought into the craft and has given public presentations with his ideas, it’s possible to find that content online.
Which leads me to this: “ENDINGS: The Good, the Bad, the Insanely Great.” Arndt has a comprehensive presentation on this subject. I don’t want to steal his thunder, but Arndt has hit on something so sound [in my view], it deserves as wide a format as possible. So today I’m going to touch on some highlights of his presentation.
Arndt contends movies are so much about the last 10 minutes, that is where the meaning of the story is revealed in its fullest.
An insanely great ending includes these dynamics:
• Euphoria
• Emotional release
• Sense of clarity
• “New Eyes” on the world
• Life is actually pretty great
Bad Ending: Positive but… Predictable
Good Ending: Positive and… Surprising
Insanely Great Ending: Positive, Surprising and… Meaningful
Meaning = Emotion
Meaningful Emotion = Insanely Great
This makes me very happy. My principle is Theme = Meaning. And specifically emotional meaning.
So how do insanely great endings work?
How does it work?
What is at stake?
What will be gained or lost?
The Stakes
• Internal (emotional)
• External
• Philosophical
This also makes me happy because for years, I have broken down a screenplay universe into two aspects: External World [Plotline], Internal World [Themeline]. Both of those interweave to create an Existential Question to the Protagonist: Who am I?
External Stakes
• Life / Survival
• Money
• Contest
• Position / Status
• Any Achievable Goal
Internal (emotional) Stakes
• Romantic Love
• Parent / Child Love
• Friendship
• Self Respect
Philosophical Stakes
• Community over Individual
(Casablanca, Star Wars)
• Individual over Community
(Catch 22, The Graduate)
• Ideal vs. Self
(Little Miss Sunshine)
Arndt’s presentation conveys a lot more on the subject, but again I don’t want to steal his thunder. However there is some obvious takeaway even from the minimal amount of content I have presented:
- Endings are hugely important to the success of a screenplay.
- Stories have multiple layers of dynamics at work [External, Internal, Philosophical].
- A story’s emotional meaning is critical to how it is received.
If you search online, you may be lucky enough to find a PDF or even a video of Arndt’s “Insanely Great Endings” presentation. Short of that, check out these links:
For Part 1 of the series on Michael Arndt, go here.
Part 2, go here.
Part 3, go here.
