How to Write a Short Film in 7 Easy Steps

Summary

The video script emphasizes the importance of understanding genre in screenwriting, as it shapes the narrative structure and character development. It argues that a well-defined main character is the backbone of any story, influencing all elements from supporting characters to plot beats. The script advocates for a tight, structured approach to writing shorts, with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and encourages filmmakers to keep their stories concise and engaging to maintain audience interest.

Takeaways

• 📜 Understanding genre is crucial for writing a compelling short film; each genre has its own specific requirements and conventions.
• 🎬 The success of a film often hinges on the writer's grasp of genre, as demonstrated by Christopher Nolan's use of exposition influenced by film noir.
• 💡 Character development is key in screenwriting; the main character not only drives the story but also shapes it, making 'character equals story' a fundamental principle.
• 🌟 Great stories can be found in everyday life, and the art of writing lies in transforming these inspirations into a well-structured screenplay.
• 📈 Structure your screenplay with a clear beginning, middle, and end, where each phase contributes to the progression and development of the story.
• 🎥 Start with a strong character concept, as the protagonist's desires and flaws will inform the narrative and create a consistent, engaging story.
• 🔄 Use 'story beats' to maintain a tight pace and keep the audience engaged, ensuring that there is a meaningful event or twist roughly every minute.
• 🧩 Supporting characters should reflect or contrast with the main character, highlighting themes and ideas central to the story.
• 🎞 The resolution of the short film can vary; it can offer closure, leave the audience in suspense, or end abruptly, depending on the desired effect and genre.
• ⏱️ Consider the length of your short film carefully, as brevity can enhance impact and audience retention, especially in festival settings.

Q & A

What is the key to creating a compelling short film?

The key to creating a compelling short film is understanding the genre and having a well-structured script with emotional layers that resonate with the audience.

Why is genre important in screenwriting?

Genre is important in screenwriting because it sets the expectations for the audience. Each genre has its own conventions, and understanding these helps in crafting a story that meets the audience's expectations.

What are some common genres in film?

Common genres in film include horror, thriller, romance, drama, comedy, and action. There are also sub-genres, such as film noir, which is a sub-genre of thrillers.

How can a writer avoid creating a script that is episodic in nature?

A writer can avoid creating an episodic script by ensuring that each scene or event is connected and drives the story forward. Using 'butt' and 'therefore' logic helps in creating a structured narrative with purposeful progression.

What is the significance of character development in a screenplay?

Character development is significant because the main character not only drives the story but also forms it. The character's actions, motivations, and conflicts are central to the narrative, making character等同于story (character equals story).

How does a writer decide on the length of their short film?

A writer should decide on the length of their short film before starting to write. It's recommended to make the short as short as possible, keeping it tightly paced to maintain audience engagement.

What is the role of supporting characters in a screenplay?

Supporting characters in a screenplay serve to support the depiction of the main character. They represent ideas, emotions, and personalities that conflict with or emphasize the main character's journey and the story's themes.

How does a writer maintain structure in their screenplay?

A writer maintains structure in their screenplay by dividing the story into three phases: beginning (setup), middle (development of action), and end (climax). Each phase should progress logically and contribute to the overall narrative.

What is the importance of story beats in a screenplay?

Story beats are important as they represent changes or twists in the story. They help keep the narrative engaging by ensuring that something significant happens or changes roughly every minute, contributing to a tightly paced and captivating story.

How can a writer ensure their short film is well-received by film festivals?

A writer can ensure their short film is well-received by film festivals by keeping the length concise, maintaining a tight pace, and crafting a unique story that adheres to the chosen genre's conventions while adding a personal touch.

What are some ways to resolve a short film's story?

A short film's story can be resolved in various ways depending on the genre and the creative choice of the writer. It can end with a satisfying conclusion where the hero learns and changes, or it can end with a shock or cliffhanger that leaves the audience in suspense.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Understanding Genre in Screenwriting

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of genre in screenwriting. It explains that professional screenwriters have a deep understanding of genre, which sets them apart from amateurs. The speaker shares their journey from being raw in screenwriting to learning about the significance of genre. They discuss the different types of genres and sub-genres, such as horror, thriller, romance, comedy, action, and film noir, and how each genre has its own unique way of storytelling. The speaker also highlights the common pitfalls of new writers due to a lack of genre understanding, which can lead to focusing on the wrong elements in their scripts. The paragraph concludes by stressing the importance of knowing your audience's expectations based on the genre.

05:01

🌟 Character Development and Storytelling

The focus of this paragraph is on the relationship between character and story. It asserts that character equals story, meaning the main character drives and forms the narrative. The speaker challenges the common belief that screenplay elements should be treated equally, arguing that character development should take precedence. They use the story of Pinocchio as an example to illustrate how the main character's traits and desires shape the story. The paragraph also addresses the common mistake of prioritizing plot over character, which can result in a disjointed and unengaging narrative. The speaker encourages writers to focus on creating a well-defined main character to ensure a consistent and compelling story.

10:03

📈 Structuring Your Screenplay

This paragraph delves into the structure of screenplays, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured narrative. The speaker breaks down the screenplay into three phases: the beginning (setup), the middle (development of action), and the end (climax). They discuss how the length and focus of each phase should be tailored to the genre and the overall length of the film. The speaker also shares their personal approach to structuring a short film, highlighting the need for a tight pace and frequent story beats to keep the audience engaged. They advise filmmakers to decide on the total length of their short film before writing and to avoid making their films too long, as this can lead to a loss of audience interest.

15:04

👥 Supporting Characters and Their Role

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the role of supporting characters in a screenplay. They explain that supporting characters should not be seen as separate entities but as elements that reflect or contrast with the main character. The speaker uses the example of a bullied character and their bullying boss to illustrate how the supporting character embodies traits that are in opposition to the main character's. They emphasize that every aspect of the story, including supporting characters, story beats, locations, props, and dialogue, should derive from the main character. This approach helps writers stay on track and avoid losing focus during the development process.

20:06

🎞️ Resolving the Story and Creative Choices

The final paragraph explores the various ways a short film's story can be resolved. The speaker discusses how the resolution depends on the genre and the filmmaker's creative choices. They mention that some shorts may have a satisfying ending where the hero learns and changes, often seen in dramas, while others might end with a shock or cliffhanger, leaving the audience in suspense. The speaker uses the example of the short horror film 'Lights Out' to illustrate the effectiveness of an unresolved ending in maintaining a disturbing atmosphere. They conclude by emphasizing that the resolution should align with the genre and the unique stamp the filmmaker wants to place on their work.

Keywords

💡Script

The script is the written text that serves as the basis for a short film. It outlines the story, characters, dialogue, and actions that will take place in the film. In the context of the video, the script is crucial for creating a compelling narrative that can impress investors and win awards.

💡Genre

Genre refers to the category or type of film, such as horror, thriller, romance, comedy, or action. Each genre has its own conventions, expectations, and methods of storytelling. Understanding the genre is essential for a screenwriter to meet the audience's expectations and deliver a satisfying experience.

💡Character

A character in a screenplay is a person represented in the story, with their own personality, traits, and motivations. The main character, or protagonist, is central to the story and drives the narrative forward. Characters are essential in conveying the theme and emotional layers of the screenplay.

💡Structure

Structure refers to the organization and arrangement of the scenes and events in a screenplay. It typically follows a three-act structure: beginning (setup), middle (confrontation), and end (resolution). A well-structured script ensures a clear and engaging narrative that keeps the audience interested.

💡Exposition

Exposition is the part of a film where characters explain the plot to the audience, often through dialogue. While it can be seen as bad writing if done unnaturally, it is a necessary element in some genres, like film noir, to convey information efficiently.

💡Sub-genre

A sub-genre is a more specific category within a broader genre. It combines elements of the main genre with unique characteristics or themes. Sub-genres allow for more nuanced storytelling and cater to specific audience interests.

💡Story Idea

A story idea is the initial concept or premise that forms the basis for a narrative. It can be inspired by various sources, such as personal experiences, news articles, or other stories. The challenge for a writer is to develop this idea into a fully fleshed-out screenplay.

💡Protagonist

The protagonist, also known as the hero, is the main character around whom the story revolves. They typically have a goal or need that drives the narrative and undergoes a transformation or change throughout the story.

💡Supporting Characters

Supporting characters are secondary figures in a screenplay that help to develop the story and the main character. They reflect or contrast with the protagonist's traits and values, contributing to the narrative's themes and conflicts.

💡Story Beats

Story beats are the significant events or turning points in a narrative that propel the story forward. They create a sense of movement and maintain the audience's interest by providing changes or developments in the plot.

💡Resolution

Resolution refers to the conclusion or ending of a story where conflicts are addressed, and the protagonist's journey reaches a climax. The resolution can be open-ended, leaving some questions unanswered, or it can provide a sense of closure and satisfaction for the audience.

Highlights

The foundation of any short film is the script.

Understanding genre is crucial for a professional screenwriter.

Each genre is written differently and has its own structure and character development.

Studying movies within a genre can provide insights into what's expected from a screenplay within that genre.

Christopher Nolan's use of exposition in his films can be traced back to his understanding and love for film noir.

The genre of a film informs the audience's expectations and is essential for a successful story.

Great stories can be found all around us, from life experiences, news articles, and stories from friends.

Character equals story; the main character drives and forms the narrative.

The character's flaws and desires should be central to the story's progression.

Screenplays are structured into three phases: beginning, middle, and end.

Good structure helps in writing a screenplay and keeping it tightly paced.

Story beats, or changes in the story, should happen roughly every minute to keep the audience engaged.

Supporting characters should reflect or conflict with the main character, emphasizing the story's themes.

The resolution of the short story depends on the genre and the filmmaker's creative choice.

Some shorts leave the audience in suspense, which can be more effective than a clear resolution.

Deciding on the total length of the short film before writing can help maintain a tight pace and avoid bloating.

Using 'butt' and 'therefore' can help create a structured and engaging story beat.

Avoid episodic storytelling; ensure each event drives the story and creates structure.

Transcripts

the basis of any short film is the

script and in this video i'm going to

tell you what i've learned

about how to write a compelling short

film with the potential to

win awards and impress investors

the first short i ever wrote with no

knowledge of screenplay writing

was picked up by a tv company in the uk

but back then i was still raw in the

meantime i've learned

so much about screenwriting things that

will save you

time and help you create a perfect

structure

and add the necessary emotional layers

to your screenplays

[Music]

one of the biggest differences between a

professional screenwriter and an

amateur is an understanding of genre

other tutorials on how to write a

screenplay will give you a set of tips

to follow as if

every genre requires the same a set up

three-dimensional characters and so on

in fact a lot of screenwriting books do

this too

they talk as if every movie has the same

level of character development and the

same kind of structure

but if you study movies you'll find each

genre is written

in a different way and one of the

biggest failings of the new writer

is a lack of understanding of genre

the genre of a film is basically just

the

type of film it is the big genres are

horror thriller romance drama comedy and

action

but there are also sub-genres a film

noir

is a sub-genre of the thriller genre and

a film like blade runner

is a science fiction noir so that means

it has elements of science fiction

but also contains many elements of those

old

film noirs made in the 1940s and 50s

so the writers of the screenplay

absolutely understood their noir genre

as well as science fiction

horror films can also be divided into

sub

genres so your script is going to change

depending on the genre

and subgenre for example a slasher

horror film does not need

complex multi-layered characters but a

mystery horror film

like rosemary's baby for example does

when i first started writing i really

had no clue about genre so i just wrote

what i thought was an interesting story

the problem is if you don't know your

genre you can put a ton of time

and effort into the wrong things fans of

slasher horror films probably don't want

to sit through an

hour of slowly building tension like in

rosemary's baby

after 10 minutes with no shocks or gore

they might just

stop watching your movie but if you

watch a dozen slasher horror movies

before you start writing one you'll get

a good idea of what's expected

did you ever wonder why christopher

nolan films

have so much exposition in them

exposition

is when characters in a film explain the

plot

for the benefit of the audience it can

come across

as bad writing if done in a way which

feels unnatural

screenwriting manuals will often tell

you to avoid exposition

as much as possible and yet one of the

most successful filmmakers

ever does it all the time did you know

christopher nolan

is a fan of film noir did you also know

one common element of film noir

is characters explaining the plot

remember i'll do all the talking

so perhaps we can make a guess that

nolan's love of

film noir led him to see exposition

as an attractive storytelling method

film noise

used exposition because it was cheaper

and quicker

to have a character tell everyone what

happened than to film it in fact the

whole genre of noir came out of budget

restrictions

filmmakers had to think of innovative

ways to tell their story without so many

sets

without hundreds of extras and truck

loads of equipment

my point is you can pretty much trace

nolan's huge success back to his

understanding of genre because

film noir has informed all his movies

since

reinterpreted in his unique way we can't

say what's wrong or right about a story

unless we lay down the genre rules

without those rules

specific to each style of movie how can

we know what an audience

expects without referring to genre we're

basically saying we don't

care what our audience wants and that is

a very egotistical way of creating a

story

and one that is perhaps doomed to fail

why is genre so important well think of

your own movie going experiences

if you go to see a comedy you're

expecting to laugh

that is basically your number one demand

for this movie

multi-layered emotional character arcs

perfect story structure

are really secondary needs if you go to

see a romance

you're obviously expecting something

romantic to happen in the story

you're expecting the characters to act

in a romantic way you're expecting the

majority of the movie to be about the

theme of love

on the other hand if you go to see an

action movie you don't give a darn about

the romantic element you want to see

epic action sequences acted out by tough

characters

and if you go to see a drama now you

want those multi-dimensional characters

with layered emotional character arcs

and this is true of short films as much

as it is

of long form films

once you've chosen your genre you can

now think about your

story idea of course you may do this the

other way around you might think of a

story idea

and then consider which genre it fits

into

for example you might have an idea

involving a crime

like a bank robbery this might lend

itself to the thriller genre or the film

noir

thriller sub-genre that depends on how

you want to tell it

by combining your story idea with a

genre you define

what is required in the screenplay for

example

is the film drive an action movie a

romance a thriller

or a film noir thriller well probably a

little bit of each

the director nicholas finding reffen is

really

an art house director which is why he

was able to make what is quite an

unusual film but on release a number of

viewers complained the film did not

deliver

what they were expecting because the

film was sold

as an action car chase movie but turned

out to be something

a bit weirder than that how do we find

ideas for stories the first thing to

understand is that

everything is a story this video is a

story

what you did today is a story why you

are watching my video is a story

but i i get it how do you find that

unique

one in a million idea that everyone will

think is awesome

and make me a successful filmmaker i

hear you ask

that was the mistake i made when i

started writing

i thought an idea had to be mind-blowing

or there was no point in telling it but

this way of thinking can result in

rather artificial or gimmicky stories

with experience i've learned that great

stories are all around us

from our own life experience from news

articles

from stories friends tell us and so on

the challenge

here is to turn those inspirations into

a short script

so what is the common element of all the

stories no matter

what genre

if you understand one thing understand

that character

equals story the main character

sometimes known as the

hero or protagonist not only drives your

story

but also forms it but what do i mean

character equals story many guides on

how to write a screenplay will tell you

character is an element amongst other

elements but what i

say is character is everything not just

an element

therefore by forming the character you

are

forming the screenplay let's take the

example of the story pinocchio

pinocchio is the main character from the

children's novel the adventures of

pinocchio

written in 1883. pinocchio is a wooden

puppet who wants to be

human the problem is that he frequently

tells lies

and when he does so his nose grows

longer

now even if for some reason you've never

encountered the story of pinocchio

either from the book or the 1940s disney

film

or later versions i'm sure your mind is

conjuring up

all kinds of scenarios to do with a

puppet becoming

human and lying and nose is growing the

adventures experienced by pinocchio

generally stem from a naive puppet

wanting to become a human boy and his

major flaw

of lying in other words the character

pinocchio

forms the story called pinocchio or in

the case of the book

it's called the adventures of pinocchio

what happens when character doesn't

equal story

so let's say you want to write a science

fiction story about a new drug

which makes people superhuman after

taking it

so you start to get ideas for this drug

and what it could do

you start to imagine scenes and start

putting these scenes together

at some point in this process a main

character forms

but only because you know a film has to

have a main character

problem is you're not too interested in

this main character but you know

he or she has to be there to experience

these scenes you came up with

basically you invent a main character to

hang your series of scenes on

but they could be anyone really what

happens is that the main character in

this script often feels like a victim of

circumstance

things out of their control are just

happening to them for no apparent reason

or the character is somehow inconsistent

it doesn't feel like they're driving the

story

rather the story is kind of driving them

and that's because in fact the writer

has made

the drug the main character

now let's go back to the start and try

again

this time you have an idea for a science

fiction story about a new drug which

makes people superhuman

but instead of writing a bunch of scenes

about the drug you stop

and you think about the character what

kind of character would be most

attracted to this drug

perhaps a guy who was bullied all his

childhood

and is still bullied now as an adult by

his boss

his wife his so-called friends basically

he's a wimp okay this story is already

sounding

a little old-fashioned but it's fine for

this example

the point is this is a guy who would do

anything to get his hands on this drug

perhaps so now we have a rough idea of

our main character

does this guy invent the drug or is he

recruited

as a willing guinea pig well that's up

to you the storyteller to decide what's

important

is the character is consistent and that

the characters

actions drive the story

what does your hero want when we refer

to the hero of a story

we really mean the main character or

protagonist

it's often good for the hero to have an

exterior need

which somehow satisfies an interior need

for example our hero has to beat his

boss in a charity boxing match

this will show everyone he's not the

wimp they all think he is

more specifically to meet his inner need

he wants to show his bullying father a

man who has always been hypocritical of

him

but the boss is a fitness freak who

works out at the gym twice a day while

our hero

is all intellect and little muscle but

with the aid of this new drug he becomes

a hulking superhero

easily capable of winning the match now

do you see how using character brings

depth

and consistency to your story but what

about structure

[Music]

oscar-winning screenwriter william

goldman said

screenplays are structure the full quote

goes something like screenplays are

structure and that's

all they are the quality of writing

which is crucial in almost

every other form of literature is not

what makes a screenplay work

structure isn't anything else but

telling the story

starting as late as possible starting

each

scene as late as possible now that's a

great tip

but for now think in terms of beginning

middle and

end so you have your genre you have your

idea and you have a main character who

somehow

reflects or connects with that idea the

next step

is to think about what might happen for

the duration of the story

good structure is not only part of a

good screenplay it also helps you write

a screenplay

so you can think of your story as three

phases

the beginning is the setup or

introduction to the story

how you write this depends a lot on the

genre of the screenplay

you might want to spend time

establishing your main character

or you might just want to get quickly to

the main action

how long this section is will depend on

the whole length of your film

if you're making a two minute short you

probably don't want to spend

90 seconds on the beginning silent i is

a series of five short films i created

you can watch them via amazon prime or

patreon

episode 1 you have been chosen is about

an

indecisive woman who downloads an app

which promises to make

better decisions for her as the whole

script needed to be about 10 pages

i gave myself two pages for the

beginning phase

and in those two pages i showed how

indecisive and how

unhappy the main character is and this

motivates her to download

the decider app

the middle of your script would normally

form the biggest portion of the script

as a whole

this phase is where the action develops

and builds

towards the end this is where you can

explore the ideas

the drama and the conflicts of the story

we often start this phase when something

new and unusual happens to the character

in you have been chosen the hero is sent

an invitation to download the decider

app

her decision to download it changes the

course of her life

completely and that's the kind of event

you would think about putting at the

start of this section

now we follow her journey in this middle

section

as she allows the app to make her life

decisions in this middle section

everything gets better and better for

her as she does

everything the app says even when the

app appears to be making bad decisions

the app is eventually

proved right the middle section doesn't

just go in a straight line

it develops the hero gets more entangled

in the consequences of their action

taken at the start of this phase and i

believe

you will create a stronger script here

if the stakes

get higher and higher the further the

middle section progresses

[Music]

the end is the climax of the story the

point at which

everything that has gone before comes to

a moment

where a final confrontation can no

longer be avoided

like the beginning this phase is usually

somewhat shorter than the middle

in you have been chosen the hero is

instructed to do something she would

never have contemplated doing at the

start of the story

but the raising of the stakes during the

middle section

now leaves her with a fatal decision

lose

everything the app has given her or

commit a terrible deed

which is it to be and in the screenplay

for this short

this end section arrives at page nine

of a ten page script so you can see that

it really is quite a short portion of

the script

as a whole now

this short is a science fiction thriller

so

a dark disturbing and murderous ending

is appropriate but if you're short as a

romance

it's more likely to be the lover's last

chance to profess

their undying love for each other if

it's a drama

the climax will often relate to the

hero's inner demons

in an action movie the hero will need to

defeat whatever evil force is trying to

take over the world

or something like that if you know your

genre well you will have a better idea

of how your short should progress

during the beginning middle and end

phases of the story

the originality of your work will come

from the imaginative way

you approach the genre and place your

unique

stamp on it part of your structure

decision is

deciding how long to make your short now

everyone works differently

but i personally recommend deciding how

long your short will be

in total before you start writing and

make your short

as short as you can i'm a festival

director as well as a filmmaker and one

of the most

common reasons for a film to miss out on

selection over another film

is length ask any other festival

director and they will say the same

filmmakers have made a good film but

they weren't ruthless enough when

writing or editing a common fatal

mistake by new writers is to start

writing with no thought to the structure

their scripts and resulting short films

are often

bloated and the pace drags but

by deciding on the total length of your

script first

this will help you to keep your short

tightly paced

once i've decided a length for my shorts

i write a story beat for each page of

the script

a story beat is when something happens

or changes

like it's some kind of twist to the

story and this means something is

changing in the story roughly every

minute and this helps to keep people

watching

this makes your script into a page

turning script

and when it gets made into a movie it's

gonna

be more likely that your audience will

stay engaged

of course you can write a 30 minute

short consisting of one scene of

dialogue between two characters if you

want

as long as you're aware that you'll have

to work extra hard to keep your

audience's attention

avoid your story going this happens and

then this happens and then this happens

these kinds of stories are what's known

as episodic

in other words there's no twists

something happens and then something

else happens

just a series of events instead try to

make

each story beat a butt or a therefore

like this bill is a nerdy wimp who turns

down a challenge by his muscled boss

to a charity boxing match but bill reads

about a pill

which gives you super powers therefore

bill orders some of these pills and now

accepts the challenge

but just before the match bill's wife

finds the pills

and throws them down the toilet do you

see how using these two words

helps you to give your story structure

the twists and turns of your story

are the story beats you hang your whole

screenplay on

however if you used the word then

instead you could write

anything like this for example bill is a

nerdy wimp who turns down a challenge by

his muscle boss to a charity boxing

match

then bill goes out to lunch with his

friend then bill goes home and watches

tv

then bill mows the lawn you see all

these events are unrelated

they don't drive the story they don't

create any structure and they lead to an

aimless wandering plot that people will

soon get tired of watching

[Music]

so i've talked a lot about the hero of

this story and how their character

is the story other characters in the

story

the supporting characters are just that

they support

the hero character or the main character

now i don't mean they are kind and

caring characters

looking after the hero far from it

although that

might be one type of character what i

mean

is they support the depiction of the

main character

in a sense they are facets or

reflections of the hero

they are there to represent ideas

emotions personalities that conflict

with or emphasize the idea of the story

for example that idea i just had about

the wimp who takes a superhero pill to

beat his muscle-bound bullying boss in

the boxing match

the boss character is in some ways the

direct opposite of the hero

he represents perhaps what the hero

wishes he could be

so you see the boss is not just a

randomly generated supporting character

he is defined by the hero and

all your supporting characters should in

some way

derive from the hero too and this is why

i say

the main character is the story

because they define literally everything

in the story

supporting characters story beats

locations

props dialogue everything and once you

understand this and apply it to your

story you'll save yourself a huge amount

of time

then all you need to do is create the

main character

and the rest grows from that and it

helps you

stay on track because one danger in

screenwriting

is to get lost in the development

process if something isn't right

we make changes but this has a domino

effect on the rest of the script

and it's very easy to lose track of what

you originally wanted to do

your script can then mutate into

something completely different

as a writer your mind gets tired and you

can't tell anymore what is right or

wrong

so you show it to some friends but they

all have different ideas of what you

should do

and now you're more confused than ever

but by letting everything grow from the

main character

i find i never get lost in this way when

i'm writing

because i simply refer back to the main

character

as long as any changes i make are true

to that character

then there's a good chance they will be

productive changes

if you get your main character right he

or she

is then the anchor which holds the rest

in place

how your short story resolves is up to

you

some shorts have a satisfying ending

where the hero learns and changes

this is especially true in dramas but

take the short horror film lights out

which was such a

huge hit on youtube it was made into a

feature film

this short is the model of brevity

there's almost

no setup at all and the film ends with a

shock which

doesn't resolve anything it rather

leaves you in a state of suspense

we don't know what happens to the hero

at the end and so we can only

imagine what might have happened and of

course leaving the audience in suspense

like that

is much more disturbing than having a

final battle or some kind of

resolution even having the hero killed

at the end would probably be

less disturbing than leaving us

wandering so again

how you resolve your story depends a lot

on the genre of the film

but it's also a creative choice do you

want to leave the story open-ended or do

you want the story to end in a more

finalized way which is usually more

comforting for the audience

or maybe it just suddenly stops without

warning