A 90-minute masterclass from the screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3.
In his hour-and-a-half instruction on how to write an “insanely great” ending, screenwriter Michael Arndt tells us that “a good story often has three sets of stakes: external, internal, and philosophical“:
To illustrate this, he examines Star Wars (1977)…
… as well as The Graduate (1967)…
… and even his own work on Little Miss Sunshine (2006):
Michael adds that understanding the third stake, the philosophical, can help you choose a setting for the climax which is exciting, emotional, and meaningful – as he puts is, The Worst Place In The World of the story you’re telling:
Further Viewing
More from Michael Arndt – a one-hour lecture on lessons learned while writing Toy Story 3:
Another approach for structuring your screenplay is the beat sheet:
With your screenplay structured, it’s time to ensure it’s formatted correctly: