the watch of time

How many experiences have we had over the years which have been lessened, if not spoiled, by a disappointing ending?

You go to the grocery store, find what you want at prices which are tolerable, and then leave the store discouraged because of an intolerable delay or problem at the cash.

You go on a trip, and find out that your luggage has been damaged or lost, or if driving you’re involved in an accident on the way home.

You attend or watch a sporting event, only to have your team lose in the last minute.

You attend a major family function, to have its memory undercut by a relative’s boorish behaviour.

You go to a much awaited movie, then find the ending frustrating or baffling.

Indeed, what these situations have in common is that the payoff for a savoured, lengthy buildup can be a balloon-bursting letdown.

A couple of lessons from effective writing can help ensure our efforts at communication, at least, will result in more positive results and feedback, whether in person or via modern media.

Moreover, the film-based arts, and experiencing them, can definitely benefit (Source for following: Screenwriting U articles).

First of all, the structure of the presentation needs to be as cohesive and plot-moving as possible.  In a recent interview with the screenwriter of the current, much-acclaimed film The Revenant, Mark L. Smith stated that it took about fifteen drafts to come up with the final version.  Re-tooling and revising, in recognition of evolving conditions, are pivotal requirements in maximizing a connecting communication.

Secondly, if you ask many people about what the ending is supposed to do, you’ll likely hear the words “wrap it up.”  Without a doubt, that is a very basic requirement.  However, remember that the last pages of a script become the last memory of one’s story.  They become the last memory of whatever comprises one’s audience.  And if done well, they propel the event completion to success.

When you get to the last pages of the story, the whole purpose of that activity is to create a great ending, as by: looking to the meaning of the story (how can it be expressed in the newly arrived at “status quo”), looking at the setups (where are they directed at the end), or looking at lead characters (how can they find a “fitting end”).  Extracting a memorable “wrap up” translates to a rewarding ending.

Often, we can’t control an ending we face.  To the extent that we can, we should make the input count.