I'll tell you a secret. The last act makes a film. Wow them in the end, and you got a hit. You can have flaws, problems, but wow them in the end, and you've got a hit. Find an ending, but don't cheat, and don't you dare bring in a deus ex machina. Your characters must change, and the change must come from them. Do that, and you'll be fine.McKee is talking about the climax of the film. And he's right. But as a filmmaker, creating a solid story that ends strong involves not just creative writing, but proper casting and direction of actors, working with a knowledgeable crew and wardrobe and set design and a skilled editor...and on and on. All aspects of the film must come into some sort of collaborative synergy.
This includes the title sequence and closing credits. Closing credits? Good end credits obviously can't save a bad film. However, a well-made film with a solid story can certainly be enhanced with creative closing credits. They will extend the tone and mood of the film's finale and keep the audience basking in a feeling of satisfaction and completion from the story.
We're starting this new series of blog posts that will take a closer look at cinematic closing credits and how certain films are able to continue the "wow" through to the very end.
How is this done? In a variety of creative ways, from dynamic visuals and interesting story lines to humorous outtakes. But above all, appropriately chosen music is key--music that, again, extends the tone and mood of the film's finale. When people leave the theater, the closing credits should seal the emotional connection the audience had to the story, not disrupt it.
