Tricking The Audience/Twists

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  • Tricking The Audience/Twists

    Hey Guys got a question hopefully ya'll can help me out with, hope this makes sense:

    Ok, so I KILL a character midway through my script, actually I'm thinking now it breaks into Act 2 (ala Save The Cat, R.I.P. Blake Snyder), when it happens it is shocking and violent. But, I'm thinking of bringing her back at the end through a few quick flashes of expository shots of what you didn't see at the time, then it becomes obvious and everybody goes "Ohhhh Genuis, genuis, applaud, applaud!" So my question is has this been done?

    I'm really torn on this, because this script has a few twists at the end already (I'd say one BIG one, and 2 smaller ones) and then I throw that in there... How many twists are too many if they are all supported by the story and believable?

    For the record I'm not looking for it to be M. Night Shamaylan-ish, so if you guys frown upon twists let me know! Thanks!

  • #2
    Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

    Check out Wild Things. They play the scenes that were "missing" during the credits, and there were more than a couple of twists in that flick.

    Maybe some David Mamet flicks: House of Games, Homicide, and The Spanish Prisoner to name some of the better ones.

    I can't speak for all audience members (though I sometimes try), but I don't mind twists and turns if they've been earned, and not as some deus ex machina.

    ...and God help you if you use voice-over in your work, my friend. God help you.

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    • #3
      Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

      A twist is really just a reveal of information that has always been there. No explaining required.

      - Bill
      Free Script Tips:
      http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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      • #4
        Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

        Originally posted by wcmartell View Post
        A twist is really just a reveal of information that has always been there. No explaining required.

        - Bill
        Stop it Bill. You're too clever. But that's right. A twist is a shift in consciousness that you planned for.

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        • #5
          Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

          State of Play had too many twists for me. Check it out and see if it works for you.

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          • #6
            Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

            Twists done well, no one will frown on. Doesn't matter how many. Done poorly or for the wrong reasons...one is to many.
            If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base.
            Dave Barry

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            • #7
              Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

              Originally posted by haroldhecuba View Post
              Check out Wild Things. They play the scenes that were "missing" during the credits, and there were more than a couple of twists in that flick.
              Neve Campbell?
              God damn, that film was atrocious!
              I can't comment on the "missing" parts because there were none shown during the end credits on the British rental I saw... many moons ago, but yes, I'd advise anyone to watch this in order to understand how not to try to be clever and making things all twisty and turny.
              Cufk, Tish, Sips.

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              • #8
                Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

                I think it's ok to trick the audience as long as the clues were there. I hate it when there's a twist and there was no way to see it coming...no hints, nothing. Makes me feel stupid.

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                • #9
                  Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

                  Originally posted by Writer1 View Post
                  I think it's ok to trick the audience as long as the clues were there. I hate it when there's a twist and there was no way to see it coming...no hints, nothing. Makes me feel stupid.
                  This was how I was going to answer this. Twisty tricks that come out of nowhere with nothing that makes you go "oh ya, of course!" just make it look like the writer didn't know how else to pull it off.
                  My first crack at a logline usually makes a great synopsis!

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                  • #10
                    Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

                    Originally posted by S.T.0 View Post
                    ...But, I'm thinking of bringing her back at the end through a few quick flashes of expository shots of what you didn't see at the time, then it becomes obvious and everybody goes "Ohhhh Genuis, genuis, applaud, applaud!" So my question is has this been done?

                    I'm really torn on this, because this script has a few twists at the end already (I'd say one BIG one, and 2 smaller ones) and then I throw that in there... How many twists are too many if they are all supported by the story and believable?
                    One of my favorite movies that employs this kind of technique is "The Last of Sheila"(1973). Had more twists than barbed wire and used flashbacks in the way you describe. Fantastic script by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins. It was popular then and apparently holds up today (if you look at the IMDB rating and reviews). Bear in mind that it was all done in fun.

                    Great cast, too. Check it out!
                    "THIMK." - Amomynous

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                    • #11
                      Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

                      Hitchcock used a lot of twists, but it was the characters that were kept in the dark and the audience had to piece it all together as it was playing. That led to his famous ability to create suspense, which I find even more compelling than when I'm left in the dark along with the characters or even more in the dark than the characters. I always find it gratifying when I know more than the characters not less because I'm waiting to see how a character is going to react once they know what I know.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

                        Originally posted by Writer1 View Post
                        I think it's ok to trick the audience as long as the clues were there. I hate it when there's a twist and there was no way to see it coming...no hints, nothing. Makes me feel stupid.
                        Yeah, there was that Halle Berry/Bruce Willis movie where the movie just lied to you the whole way through. And then the twist was supposed to be shocking. Nope. Just extremely annoying. The film-makers cheated and lied. Totally different than the twist in THE SIXTH SENSE.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

                          Thanks for all the responses and advice. I'm going to check out "State Of Play" and am intrigued by "The Last of Sheila".

                          I think as my outline goes (so far) I throw little hints here and there for people to not feel cheated. For instance, it appears as if a character dies, but earlier in the story the protaganist says "I wont let anything ever happen to you", and he mentions he was a medic for a time in Vietnam, so when she ends up alive at the end - readers will hopefully remember those tidbits of info.

                          I don't know if I should show a flashback or not. I could just as easily let her die and not bring her back, and play out the ending as tragic. Decisions, decisions....

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                          • #14
                            Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

                            Tired, here, thoguht your user name was S.T.D. for a moment and nearly sh*t my pants.
                            Cufk, Tish, Sips.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Tricking The Audience/Twists

                              POSSIBLE SPOILER FOR UPCOMING MOVIE*

                              I often wonder when a "twist" is not a twist? Having read Denis Lehane's "Shutter Island" the twist was readily apparent from about a third in. It'll be interesting to see how Scorsese deals with this. Will he abandon the notion of a twist altogether or perhaps add greater twists?


                              *I have neglected to mention the title of the upcoming movie in the spoiler warning because, I don't know if you're like me, but once I hear a movie has a "twist," my mind tries to work out what it is. I guessed THE CRYING GAME based upon seeing a TV clip featuring Jay Davidson having known in advance there was a twist....
                              @MacBullitt

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