How to End a Movie with an Epilogue — 8 Techniques Behind the Best Film Endings
What is an Epilogue in Fil.moe">Film — a screenwriter’s guide on how to end a movie, including the various types of epilogues in film and how the best movie endings use them.
What is an Epilogue? ►► https://cheat.work/wi-ep
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Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to the Epilogue
00:52 – Epilogue Definition & History
03:27 – Epilogue Types & Functions
08:24 – Creative Epilogues in Film
11:02 – Takeaways
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WHAT IS AN EPILOGUE IN FILM
The epilogue is a literary device that acts almost like a second ending. It is a bit of information that brings further closure to the story, twists it with irony, or even opens it up for a sequel. But not every screenplay needs an epilogue — in fact, most writers agree that if you can wrap everything up without an epilogue, do it. In this video, we’re going to define the epilogue and dive into some of the forms it can take in a film, including text, voice-over, montage, or a final scene.
The term epilogue comes from Greek ‘epi’ meaning “additional” and ‘logos’ meaning “speech,” translating to “additional speech.” It’s the final word the author leaves with the audience. In Greek theater, this would be delivered by the chorus; in Shakespearean times, a character from the play might address the crowd directly with some concluding bit of commentary. In literature, epilogues are final chapters, usually to provide some insight into the story from a different perspective or from events that take place after the main story has ended.
HOW TO WRITE AN EPILOGUE
In film endings, the epilogue serves the same functions, but there are a variety of ways this can be done. The quickest and most common form of epilogue in film is adding on-screen text that details what happens next. For biopics and documentaries, this text epilogues can give the audience information about where the characters are now.
Another similar type of epilogue is to use voice-over instead of text. For example, in Apollo 13, Capt. Lovell explains what caused the accident for the lunar astronauts and where each of the main characters ended up — most of whom never went to space again.
A montage is another great option for how to end a movie with an epilogue. This is something Pixar does all the time. Toy Story 3 ends with a montage of how Sunnyside Day Care has become a more welcoming place and how Bonnie’s new toys are bonding with her old toys. In WALL-E, a montage shows us how the returned passengers are able to restore life to Earth.
One final way filmmakers use the epilogue is just one final scene. Often this takes place at some point in the future, where a final moment brings new context or irony to the story. At the end of the Harry Potter series, we jump forward 19 years to show the main characters sending their own children off to Hogwarts for the first time to bring the story full circle.
As Shakespeare once advised, a good story doesn’t need an epilogue, but good stories might also benefit from having one. Some of the best film endings don’t need an epilogue so as you wrap up your next script, consider whether an epilogue would either help or hurt your story.
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“Skip to the End” – The Futureheads
“Quantum IV” – Makeup and Vanity Set
“Outlandish d’Amour” –
“Wait for Me” – Vangelis
“Cornfield Chase” – Hans Zimmer
“Susanne” – Weezer
“Hurry Gurdy Man” – Donovan
“Carbon Dioxide” – James Horner
“Re-Entry Splashdown” – James Horner
“We Belong Together” – Randy Newman
“Down to Earth” – Peter Gabriel
“Beyond the Sea” – Bobby Darin
“Danke Schoen” – Wayne Newton
“Vespertilio” – Hans Zimmer
“Doc Returns” – Alan Silvestri
“Salome” – Makeup and Vanity Set
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