The Strategic Art of Starting a Film With the Final Scene

Nerdstalgic takes a deep dive into the strategic art of starting a film with the final scene, noting how the knowledge of how the film resolves changes the way the audience views the narrative as a whole. It give the audience sense of belonging and allows them to feel further involved in the process.

Starting a story at the end and working towards that moment is nothing new, especially in Hollywood….This can be a powerful tool in the right hands. Immersing the audience in the story immediately and having them along for the ride with the main characters.

Examples of films that start at the end are Memento, Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, and of course, Citizen Kane.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.