Richard PattersonThere are many factors in telling a story, and one of the most crucial is keeping the audience’s attention. One of these is when the story leaves little clues to build a possible conclusion. Generally, as a storyteller, you don’t want your audience to predict the ending before it happens. As a result, some creators of long ongoing series employ the tactic of subverting expectations to avoid spoilers. So, let’s look at some examples of plot subversions in specific contexts.
Studio Interceptions
During a show or movie production, many people, from the actors we see on screen to the creatives behind the camera, assistants, hair, makeup, and film crew. Unfortunately, leaks can occur when many people are involved in a project. Despite pages upon pages of NDAs and confidentiality agreements, information on production risks leaks and revealing important plot twists to potential viewers. Regardless of being leaked maliciously or by mistake, details still result in the studio having to do damage control, typically by covering the leak or altering the production.
An example is during the production of Transformers Dark of the Moon and the hapless Amazon error. Before the film was released, Amazon released the novel version for pre-order; unfortunately, a listing error let people read the last pages. This leak spoiled multiple plot points and several twists in the story. The Amazon leak frustrated not only Paramount but also director Michael Bay. Although Amazon resolved the error, the production had to make multiple last-minute changes, including drastically changing the ending. It is a truly riveting story; if you want to learn more about this case study, I recommend the video Theorymus: How One Leak Changed Transformers 3’s Ending.
Subversions of Expectations: “Just Because!”
In some cases, the creator of a show or movie, hoping to create something incredibly captivating and unpredictable, throws curve balls. They enjoy the notoriety of making an end project that keeps viewers on their toes. As an audience, we typically love twists and turns that keep us guessing what could happen next. Many creators can subvert expectations with great results, while others would often leave the audience confused.
Conclusion
Having investigated the business and creative factors, what is this takeaway? Surprises, done out of necessity to keep the film’s integrity or for pleasure, happen for different reasons. Regardless, it keeps the audience interested in the story and potentially discusses it after its release. Instead, it focuses on being memorable, if it’s a pleasant narrative surprise or a confusing twist. With that said, discuss some of your favorite Subversions of Expectations, and leave the spoiler tag up.
Works Cited
“How One Leak Changed Transformers 3’s Ending.” YouTube, 2 May 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdeAExtmSV0. Accessed 19 August 2024.
“The Twist Villain: Thoughts & Problems on a Common Trope.” Rami Ungar The Writer, 23 July 2017, https://ramiungarthewriter.com/2017/07/23/the-twist-villain-thoughts-problems-on-a-common-trope/. Accessed 19 August 2024.