What Is Falling Action?

Nothing feels better than getting to the end of your screenplay. It means all your hard work is about to pay off. You only have a few pages left, and your story is coming in for a landing.

Writing your screenplay’s ending is hard. But if you follow the falling action, you can strategize how to space out the beats to make it most effective.

But what is the falling action? And how do writers use it to inform the endings of their screenplays?

Let’s dive in.

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Falling Action Definition

The falling action is the part of the screenplay that comes after the climax. It’s when the main conflict has been resolved, and the story begins to wind down.

It carries us to the very end of the screenplay, right as you type, “fade out.”

What is the Purpose of Falling Action? 

There’s so much energy at the end of your screenplay. You have gone on an emotional journey and everything has paid off.

When it comes time to write the falling action, you’re there to reduce tension and to tie up any loose ends. The falling action allows the audience (or reader) to breathe and process what just happened as well as make sure every question asked has been answered.

It’s also an opportunity to showcase the consequences of the climax and how the characters are affected by it.

Did they survive? Fall in love? Get married? Defeat evil?

The falling action leads us to the final scene or resolution of the story where we can leave the audience feeling satisfied by the ending or yank the rug out from under them one last time.

Here are a few ways you can achieve all of this:

• Character Arcs: How do the characters react to the events of the climax? Are they changed? Grieving? Celebrating?
• Catharsis: This is your chance to leave the audience with a strong emotional takeaway. What do you want them to feel as the story concludes?
• Pacing: The falling action shouldn’t drag on, but it also shouldn’t rush the ending. Find a pace that feels natural and satisfying.

Examples of Falling Action in Movies

In order to understand the idea of falling action in movies, I thought we should look at some examples from films across history.

1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

• Climax: Andy Dufresne escapes from prison after decades of wrongful imprisonment.
• Falling Action:
  • Red, Andy’s friend, is finally paroled and struggles to adjust to life outside. He decides to break parole and go to Mexico to find Andy.
  • The film concludes with their reunion on a beach in Zihuatanejo.
• Why it works: The falling action provides closure for Red’s arc, showing his redemption and his willingness to take a risk for friendship. It also shows a satisfying look at freedom.

2. Titanic (1997)

• Climax: The Titanic sinks, and Jack sacrifices himself to save Rose.
• Falling Action:
  • Rose finishes her story years later as an old woman. Then, that night, she throws the “Heart of the Ocean” necklace into the sea, symbolizing letting go of the past. And lies down to die.
• Why it works: The falling action allows Rose to process her trauma and find peace in her journey of life. The ending provides a sense of closure and honors Jack’s memory, plus brings her to Jack in death.

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

• Climax: Frodo destroys the One Ring in Mount Doom, defeating Sauron.
• Falling Action:
  • The hobbits return to the Shire, but find it changed for Frodo. He still carries a wound that will never heal, So Frodo says goodbye to all of the other Hobbits and then sails to the Grey Havens.
• Why it works: The falling action shows the consequences of the war and the personal cost of the quest for Frodo. His departure is bittersweet, but it acknowledges the sacrifices he was willing to make for his friends and his world.

Summing Up Falling Action

Hopefully, this enlightens you on how you can make the last pages of your screenplay count. It should give you an insight into how to channel the catharsis and final character arcs into making your work stick out amongst the pack.

Let me know what you think in the comments.