In my script there is a scenario where these kidnappers have a hostage, and want to negotiate. A negotiator arranges to meet them in a public place. The negotiator wants revenge on them, cause they killed his loved one before in the script, and setting up this whole negotiation, was a way to get them to meet him for his plan to work.
However, I showed the script to some others into filmmaking, and they said that I should write it so that the audience does not know that the guy wanting revenge, and the negotiator, they are going to meet are the same person. I already wrote it so that the audience is aware, but they say I should rewrite it so they do not for the next draft.
This is the climax, and if I write it this way, it will be a surprise they say. However, I really don't think it will be. You know how when you go to the movies with your friends, and they can spot a surprise coming a mile away, especially if it's predictable. If the protagonist has a revenge motive against the antagonist, then you can bet a that any off screen character the antagonist has arranged to meet in the climax, is going to be the protagonist. It's just you can see the twist coming a while away, cause it wasn't intended to be a surprise in the first place.
So it is it worth making a twist, if it's already predictable? Is predictable always bad? For example, when you watch a movie like Fracture (2007) for example, they made it very clear who the villain was right in the opening of the movie. They never said let's make the audience think he is innocent till later. The reason being is because you would predict that he is the villain anyway. Perhaps I could throw in some misdirection but not sure if that would be enough cause the audience may just assume that it's misdirection.
So the question is, when it comes to the next rewrite, is it worth creating a surprise twist, out of something the audience would probably see coming, if it was kept from them? Or are twists only worth having if they are unpredictable cause you cannot see the character's motive for it to happen?
However, I showed the script to some others into filmmaking, and they said that I should write it so that the audience does not know that the guy wanting revenge, and the negotiator, they are going to meet are the same person. I already wrote it so that the audience is aware, but they say I should rewrite it so they do not for the next draft.
This is the climax, and if I write it this way, it will be a surprise they say. However, I really don't think it will be. You know how when you go to the movies with your friends, and they can spot a surprise coming a mile away, especially if it's predictable. If the protagonist has a revenge motive against the antagonist, then you can bet a that any off screen character the antagonist has arranged to meet in the climax, is going to be the protagonist. It's just you can see the twist coming a while away, cause it wasn't intended to be a surprise in the first place.
So it is it worth making a twist, if it's already predictable? Is predictable always bad? For example, when you watch a movie like Fracture (2007) for example, they made it very clear who the villain was right in the opening of the movie. They never said let's make the audience think he is innocent till later. The reason being is because you would predict that he is the villain anyway. Perhaps I could throw in some misdirection but not sure if that would be enough cause the audience may just assume that it's misdirection.
So the question is, when it comes to the next rewrite, is it worth creating a surprise twist, out of something the audience would probably see coming, if it was kept from them? Or are twists only worth having if they are unpredictable cause you cannot see the character's motive for it to happen?