# DZ-114: Climaxes in CHALLENGERS

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/draft-zero-a-screenwriting-podcast-770577/dz-114-climaxes-in-challengers
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/draft-zero-a-screenwriting-podcast-770577/dz-114-climaxes-in-challengers.md
Podcast: [Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/draft-zero-a-screenwriting-podcast-770577)
Published: 2024-11-29T00:38:00+00:00
Episode link: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-114/
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/a5d55b49/e7d59bbf.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/draft-zero-a-screenwriting-podcast-770577/episodes/dz-114-climaxes-in-challengers
Duration seconds: 4646

## Resource

Listen to understand how withholding resolution can become your story's greatest statement. While Stu is on show, Mel and Chas sit down to analyse the meaning behind the ending of 2024's CHALLENGERS, especially when - upon reading the script - the most impactful moment of the ending on screen (for Chas in particular) is not written on the page. Following on from episodes on Filmmakers Talking Directly To The Audience as well as previous explorations into Choices and Decisions (and hopefully serving as a prelude to our episode on Hero's Choice - aka DZ-119), Mel and Chas explore the choices the characters make in that final moment, what happens when filmmakers obscure character motivation, and ultimately how that final moment in CHALLENGERS impacts theme. This conversation ends up being a deep exploration of what is the experience on the audience (and its impact on the perceived theme) when a story cuts out at the climax without further resolution. This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription! As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— "It's nice that the climax of the movie is actually at the end of the movie like to me the movie climaxes at the point where it cuts to black which is awesome yeah." — Chas Fisher @ 00:13:10 ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:24 – Breaking down the ending of Challengers 00:14:51 – Can one action line change everything? 00:39:41 – This episode is brought to you by Arc Studio Pro 00:42:29 – Gi…

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## Transcript

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