10 Things Filmmakers Need To Stop Doing Immediately
1. Freeze Framing The Last Shot
This bizarre trait of pausing on the last shot and fading to black has been present in perfectly good films that should know better, such as Brooklyn and The Lives of Others. Not only do freeze frame endings give the impression that not enough footage was shot to make a satisfactory cut or fade to credits, ending the film in this way is, without exception, always super cheesy.
The cheese level may be because most freeze frame endings are of a smiley-faced triumphant protagonist - sometimes even mid-celebratory jump or with their fist raised ecstatically in the air - but it is doubtful that it would work whatever the chosen frame might be. A sombre-faced freeze frame would have a similar cringe-worthy effect on the poor audience.
The only time this has ever worked is because it was making fun of the technique. In an alternate (and original) ending for Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Ben Stiller’s evil Globo Gym win the game against Vince Vaughn’s wholesome Average Joe’s and it freeze frames on the bad guys’ triumphant faces.
The obvious corny nature of this trait was clearly flipped to be used for comedy purposes here. For any other reason, please don’t; it is gross.