What is Cosmic Irony? (2024)

• What is cosmic irony?
• How do you use cosmic irony in filmmaking?
• Notable examples of cosmic irony in a movie
• Important screenwriting tools and resources

If you’re a screenwriter, there are many life dramas you need to grasp in order to create nuanced scripts. After all, your material is what becomes the films and television series millions of people across the globe love. In screenwriting, there is a storytelling device called cosmic irony, which manipulates the story in a way that keeps the viewer interested and engaged in the plot.

A real-life example of this concept involves homeowners insurance, especially the section that describes “acts of God”. According to AARP, an act of God is “an accident or event resulting from natural causes without human intervention, and one that could not have been prevented by reasonable foresight or care”. Take a flood, an earthquake, or a lightning strike, for example. That said, certain things that happen to us are completely outside of our control and can instantly change the course of our lives.

Ahead, we’ll talk about how this plays in film. After reading this guide, you’ll understand cosmic irony and how using it can make you a stronger screenwriter.

What is cosmic irony?

First, let’s define cosmic, the root of which is cosmos (e.g., the universe, fate, a god, or some other higher power). Second, the definition of irony from the Oxford Dictionary is a state of affairs or an event seeming deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing or surprising as a result.

Cosmic irony is thus the idea that human fate is controlled by forces outside of human control. That may mean gods, the universe, or nature. To viewers, that control or change of events that occur in a story is strangely humorous or surprising.

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How do you use cosmic irony in filmmaking?

As viewers, we like to assess the story as we’re watching the film and make predictions about where the story might go next. This can give us a sense of self-satisfaction as we feel smarter than the average viewer. However, if we’re able to predict all the twists and turns of the plot, the story can get boring and we might lose interest in an entirely predictable storyline.

A talented screenwriter will incorporate an event of cosmic irony into the screenplay. In doing so, you send the story in a surprising direction that the viewer will never expect. If it hits viewers like a bolt of lightning and can keep them on the edge of their seats.

Cosmic irony is a plot twist that is highly bankable in the television and cinematic world. Think M. Night Shyamalan films or HBO series. They are the “water cooler” moments that lead to “spoiler alerts” and can help bond viewers who experience them. Yes, it’s a big deal! And being a screenwriter who can master cosmic irony can lead to a lucrative career.

Notable examples of cosmic irony in a movie

A striking example of cosmic irony that comes to mind is a scene in the first Alien film, a 1979 science-fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon. The action takes place entirely on a commercial spaceship at some unspecified time in the future.

The crew is forced to land on the moon to investigate an incapacitated ship, where a crew member encounters some kind of unidentified extraterrestrial eggs. Another crew member is attacked by an unidentified creature and dies, which is a terrible tragedy. But the crew determines that whatever attacked and killed him has died and was not brought back onto the ship.

But here’s where an instance of cosmic irony takes place that is so stunning and unexpected as to leave the viewer astounded: One of the crew members starts to fall ill. He seems to be having some gastrointestinal distress and the rest of the crew members gather around to help.

Suddenly and without warning, an unidentifiable extraterrestrial creature bursts out of his abdomen and disappears into the ship. This turn of events is so dramatic and completely beyond the control of any of the characters experiencing it that it pivots the direction of the story.

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Important screenwriting tools and resources

As a filmmaker, your use of setting and location is another important tool that will set the stage for whatever you throw at the viewer. Setting the stage is so important because location can serve as another character in your plot.

Peerspace is the best tool that filmmakers can utilize to find filming venues of any kind. It is the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals and helps connect you to amazing venues across the globe. And yes, this includes amazing production spaces.

Enjoy access to any kind of location a screenwriter can dream up, from a rock-climbing gym in Cleveland, Ohio, to an Old West town in Temecula. Perhaps your story takes place in a pink loft in Los Angeles? Or maybe you need a green screen studio space in Atlanta, GA to film a scene with special effects that will be keyed in during post-production? If you’re filming in New York City and hope to book a studio that already boasts multiple professional sets, there’s a Peerspace for that, too!

No matter what type of production venue you need, you can easily discover and book it on Peerspace. Get started by heading to our homepage, entering your project type and location, and seeing what pops up. You never know, you may even discover a new space that inspires a future script! 

Cosmic irony: conclusion

By now, we hope you have a better understanding of what cosmic irony is and how it can strengthen your script. It’s one of those screenwriter tools that can turn a drab story into a fully dimensional one that leaves viewers gasping.

As a screenwriter, incorporating instances of cosmic irony into your writing toolkit will keep your viewers interested and engaged. But it is important to use this tool sparingly. Too many surprises will render your plot unbelievable, even if it is science fiction.

A story’s location also lays the groundwork and induces the viewer to predict what might occur. And when it’s time to book the perfect filming location, turn to Peerspace. Our platform is easy to use and connects you to stylish and well-equipped spaces in cities across the globe. You can sort venues by price and style, just to ensure you save time and only view venue listings that suit your needs.

So writing about location and booking a venue that matches it during filming is crucial. After all, maybe viewers have experienced a similar place. That is, until the screenwriter hits us with an event epitomizing cosmic irony like a bolt of lightning that pulls the proverbial rug out from under us! Then, suddenly, we are on the edge of our seats because we have absolutely no idea what will happen next! That’s the gift of cosmic irony in the hands of a talented writer like yourself.

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