The Oscar-winning writer-director of Anora has described a process built on notes, Post-its, a living script and, above all, knowing the final scene before breaking the story
An Oscar-Winning Approach
Sean Baker’s Anora was one of the major success stories of recent Oscar seasons, winning Best Picture and earning Baker Academy Awards that included Best Original Screenplay and Best Director at the 2025 ceremony. Baker, who built his career on independent films such as Tangerine and The Florida Project, has long been admired for stories that feel spontaneous and lived-in. But his writing process is more structured than that spontaneity suggests. No Film School’s Jason Hellerman examined it in an article titled Sean Baker reveals the most important part of the screenwriting process, drawing on a video Baker recorded years earlier after making Tangerine.
Ideas First
According to the article, Baker begins by spending days putting ideas into a notes document. He repeats this process until he feels ready to draft. This stage is about accumulation rather than structure: gathering images, characters, moments, dialogue fragments and observations that might belong in the story. Many screenwriters skip or rush this stage, eager to get to pages. Baker treats it as essential groundwork.
Post-Its And Outlines
Once he has enough material, Baker uses Post-it notes to assemble a rough outline. The physical, movable format allows him to rearrange scenes, test sequences and see the shape of the story at a glance. Index cards and Post-its are a long-standing tool in screenwriting precisely because they make structure tangible and flexible. A scene on a card can be moved, cut or combined without rewriting pages.
From the outline, Baker writes scenes. Those scenes then form a script that he treats as a living document, one that can be reorganized and edited as needed. This approach suits a filmmaker whose work often evolves through casting, location and collaboration. The script is a plan, not a contract.
Endings Before Beginnings
The most distinctive feature of Baker’s process, according to the article, is his focus on endings. He almost always knows how a film will end before breaking the story down point by point. In Hellerman’s summary, endings are more important than beginnings to him. Baker concentrates on the final scene and its impact on the audience.
The article connects this to Anora, whose ending has been widely discussed for its emotional power. Without revealing details for readers who have not seen it, the film’s closing moments shift the tone of everything that came before, leaving audiences with a lingering, complex feeling. That kind of ending rarely happens by accident. It is built toward from the start.
Why Endings Matter
Screenwriting teachers often emphasize the importance of a strong opening: the first ten pages that hook a reader. Baker’s emphasis on endings offers a useful counterbalance. An opening invites the audience in. An ending determines what they take away. Knowing the ending early allows a writer to plant setups, build themes and shape character arcs that pay off in the final moments. Without a clear destination, stories can wander, and endings can feel arbitrary or tacked on.
Many celebrated screenwriters share some version of this philosophy. Knowing where a story is going does not mean every detail is fixed. It means the writer understands the emotional or thematic destination, which gives purpose to everything along the way.
Endings also shape how a film is remembered and discussed. Audiences often recall a film’s final moments more vividly than its middle, and endings drive word of mouth, debate and repeat viewing. A film with a powerful ending can transform modest buzz into lasting reputation. For independent filmmakers who depend on festivals, critics and word of mouth rather than large marketing budgets, a memorable ending can be the difference between a film that is noticed and one that disappears.
Applying The Lesson
For screenwriters, Baker’s process offers several practical lessons. Spend time gathering ideas before forcing structure. Use flexible tools such as cards or notes to experiment with story shape. Treat the script as a living document that can change. And, above all, work out the ending early. Ask what you want the audience to feel as the final image fades, and build the story to deliver it.
Independent Spirit, Industry Success
Baker’s career is also instructive for writers interested in independent film. For many years, he made films on modest budgets, often with non-professional performers and real locations, developing a distinctive voice outside the studio system. His Oscar success shows that films rooted in specific communities and told with personal conviction can reach the highest levels of recognition. For writers who feel the industry rewards only franchises and established intellectual property, his path is an encouraging counterexample.
A Note On Process
No single process works for every writer. Some writers discover their endings only through drafting. Others outline in exhaustive detail. Baker’s approach is one effective model, not a rule. But his emphasis on endings speaks to a principle that applies across styles: stories are judged by where they land. A writer who knows the destination can take risks along the way, confident that the journey leads somewhere meaningful.
The Takeaway
Sean Baker’s process combines patient idea gathering, flexible outlining and a living script, all organized around a clear sense of the ending. For screenwriters seeking to write scripts that resonate, the lesson is simple and powerful: before you write the first scene, know the last one.