Creative Screenwriting (pt 1)
“Screenplay structure kills creativity!” is a cry we often hear from aspiring writers. Along with, “Hollywood films are so bad because they’re all the same, following the same tired old structure.”
We can certainly sympathize with those who bemoan the fact that every tutor and book they come across seems to want to turn them into a screenwriting robot. From Truby and his 22 steps, to Snyder and his beat sheet, it can feel like every page of your story has to hit a certain number. And if your 2nd act climax doesn’t hit page 75 exactly, all is lost!
What’s the point of calling yourself a writer if all you are doing is filling in the blanks on a numbered pre-determined list of events? It seems so, mechanical.
Look at films like Lost in Translation. Or In Search of a Midnight Kiss—two successful films following two people around a city, chatting. Where’s the formulaic structure there? And they got made, right? Surely, structure’s over-emphasized?
Ultimately, as anti-creative as it appears, mastering structure is essential to writing an entertaining script and, in turn, being enjoyed by a reader. And creative screenwriting is certainly possible within fairly strict structural guidelines.
That’s because these semi-fixed structural reference points provide a naturalistic ebb and flow—an up and down in the fortunes of the hero, essential to maintaining audience attention and maximizing their emotional connection to the story.
Seemingly avant garde modern Indies like Lost in Translation, or In Search of a Midnight Kiss do not break any structural rules. In fact, they hit exactly the same story beats as any Hollywood blockbuster, only in a more subtle way.
In Search of a Midnight Kiss (92min)
Call to Action: Vivian calls Wilson (12min)
Act One: Wilson’s date starts with Vivian (25min)
Midpoint: Wilson & Vivian fall out (50min)
Act Two: Wilson & Vivian kiss at midnight (75min)
Climax: Vivian leaves Wilson (88min)
The truth is, whether you want to write a Hollywood blockbuster or sleeper indie hit, you’ve got to write a script that conforms to the rules.
Click here for part two on being creative in your screenwriting while still following the rules.
