The “Rules” of Screenwriting: Are they Meant to be Followed or Broken?

Screenwriting advice is everywhere: you can buy countless books, take endless classes, and find hundreds of online articles telling you the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of how to write a script. 

But in this new age of Hollywood when content is evolving faster than ever, genres are regularly mixed, and TV shows can span anywhere from 3 minutes to an hour - which rules do you follow and which ones were made to be broken? 

Sometimes ignoring the rules can lead you somewhere inspired and original, but it can also take you and your script off the rails.

Here are 6 things to consider when you’re faced with “the rules,” and are deciding whether to break them or not:

1. The Audience Rules

A film or TV audience will tell you more about what “rules” are important, than any class or writing “guru”. Think about discussing a not-great movie with a non-writer friend, they probably say things like, “I was so bored, it was so slow,” or “I didn’t care about any of the characters.” Usually those comments mean the movie didn’t have narrative drive or the right pacing (slow), or didn’t have high stakes (didn’t care). When writing your script remember to consider an audience’s expectations and what they want to experience. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for innovative work but unless your plan is to create TV shows that never get bought, or movies that never get seen, you need to be thinking about your audience.

2. A Beginning, Middle and End

One of the most basic rules an audience expects is that your story will have a beginning, middle and end. Storytellers, since way before Hollywood existed, have used this three-act structure. Are there screenwriters who have broken this rule and had great success? Sure - Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life (arguably) breaks with three act structure. I’m not saying it’s impossible to write outside of this structure, but any writer considering breaking this rule should be aware that we’re used to consuming story this way (which is why it’s no accident that most stories are in three acts). It’s dynamic, effective, easy to understand, and proven to work throughout history. If the rule was good enough for Aristotle, chances are it’s a rule worth using (or at least considering).

3. Don’t Worry about Page Numbers, Worry about the Audience

A lot of screenwriters (and screenwriting teachings) get hung up on page numbers: Some people argue you need to make it clear what your story is about by page five, others think it’s by page ten, still others say page twelve - the list of “page number” rules is endless and constantly changing, don’t get hung up on them. Rather than worrying about page numbers, think about your audience (if it’s not clear by now, the audience wins every time). How long do you think they’ll stick with your story before you tell them what your story is about, or make it clear who your protagonist is? Generally, the rule is not very long - especially now with our instant gratification culture. So usually, the earlier you can jump into the main action, the better. 

4. The “Rules” of Breaking Rules

If you’re going to break the rules, make sure you have a really great reason for doing so; go ‘outside the box’ because it’s the best way to serve your story. Also, don’t break too many rules at once. If you go overboard with breaking/changing a lot of script conventions, you are probably going to wind up with a story that’s either confusing for your audience, boring, or both. Try breaking one rule at a time and see where it takes you.

5. “Working Inside the Box” Doesn’t Have to Box You In

If you have to write within a set of rules (like in a writers room) it doesn’t have to stifle you. Far from it, sometimes having to work within a framework can force you to get more creative. Finding a way to surprise your audience while still playing within the ‘rules’ of a typical genre is highly creative and not easy to do.

6. It’s Personal

At the end of the day, it’s not about figuring out which rules are “right” and which ones are “wrong,” it’s how you personally react to them. Don’t take other people’s screenwriting rules as truth - consider them, see if you connect with them, then decide which rules you need to use to write the most imaginative, exciting script possible.

For more great info about the rules and how to break them, my friend, Pilar Allesandra, an incredible screenwriting instructor and author, wrote a terrific book called ‘The Coffee Break Screenwriter Breaks the Rules: A Guide for the Rebel Writer’. You can buy it HERE. 

What screenwriting “rules” do you choose to break, and why? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!