...the other thread seemed to have gone missing, so I'm reposting, for anyone who would care to read.  If this isn't the correct place Mods, please move.


http://gointothestory.blcklst.com/2014/01/wtf-with-all-these-screenwriting-rules.html

Ghost

"Contrary to popular belief, I think the line between being direct and being rude is not thin, and most people are fully aware of when they have crossed it."

If I remember correctly, the original poster asked for it to be taken down.

Everyone should always remember the first rule of screenwriting "Pour a glass of red"

Then start writing.

Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules?

Quoted from J.S. Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules?

I think Jeff likes the rules.

I like the rules too...

Don't forget me!

Shawn....><

I wish people could just agree on the rules. I hate trying to write my way, but having those thoughts in the back of my head that say, "No, people don't like when you write 'just then'." Lol. =)

There's rules?????

Mark

Quoted from irish eyes There's rules????? Mark

Shouldn't that be "There are rules? Does that fall under a rule too? I'm confused?  ;D

I was actually quoting the Big Lebowski for those that didn't get it.

Seriously though, I don't know about following "rules" for screenwriting because maybe it depends on what you're trying to do in the first place. Do Bergman's films follow rules? Fellini? Tarkovsky? De Sica? Lynch? Kurosawa? I'm not even sure Polanski's debut film Knife in the Water does either but the Academy liked it at the time to nominate it.

As someone quoted Capra, and I think this is true, there's only one "rule": don't be dull.

Quoted from Pia Shouldn't that be "There are rules? Does that fall under a rule too? I'm confused?

Dam it!!! I'll stick to facebook :D:D

Today's addition to the discussion by Scott is probably the best I've ever seen on the rules topic.

What I find sad is when adherence to the rules overshadows the storytelling. It is far more difficult to tell a cohesive, compelling story than it is to follow the rules. In fact, "fixing" a script to follow the rules after it is written takes very little to no time to accomplish.

Sadder than this are those who "refuse to read it" because it doesn't follow some rule they cling to. I've always maintained that the story is king when it comes to anything. Yes, there are standards and that sort of thing, and honestly, the industry standard format is more important that a few rules here and there just so it's easy for industry-related people to read, but that's still fixable after the story is done.

Point here is to write your script first, and worry about the rules later. Don't let the rules dictate your writing.

The rules of screenwriting are, in my humble, meant as a guide. If everyone followed every rule exactly, well then every bleedin' script would look and read as if it was written by the same person.

There has to be some space for individuality and personality. I've seen long arguments here about what side FADE IN should be on. Even if there should be a FADE IN. IT's all rather remiscent of Swift's argument about which end of an egg should be cracked open.

Many seem to confuse rules with pet peeves.

For those who can't get past the first few pages of a short script, why bother comment at all? As William Goldman said, 'Nobody knows anything.'

If you write a half-A$$ script, it better be perfect on all counts.

You write a decent script, then most will forgive some of the "rules" being bent.

If you go and write a brilliant script, you can write that mutha fuka with a crayon using your feet and you wont hear a peep about rules.

Shawn.....><

It's funny how we talk about the rules, because every time I read one of the PRO's script, they seem to break many of the rules.

Maybe when you are good enough to be a pro, you don't need to justify your actions to all of those below you !!!! Hee Hee

Quoted from Alex_212 It's funny how we talk about the rules, because every time I read one of the PRO's script, they seem to break many of the rules. Maybe when you are good enough to be a pro, you don't need to justify your actions to all of those below you !!!! Hee Hee

You hit the nail on the head there, Alex. You can do whatever you like when you're a pro... just look at the Nightcrawler script. Get enough interest and talent involved like Jake Gyllenhaal and it ain't going to matter one iota.

I see that Shawn put it a bit more eloquently than I did.  ;D ;D

It's all about story... not even just story, it's about getting that story into the right hands at the right time. Almost impossible.

I've courted producers that are LOOKING to make a film. They're itching to do it. They just need to find the PERFECT script, which doesn't actually exist. Anyway, I've even pitched ideas I haven't written yet trying to elicit a spark from them.

This game is so hard that writers begin to question everything about themselves. They begin to honestly believe that the smallest of things are putting producers off. If they only wrote slightly tighter or added more voice, then they will start to sell their scripts. It doesn't work like that. A producer if he loves your concept will ask for rewrites anyway, the little things will never, ever be important.

The one rule about rules: Don't follow them, don't ignore them, understand the point of view of whoever came up with them, then make your decision based on your own understanding of what makes a screenplay great.

"... the code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules."  -- Barbossa

I had a funny thought.

We should have an OWC like challenge where we have to write a script that breaks all the rules, then we all have to review each script with only one rule:  we can't bitch about said script breakin' the fucking rules.

Or something along those lines.  lol.  That would probably be a cool challenge to meet.


--Steve

"All these hard and fast "rules" just make new writers afraid to follow instinct."

Perfectly stated.

Stumbled upon this, this morning, during a light read. I wanted to share right away.

Quoted Text Story is about principles, not rules. A rule says, "You must do it this way." A principle says, "This works . . . and has through all remembered time." The difference is crucial. Your work needn't be modeled after the "well-made" play; rather, it must be well made within the principles that shape our art. Anxious, inexperienced writers obey rules. Rebellious, unschooled writers break rules. Artists master the form. Story is about eternal, universal forms, not formulas.

Wow! This is exactly my creed when it comes to rules. I couldn't possibly stated it better. The quote is from a Robert McKee's book called: Story.  Sorry if someone already posted it.