Screenwriting : How important is structure? by Samantha "Sam" Kind

Everything has a structure, so we need to define what we mean by "structure" to have a really good conversation.

Do you mean the traditional three-act structure? Where we start with a person, something happens and they go on an adventure (25% of the story's length), then we have Act 2 which is twice as long as Act 1. This is the bulk of the story. Then Act 3 comes along, we tie up the loose ends and the story ends.

If that is what are want to use as the definition of Structure I would say "No". A large amount of the movies being made follow some form of this. But a story can be amazing without it. So it is no more important that any other element.

I would say a story/movie/screenplay has to stay with the pattern/structure that it starts with. If you chop and change the method of storytelling, that would be confusing.

Or if the storytelling doesn't have a coherent order, that would be a crap structure.

I think the word coherent is the key word.

Samantha:

https://www.wescreenplay.com/blog/5-kinds-of-storytelling-structure-for-...

https://screencraft.org/blog/10-screenplay-structures-that-screenwriters...

I agree with what the guys above said, I just want to add that structure is a different subject than showing/telling actions.

He's impatient is a "showing" statement. But if the writer says something like, "He wonders if he'll ever get out of here" or something like that, you're saying what he's thinking rather showing that "he's impatient," or "he paces impatiently." I got hammered a lot on my current script for that kind of stuff. It does matter. I took it all out and my script moves much better now (I'm told). ;-)

Sorry, I missed the “Show Don’t Tell” reference at the end. I am doing a “Show Don’t Tell” episode this Friday

I have a few script snippets that I am going to show. film is a visual medium so everything has to be a “show”. The things that are okay to tell, are acting prompts.

The biggest thing when you exit school and start working (any business) is to program yourself to transfer from learning into doing...so...start doing...then u'll see how the structure really unfolds...

Depends what you mean by "structure". Billy Wilder is commonly praised for creating "3 act film narrative." Thats for American cinema.

I appreciate all your replies and feedback. I apologize, when I said "structure", I actually meant "format". Three act structure is told to us that regardless, proper storytelling has a three act structure, even if you aren't aware you're even doing it. But in the format of scriptwriting, in school, it feels almost boring and generic. It's like as if you're giving a step by step of the character's every move. Is that something that is, in fact deemed "industry standard" or can you be more descriptive than just showcasing movement, excluding thoughts.

"Show, not tell" is very important, Samantha "Sam" Kind. "Many do a mix of show and tell, like saying a character is impatient, rather than the character sighing or shaking their head in frustration." Yeah, some scripts are a mix of "show, not tell"/"show and tell." You can do that, but I think it's best to find more creative ways to write "a character is impatient," etc. Finding more creative ways to write action makes the overall script read better.

"is there really a correct way to write action lines anymore?" Just be entertaining, be clear, and make sure the action lines match the tone of the script.

Thank you, that's incredibly helpful. Again, as was everyone else's reply. I'll make sure to keep everyone's input in mind as I continue writing. :)

You're welcome, Samantha "Sam" Kind.

Hi Sam - I’m a big believer in structure and how writers create their universes within. Here’s a terrific Stage 32 class on structure that I highly recommend: https://www.stage32.com/classes/Create-Your-Feature-Film-Outline-With-A-...

Structure and "show-not-tell" are two different things. The first is what holds your screenplay together. The second is a tenet - a reminder that screenwriting is (for the most part) a medium that tells stories with visuals.

Structure should be in every script. Scripts are built on structure. They don't work without it. They have no momentum or tension without structure. Structure carries the reader through the script - from fade in to face out. Structure comes innately for some writers. Others have to think it through. There are all different kinds of structure, and different kinds of scripts (like different genres) often subscribe to their own kind of structure. Hollywood promotes a certain kind of structure, but it's not the only kind. However, most structures at the core work the same way. For instance, one can write a screenplay in eight sequences, which can easily be broken down into the three act structure - and so on.

As for writing visually, one should always strive to show and not tell. But that's mostly a film school lesson, and it doesn't apply in the real world. For example, one could write a terrific scene that shows everything, but the budget cannot accommodate it, so a couple of lines of dialogue are used to take its place. Some writers tell us what characters are thinking - which is a film school felony. But the technique is used all the time in some of the best scripts. Sometimes, it's the easiest and quickest way to communicate something to the reader.

The writer's goal is to effectively communicate their story to the reader, and they should use every trick in the book to succeed. Even if it breaks the "rules." Anything done within reason, sparingly, and effectively will not hurt the script. Anyway, rules are for film school. In the real world, execs, and agents, and producers don't look at the rules. They look for movies. A writer once said to me, "I'm not a pro, so I don't want to break the rules." And my response was, "Well, then do what all the other amateurs do."

The rules only apply when the script sucks. If the script is great, no one quotes the rules you've broken. :)

I don't think I can stress enough how appreciative I am to everyone for their help in grasping this. I'm feeling much more optimistic this week than I have in a long time. Thank you all so much. :)

That's good to know. Thank you so much Dan. :)