Screenwriting : Two words to remove from your writing thoughts. by Craig D Griffiths

It ain't Luck that drives some ppl to write before and after their jobs, or write weekends after family chores & responsibilities are done.

As for rules, I believe in some I think makes for a good/great movie. But from my experiences on novice writing forums, majority of ppl fail because they really don't know the why or the how.

Using the word luck to describe someone's success is, to me, an insult. In this business, with very few exceptions, it's earned.

The reason I posted this here. Is because this group tends to lean towards brains. I was reading a facebook thread and someone asked “how to get a screenplay made?” and “luck” was a major theme. RB is so right, if someone called my little success luck, I’d head but them (joke - I do enjoy a good idiot).

Me and ‘Rules’ are like oil and water. I believe in commonalities that have evolved from our shared existence. But I also see the word ‘rule’ used to scare and control new writers.

You make your own luck by working your butt off….25 years in the making and thanks to my recently hired editor I’m almost there!

"I was reading a facebook thread" - Well this was you're first mistake right there, Craig D Griffiths. ;)

Show me someone who calls another person's success "luck" and I'll show you someone who doesn't put in the work necessary to succeed.

I'm with ya, Simon. Best wishes with the project.

Dan G, I don’t care as such. But for the health of the community and art it may be better. We are somewhat philanthropic to new writers, we give good advice. You pass on years of experience. I think these words can lead to years of heartbreak.

Strange, as it often comes that some people in the filmmaking business have more trust in you than you have in yourself...and stumbling around those people is pure luck...don't care what anyone says...

One of my favourite song lyrics comes from Opportunity, in Annie.

"One thing I know, it's only part luck and so I'm putting on my best show"

This stuck with me - luck only gets you so far (right place right time, right person right moment, etc etc) but if you don't put on your best show, you won't go much further.

Well said. A producer friend of mine once gave me the advice to write as big of a concept as you think necessary, don't try to scale your story up or down to try and accommodate what you THINK will sell.

This writer never sold a spec and he's been steadily employed for a decade working on studio franchise movies. Here is his twitter advice about breaking in.

https://twitter.com/jestew3/status/1632548100782055424?s=46&t=QE6_iR24yN...

I started following that thread yesterday, Dan MaxXx. Great advice.

In acting, there are a few methods of study that basically boil down to 'do a ton of specific work on the character, script, world, etc, and then right before you perform let it go'. Yes, this is a VERY rudimentary explanation, but it's how I always think about "rules" or "guides". Get as much of the foundation knowledge as possible, learn structures and why they work. Then you can play as much as you want and you understand the why's of what you're doing.

Dan G, you added another that is interesting, success. But that may be another topic.

I don’t break rules, because I don’t believe they exist. There are commonalities. Many writers follow more traditional modes of storytelling sticking to these commonalities. Others do not. If a rule can be ignored and the outcome is still positive, does the rule exist?

What about writers from non-usa traditions. That don’t know these rules exist? Are we to never take lessens from Parasite or Rashomon?

@niki I believe actors will always know a character as good if not better than me. That is because of all that work you mentioned.

I think perhaps we need to use the word the basics, rather than rules. Then they become a leaping off point and when you outgrow them, you are not breaking them. You are just moving on. It would also stop that ridiculous statement “you can break them when you know them”. Instead it is just a natural progression to move on.

Dan G I think of that as the accepted standard.

For me it is the “if your action is more than five lines your script will be thrown across the room”, type rules.

Craig, how do pro writers working in Australia, England, Asia- whatever country- format their pages? I am assuming many use common screenplay software.

As for "American screenplay rules" you stress over- don't. Keep doing you. If you making income & have steady screenplay jobs, dont change your ways. But if you're not at the level you want to be working with peers & mentors, maybe take a step back and learn from scratch.

Dan, format is not a rule. It is a format.

Never use “ing” stupid rule.

Never have more than. 4 lines of action, stupid rule.

The reason format is not a rule is because it has a word describing it, “format”.

Here is a closing thought.

If there is no definition for rules do they exist?

Is quality more important than the thing we cannot define?

Will a well written, compelling screenplay be ignored because it has “ ing” words for example? If it was this may prove the rules exist.

Would a bad story be sold because it stuck to some rules?

I think we use these terms rather than more complex discussion about quality and craft.

At the studios all that matter for formatting was proper use of sluglines, proper use of transitions. If it wasn't used properly there was a bias already. And yes, write a damn good story that's commercial and marketable (and the writer better understand storytelling and story structure).

Formatting is not a rule. Yes formatting is very important. Formatting is not part of this conversation. Trying to equate arbitrary rules and formatting is not a thing.

Lingbergh E H is spitting out facts. He actually worked for a studio. Facts versus opinions.

Thank you for preaching the truth, Craig.

How did I end up with "Luck" by getting a screenplay noticed by a prolific producer just recently while I'm currently writing a book where "Rules" are meant to be broken in terms of it not behaving like most other books on the shelves?! How exactly am I like this?!? I hope I made a useful example using those two words in this context!

Hi Micheal, You wrote a screenplay, which is preparation. Without that preparation, the producer would never have noticed you. So I don’t see luck, I see preparation.

So you are writing an uncommon book. It doesn’t not have many commonalities that other books have, well done. Rules (not just writing) have a negative outcome when broken. You are not experiencing negative outcomes, so perhaps there are no rules.

Dan G, people only change their mind when pressure is put upon them. This pressure may come from frustration from a lack of success. When they feel that pressure, perhaps they will see the opinions here and try something new.

If this gets them success they may continue. After all as a species we will continue to do what has made us successful previously.