Part III: Rules? We Don’t Need No Stinking Rules!

This is one of the more common exclamations bantered about on screenwriting boards every day, and those usually spouting this one are the writers who like to consider themselves “rebels”; above the norm. I think they actually BELIEVE this platitude, and how could they not, after a lifetime of winning tenth place participatory trophies in junior soccer or bell-curved C’s when scoring a 69 on a mid-term. I don’t blame them, but I do just want to open their eyes, and their minds, a little wider to be more accepting of the truth.

You are NOT different. You are NOT above the rules. You are NOT the exception to rules.

And yes, there ARE rules.

What other profession are you aware of that attracts so many potential members across the globe, lives by a set of standards and practices, yet denies the existence of these standards and practices to such a degree that most of the “members” swear that no standards of practice exist? Why the secrecy? Why do writers, gurus, and many consultants go to great lengths to tell you that, to be successful, you need to stand out and break convention, but then refuse you entry into their “club”, largely based on the fact that you defied convention?

Because there ARE rules, and those in Hollywood — especially writers — would prefer to think of themselves as “Rebels with a Clause”. Unfortunately, you can’t go online and download a PDF of these “rules”, nor can you order the rulebook on Amazon, like you can for the International Rules on Competitive Wife Carrying.

Most of these screenwriting rules are picked up along the way, and I try hard to share these rules with fellow screenwriters, in hope of enlightening a few along the way. I've even created a few that will most assuredly help your screenplay.

Many of these foolhardy souls believe that ancient platitude “Great writing trumps all”. You might have the next “Chinatown” on your desk right now, but if you are writing on spec, and ignoring the accepted standards and practices of writing a spec screenplay, who on earth is going to read it? No one, with any significant pull or power in community, is going to sit down and waste valuable time to read through a draft overstuffed with wordweight, boring characters, poorly formatted slug lines, and an unstructured story. It is just not happening.

That pile of crap on your desk may contain the greatest lines in the history of cinema, but no one will ever know.

As a screenwriting mentor and producer, I have reviewed thousands of speculative screenplays. I am credited with having first offered the "first-ten pages" review.

One thing I’ve found during this review process is the commonality of errors spanning the screenwriting experience spectrum: newbies and experienced writers alike make the same mistakes over and over again. I call these formatting errors. Formatting is not exclusively about the margin settings. In screenwriting, we are talking about the proper way to write slug lines, as just one example of formatting. Other repetitive errors include poor spelling, grammar, lack of punctuation, and overuse or misuse of a variety of acceptable screenwriting techniques.

If these errors are consistent throughout the first ten pages, no one of any authority will ever get beyond the first three pages, much less the first ten, so if YOU want to be taken seriously as a spec screenwriter, here are ten "rules" to which you should adhere or improve:

1. Scene Headings (a.k.a Master Scene Headings, slug lines, or slugs): Include camera location (INT, EXT, INT/EXT), scene location (BEDROOM, BUSY STREET, etc.) and time of day (DAY, NIGHT). Do NOT use any other TOD unless absolutely imperative in telling the story (if the killer only kills at midnight, and the killer is about to kill, then say “MIDNIGHT”)

2. Camera Directions (CUT TO, DISSOLVE, etc.): Exclude all technical camera directions in your spec script unless IMPERATIVE to the IMPACT of the story. Limit yourself to “FADE IN:”, and “FADE OUT:”.

3. Actor Directions (beats): Do NOT include (beat) in dialogue. The actor is trained to act. Think of beats as dialogue speed bumps, and it slows the read considerably. Do NOT confuse this “beat” with a “Save the Cat” beat, or a beat sheet. You’re marching to the beat of a different drummer there.

4. “More white than black”: Target 150-180 words per page, and you’ll have a nice balance between blank space and ink. Anything over 200 words seems heavy; long paragraph blocks are deadly. Keep scenes short; one-three pages.

5. Screenwriting Technique/ Style: Do not get carried away with parentheticals, CAPITALIZATIONS, flashbacks, montages, hyphens, ellipses and exclamation marks. If you need to use them, learn HOW to use them, then only use them in moderation.

6. Descriptions: Provide enough scene description to allow the reader to imagine scene, and exclude details that do not add to the story. Try to keep all descriptions to two lines or less.

7. Punctuation and Grammar: Rules of punctuation and grammar still apply in a screenplay. Learn them. Avoid repeating words such as "walks", "laughs", “looks”, etc. Write in the active tense “He knocks”, as opposed the more passive “He is knocking” (-ing words).

8. Spelling: Don't rely solely on spellcheck. Get someone to read and edit for you.

9. Dialogue: Avoid expositional dialogue; having one character impart information to another character; information that they should already know; for the sole purpose of informing the audience (“You know Mom died when I was only eight, so…”). Keep dialogue to four lines or less whenever possible.

10. Follow the 1-2-3-4 Method?:

Master Scene Headings- One (1) typed line (not sentences);

Descriptive Narrative- Two (2) typed lines (not sentences) or less.

Action Narrative- Three (3)typed lines (not sentences) or less.

Dialogue- Four typed lines (4) (not sentences) or less.

So, do yourselves a favor; before you start typing your new “Star Wars” concept, learn the rules, of which there are many; learn what a marketable concept entails; learn which genres sell faster and easier, and why; learn the art of a great opening; learn character development; learn structure; learn proper formatting.

If you are writing on spec, to get read, to get noticed and to be appreciated and respected, you need to know the basic rules of the game.

Only then, will great writing trump all.

WRITER'S BIO: Mr. Scala spent 22-plus years in the Hollywood community, and was the Executive Director for the 72nd Annual Academy Awards, as well as The Soul Train Awards, The Grammys, The Blockbuster Video Awards Show and The Saturn Award Show. 

His company is currently working on their thirty-ninth (39) novel-to-screenplay adaptation for clients, and he counts many celebrities and household names among his vast clientele. His TV project, "Bad Priest", is in development with a cable network, where one executive said the following: "This pilot is compelling and clear and offers just enough to tease us with where these stories and characters might go. It begs for a full season..."

Today, he and his writing team are actively working on several ghostwriting projects for his celebrity clientele as well, including the adapting the novel "Making Broken Beautiful" by Pamela Millican-Hartnoll; a tragic story of excessive abuse and redemptive success; and biopics of early rock pioneer Jimmie F. Rodgers and iconic folk star Harry Chapin- all while continuing to mentor new writers and self-published authors.

Geno has two screenplays produced into feature films; 

"Assassin 33 A.D." 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0861X8RPJ/ref=atv_hm_hom_1_c_iEgOEZ_2_1

"The Tombs" 

https://www.amazon.com/Tombs-Jessica-Cameron/dp/B081GPXKHB/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+tombs&qid=1588613402&s=instant-video&sr=1-1

Both are currently available on Amazon Prime.