Why writing fails, and how to fix it

Laser swords? A masked villain with the ability to remotely choke his victims? Aliens playing piano?! It was a brave new world. Phil Clarke (aka philmscribe) is an industry legend, a UK-based script consultant and screenwriter with over twenty years service to cinema.

He’s talking about the first Star Wars film. After years working at the coal face of film on such features as Sleepy Hollow, Enigma, The Beach and two of the biggest box office franchises: Star Wars and Harry Potter, he turned to writing - both for the page and the screen. His screenplays have been optioned both in the UK and Hollywood and his books have been published worldwide.

In this interview for the Success Stories Academy, writing coach Claire Vorster asks Phil to encourage, motivate and educate us story tellers. We’ll learn how to get clear on the story, how to tell the difference between good and bad ideas, and where some writers stumble or fall. Phil will tell us what it takes to compete with the Spielbergs, Tarantinos, and Nolans of this world, as well as issuing a challenge to new writers.?We’ll also discover the top three aspects of a 5-star story, and which films make his 5-star list.

Ultimately, these questions are about how to write successful stories - for the box office, brands and books.?They also offer some insight into why Phil’s work?is so valuable. Enjoy!

Hi Phil, thank you for being with us at the Success Stories Academy. Right now, is there any book you would like to see as a movie? Can you tell us why it captured your imagination? Hi Claire, and hello everyone. So... I've always wanted to see a screen adaptation of James Herbert's The Spear. It's all about the Longinus sword, the so-called Spear of Destiny, and in this tale, it's wanted by neo-Nazis who wish to bring Himmler back to life.?It's typically gruesome and supernatural as is much of Herbert's work.?I read it around the time of my GCSEs many moons ago, and ended up featuring it in my Art practical, designing the film poster for the film of this story! As to why it spoke to me, that's ?harder to answer. I guess it's the blend of myth, legend and the supernatural that intrigues me. It's beyond the norm, outside of reality. And of course when it comes to movie stories, you can't go wrong with cinema's most reliable villains, the Nazis. In fact, I've often thought it would make a great premise for an Indiana Jones sequel. It was a fresh take on something familiar, packed with great potential for visual horror and thrills.

What’s the best story you remember reading as a child? Ooh, great question! This does depend on when as a child. There are two adult books I remember reading once I switched up from children's fare while still young and thinking: oh wow, I had no idea there were stories out there like this. These two were The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth and The Fog by James Herbert.

Both were explicit, dangerous, creative – in ways that fiction for kids couldn't understandably reach. But if we're strictly saying stories I read as a young child... I have to say it has to be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its sequel The Great Glass Elevator. These felt so magical, full of wonder, full of unpredictable moments. I remember devouring most of Roald Dahl's books at that age. His worlds and characters were so vivid, so intriguing, so well-written and imaginative.

What is the first movie you remember seeing, and how did it make you feel? Another great question. The first one I remember seeing – and this is not going to be a surprise at all – was Star Wars: A New Hope. Very similar to the feelings that hit me on reading the Road Dahl books, they painted such a vivid picture of a completely fantastical world. They were mesmeric for kids growing up in the 70s. There simply wasn't anything quite like what we were seeing. Talking robots? Laser swords? A masked villain with the ability to remotely choke his victims? Fighting spaceships? Aliens playing piano?! It was a brave new world.

You’ve helped so many writers to break bad habits, learn new tricks, get clear on the story they are telling. Where do some film writers stumble or fall in storytelling? There are quite a few common traps that newer screenwriters tend to fall into. Often, the drafts I read tend to show they haven't sufficiently broken the story. They have an idea, not yet a complete tale. Consequently, the scenes tend to ramble on without much significance or consequence. Another flaw I find in some writers' writing is that there's a distinct lack of conflict. Without this vital ingredient, you cannot give a scene, and therefore a story, its lifeblood: drama. I also see central characters that aren't given a clear want or need, or they're not put through the wringer enough. A call to all new writers: Don't be too easy on your protagonist. This usually leads to dull tales.?There are so many more... a lack of thematic content, rambling, overwritten dialogue, cliched storytelling. I could go on and on.

What’s the most memorable plot twist you’ve read or seen? I'll focus on film for this one. It's difficult to single out just one from the movies. Many scramble to the forefront of my mind when I think of plot twists. The most memorable and successful for me are those I don't see coming. So, for instance, the ending in Se7en and the completion of John Doe's opus resonated with me. It was not only nigh-on impossible to glean ahead of time, but it was clever too, and worked perfectly as this story's climax.

Others that come to mind are – warning: spoiler alerts! -- The Usual Suspects twist that everything Verbal Kint has been spewing to Agent Kujan is made up and inspired by things on the board behind his interviewer. I still remember that gut-punch feeling I experienced when this was revealed. I had similar sensations when learning who Tyler Durden was in Fight Club, who and where the killer was in Saw, and also the truth about Ed Norton's character in Primal Fear. These reveals, these plot twists, were so well done, so visceral, that their impacts aren't purely mental but physical. They literally knock you down and shake you to your core.

Stories can be persuasive. Can you name a movie or TV show that has influenced people or society in a positive way? Another poser of a question... you're really having me work hard at this, aren't you?! If we were talking in a negative way, that would be easy: Jaws. How many people refuse to swim in the sea (or any body of water, for that matter?) because of that movie? I know it had a strong effect on me. But productions that had a positive influence? Well, there are a surfeit of stellar documentary films that have had great impact on society and public thinking (An Inconvenient Truth, Blackfish, Super Size Me etc.) but I thought I'd concentrate on fiction, or at least faction!

And the first to come to mind is Philadelphia. Not only was it a well-told drama, but it served to de-stigmatise the disease it focused on and helped to shift attitudes towards those suffering with AIDS in the early 1990s.?

Another great example: JFK (an ever-present in my top ten movies list) No matter what you believe regarding its veracity, it brought considerable backlash after its release. What is more, it led to actual political reform including the assembly of the US Assassination Records Review Board and the creation of the JFK Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992. At the end of the day, stories -- be it for the page, stage or screen -- have the potential to be more than just entertainment. They have the power to change our lives if they speak to us and show us something which we previously thought impossible, wrong, unwise or fruitless.

Why do you think it succeeded in its influence where other stories fail? Because they speak to something within us, within the human psyche, address an aspect of human existence, give us an alternative viewpoint, broaden our minds, allow us to consider something that was once thought impossible to be possible.

You’ve worked on 5 of the top 100 movies of all time, and on commercials for global brands like Discover Card and Coca-Cola. What is one aspect that impactful film writing has in common with a great TV advert? I've not previously examined the similarities between these two media, so I'm thinking on my feet here... I am sure there have been articles written by scholars and specialists on this very subject, but from my perspective, I would suppose that generally speaking storytelling in any medium has to hit the same trigger points. Both film and commercials are visual media, so they both should prioritise the moving image. Unlike ads or plays on the radio, which focus primarily on the spoken word, the best TV adverts and films paint a vivid picture and have strong visual impact.

And I feel I can't stop there at just one. As well as a visual focus, both need a clear, coherent and engaging narrative if they are to do their job properly. Ads must represent their brands without confusion or the commercial fails. The same applies to a movie. If audiences come away wondering what the hell that was all about, then it's likely to not do that well. And it'd be a surprise if viewers even persevered to the very end. Another characteristic shared by both a great movie and a great ad is that they live long in the memory. They plant a seed in the brain and it takes root and eventually blossoms and can change and influence our thinking – as per those influential movies discussed earlier.?

You are well respected in the industry for your ability to polish, proofread, rewrite and reformat scripts. What happens to movies (even ones that get made) without a great script? Oh, it all depends, really. The truth is... anything can happen! Honestly, some can get made despite having a bad script, and some of these can even make money and be considered a success. Hence why we get truly bad films, those stinkers we see, those Razzie winners, those films that have frustrated amateur screenwriters wondering why they get optioned and produced and not their beloved project. At the end of the day, if the right people with sufficient influence wish to make a movie, it will get made. Period.

However, I say this with some caution. I don't want aspiring writers thinking they don't need to try that hard, that they don't need to turn in their best work. They most certainly do. Another truth is that the industry is highly competitive. There are so many screenwriters trying to break in and so it's crucial that you deliver a prime product, something that stands out from the crowd for all the right reasons. Because unlike the Spielbergs, Tarantinos, and Nolans of this world, you don't have a carte blanche, a blank cheque.?So, if you don't have a great script, you're screwed. Which is where folks like me come in; to help writers develop their scripts to ensure they have the best chance of becoming the best version of themselves, giving them the best chance to succeed in a cutthroat market.

Why do perfectly great TV shows often lose their way in Season 2? I am not sure they do – not consistently anyway. Many TV shows actually improve after a comparatively faltering start. It can often take a show a season or two to truly find its footing and nail its formula. If you use Rotten Tomatoes as a guide, here's just a short list of shows that improved from season 1 to 2 from a critical standpoint: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Arrow, Hannibal, The US Office, Parks and Recreation, The Leftovers, Succession, 30 Rock, Grey's Anatomy, The Americans, Schitt's Creek, The Vampire Diaries.

In your film reviews, you very rarely give a film 5 stars. Can you recommend a 5 star film to us? Five stars are given out far too easily these days, in my opinion. Such an accolade should be reserved for truly flawless films. And that's not to say a review that doesn't get top marks is condemning; I've enjoyed many films I've given 2.5 stars or above. Now, bearing in mind that movie reviews by me or anyone else are highly subjective. They are simply a statement of one person's personal perspective and should never be seen as dogma. They are opinions, not facts. As the saying goes, one person's trash is another's treasure. And that's how it should be. To this end, I've given you five movies off the top of my head which would get five stars from me:

1.?Rear Window 2. Back to the Future 3.?Goodfellas 4. Seven 5.?Whiplash

And to see if I've given 5 stars to any new movie I've seen in 2021, grab yourself the Christmas edition of my Bulletin. It's free to all Philmscribers. To become one, simply subscribe at the bottom of any page on my site: www.philmscribe.com

You’ve worked on incredibly successful films that have a combined box office take of nearly five billion dollars. In your opinion, what are three aspects of a 5 star story? Three aspects of a 5-star story... well, we're covering some of the elements touched on in earlier questions, really.?A 5-star story will likely have but not be limited to the following:

An imaginative plot. It doesn't have to necessarily be entirely new or unprecedented, but if it is a familiar premise, then it should be seen in a new light. It can't simply be a re-hash of what's gone many times before; it must have something new to say, something new to show.?A fresh take.

A five-star story also has a fascinating protagonist with a clear desire. They have something they want above all else and have trouble getting it: a main character with a problem. This speaks to conflict. There must be obstacles in the way of what they want or there's not going to be much of a story. It will miss out on that gold we call drama. And usually, the five-star story leads undergo a transformation; they learn something about themselves and have the opportunity to change. And usually this relates to some previously unrecognised weakness or need. Without understanding this about themselves, they won't ultimately achieve their desire, their story goal.?This is what's known as the character arc.

And if I'm only allowed one more, then I would say the next most integral part of a five-star story is a coherent theme. All the best movies out there speak to some universal message, they debate an idea and allow the audience, living vicariously through the lead, to learn a lesson about human existence. This then allows for a strong emotional connection to the film, that binds the movie to our very souls. Essentially, it's the heart of the story.

What is one significant reason behind your success? If I had to pick one... persistence. A refusal to surrender. There have been many moments where giving up would have been the easiest route to take, but the determination to succeed – whether it be breaking into the industry, getting published, getting a screenplay optioned – was all-consuming and I persevered.

You’ve worked with so many respected film directors like George Lucas, Tim Burton, Chris Columbus and Danny Boyle. Who would you still love to work with and why? Oh, there are so many on that particular wish list. Directors? I'd love to work with David Fincher, Robert Zemeckis, Tarantino, Edgar Wright, Scorsese, Spielberg, Nolan, Bigelow. The usual suspects, really. Who wouldn't want to work with any of these great directors? If they are anything like the wonderful people I've been fortunate enough to work with in the past, then they would undoubtedly teach me new aspects to filmmaking and open my eyes to aspects of the business previously unknown.

Thank you Phil. Thank you, Claire. That was quite a mental work-out!

These days, Phil is a fantastic script consultant; his clients have won or placed highly at major script competitions, had their projects optioned, while others have gone on to be produced, the best debuting at Cannes. If you want to learn more about Phil’s work, or perhaps have a script or story you need help with, you can get in touch with him via www.philmscribe.com/contact or, indeed, the usual social media sites: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.