Ron Shelton – Oscar-nominated writer and director of such films as bulldurham, White people can’t danceand tin cup— who recently wrote an outstanding book on writing and producing bulldurham have the right The Church of Baseball, Bull Durham’s Production: Home Runs, Bad Calls, Wild Fights, Big Swings and Hits.
Whether intentional or not, this book proves to be a consistently educational read for screenwriters, with endless anecdotes, examples, and lessons. In a series of posts, I’ll be covering some of the greatest screenwriting lessons I’ve found in his books and elaborating on his words of wisdom.
The first topic discussed? Cliche and formulaic screenwriting.
How clichés and formulaic screenwriting can make you a more successful screenwriter
Sheldon actually features words of wisdom he heard from iconic writer/director Sam Peckinpah (wild bunch, straw dog) while discussing writing some scenes bulldurham. He wrote:
“The road leads back to Sam Peckinpah again. Speaking of his Westerns, he said, “I love clichés because clichés create a direct connection with the audience. Clichés exist in the collective unconscious. What is cinema? Cinema is just a collection of clichés. The director’s job is to love clichés and use them To take a cliche and then go against it. You have to reinvent the cliche in a way that’s never been done before. That’s the director’s job. Peckinpah knew it was a writer’s work, too.
Cliched and formulaic screenwriting
cliché usually defined as something that has become overly familiar or commonplace.
formulaic can be defined as adhere to an established form or convention.
You can see the correlation between these two terms. In film and television, they refer to familiar elements of story and characterization, often presented in fixed forms familiar to audiences.
As Peckinpah says, clichés are good because they create a direct connection with the audience. This is cathartic. Catharsis is the most crucial element in a script, TV series, movie or TV series.
Through cinematic interpretation, catharsis occurs when we experience an emotional release following the ending of the story and the protagonist’s entire journey.
Have you ever seen a movie or read a script that stuck with you? When you walk out of the theater or close the play, you feel like you’ve been changed or affected.
- Maybe you went to see it la la land and really identifying with the two protagonists and their desire to achieve their dreams.
- maybe you have seen goodwill hunting and truly identify with Will’s struggle to overcome his inner demons.
Sometimes, the catharsis you feel is not because of your own experience, but because the script is well written and allows you to stand in the protagonist’s shoes and experience their catharsis. By the end of the film, you either share in their triumph against all odds or feel relief from their struggles amid tragedy.
This is the magic of an amazing script and film that leaves the reader or viewer truly moved, affected, and sometimes even changed. Clichés and formulaic screenwriting work for a reason. They prey on the audience’s desire for catharsis.
Read more: The 15 most important elements of a story
“Good Will Hunting” (1997)
Take a look at two of the most common clichés used in movies:
- Losers become champions
- losers become winners
Audiences fall in love with these clichés because they either identify with these types of stories and characters, or at least relate to them.
that’s why Loki and creed The movie is so successful despite the fact that the story it tells and the characters it focuses on are clichéd and written in a formulaic way.
it’s not necessarily about What Happened (cliches and formulaic screenwriting). this is about how This is really important.
Audiences want to be moved, entertained and/or informed. Screenwriters achieve these goals through clichés and formulaic screenwriting because these formulas and clichés exist in our collective consciousness. They penetrate our psyche and trigger emotional responses, including creating pure catharsis.
Of course, sometimes cliche plot devices work because they quickly achieve a simple goal for the audience or move the story forward in a visceral way.
- Hack into high-security systems in seconds
- Surprise witness in courtroom drama
- Investigating the role of scary sounds
- Cars explode when shot
There’s a reason clichés become clichés in movies and television, and it’s because they work. The same can be said for the increased use of clichés through formulaic screenwriting. Whether it’s through critical acclaim and Oscars, or box office success – clichés and formulaic screenwriting efforts. And they work well.
But screenwriters can also use clichés and formulas to subvert them, which can lead to a stronger outlet for certain films.
“Tenet” (2015)
Use clichés and formulaic scripts to mislead and surprise audiences
The truth is, to become a professional screenwriter, you need to accept clichés and formulaic screenwriting because 99% of writing contracts are for assignments. Studio/network/streaming assignments often require designing formulaic films.
- There’s a reason Lifetime thrillers and rom-coms, as well as Hallmark rom-coms and Christmas movies are so popular, with hundreds of them released every year – because audiences love the formula
- There’s a reason Marvel movies continue to be successful – because audiences love the formula
- There’s a reason romantic comedies were so successful at the time (and now they’re having a renaissance) – because audiences loved the formula
- There’s a reason why action movies continue to attract audiences – because audiences love the format
- There’s a reason traditional horror movies still work – because audiences love the formula
If you want to become a professional screenwriter, you need to become a master of movie clichés and formulas. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to do anything but write cookie-cutter movies. Quite the opposite in fact.
You can use this knowledge to subvert your audience’s expectations, which often enhances the viewing experience.
As Peckinpah said:
“Love a cliché, adopt a cliché, and then fight against it. You have to reinvent the cliché in a way that’s never been done before.”
This is where the writers show their true talent. You can’t escape clichés and formulaic screenwriting. This is part of the job. However, what do you able The thing to do is to twist, transform, transform and rework them where possible.
This is where the fun of screenwriting begins. When you see clichés and formulaic elements, ask yourself:
- What did they do?
- What else have they not done?
- What new can I bring to the table?
You’re better off keeping a lot of this in your story. As I said, there is a strong connection between audiences and clichéd and formulaic screenwriting. But the best way to stand out as a professional screenwriter is to know when to use them and when to subvert them.
“The Scapegoat” (2024)
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Regardless, being a screenwriter who understands and embraces clichés and formulas can make you a more successful screenwriter. Not every spec script will do everything happens at the same time. Yes, these unique and original scripts are popular in an industry filled with clichéd and formulaic movies and TV series. But the bread and butter of the screenwriting profession, and the film/TV industry in general, will involve movies and TV series that audiences are familiar with.
To stand out, your job is to meet those expectations and select key opportunities to disrupt them. Sometimes audiences will surprisingly resent you for doing this. Other times they will thank you. This is the life of a screenwriter.
Read more: Three things every screenwriter must do at the beginning of their career
Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.
As a production writer, he attended numerous studio meetings, meeting with companies such as Sony, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, Disney and Warner Bros., as well as numerous production and management companies. He previously signed a development deal with Lionsgate and has had several writing assignments, including starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haley ·The miniseries “Blackout” starring Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric LaSalle and Bruce Bucklina. Follow Ken on Twitter @ken电影 and Instagram @KenMovies76.
