So-Called Screenwriting ‘Rules’: Part 12
There are conventions. There are expectations. There are patterns. But the simple fact is… THERE ARE NO SCREENWRITING RULES!
Awhile back, I posted this about an occurrence that happens with irritating regularity in the online screenwriting universe: The contentious specter of so-called screenwriting ‘rules’. More below.
What happens is pretty much this:
- Somebody posts something about how there is a rule against doing this or that.
- That circulates as people bat around the idea.
- Professional writers catch wind of it, then lambaste the shit out of the thesis in question.
- The ‘debate’ fades away…
- Until the next time it arises.
- Again…
- And again…
So it occurred to me, why not just deal with it once and for all! Get every single supposed screenwriting rule out on the table, then go through them, one by one, to see if we can take all the heat that typically gets generated when one of these online snits breaks out and collectively create some actual light.
In other words, let’s make this a real learning experience and hopefully in the process, put some of this nonsense to bed for good.
I asked for your help in aggregating these ‘rules’ and as always, the GITS community responded. I’ve gone through them all, thought about it, and here is my plan: Do a 3-week series on “So-Called Screenwriting ‘Rules’”.
Week 1: As long as we’re going to take the time to go through this stuff, I figured we might as well put it all into some perspective: historical, theoretical, and practical. I’m going to start that process today:
Part 1: The Organic Nature of the Screenplay
Part 2: The Emergence of the Selling Script
Part 3: The Evolution of Screenplay Format and Style
Part 4: There are no screenwriting ‘rules’
Part 5: There are expectations
Week 2: I’ve sorted out five real nuts-and-bolts items which I will analyze and discuss one per day in our second week:
Part 6: We See / We Hear
Part 7: Unfilmables
Part 8: Action Paragraphs — 3 Lines Max
Part 9: CUT TO (Transitions)
Part 10: Parentheticals
Week 3: Readers made several suggestions that are about larger narrative choices, so let’s take those on as well:
Part 11: Flashbacks
Part 12: Voice-over Narration
Part 13: Sympathetic Protagonist
Part 14: Protagonist and Shifting Goals
Part 15: Certain Events By Certain Pages
Before we jump into this, a caveat: Everything I post in this series is my opinion. I think it’s safe to say it’s a pretty well-informed take seeing as I’ve been writing scripts since 1986 and teaching since 2002. But again, I’m simply expressing my perspective. It’s incumbent upon you to sort out your own approach to screenwriting style and the single best thing you can do in that regard is read scripts, especially screenplays written within the last 5 years as they represent the latest trends.
With that, forward into the breach!
Part 12: Voice-over Narration
Voice-over narration is a no-no, right? It’s “flaccid, sloppy writing,” so says Robert McKee’s character in the 2002 movie Adaptation.
Then there’s this:
VOICE-OVER NARRATION
The Shawshank Redemption [#1]
Fight Club [#10]
Goodfellas [#15]
Forrest Gump [#18]
It’s a Wonderful Life [#30]
Sunset Blvd. [#32]
Apocalypse Now [#35]
Citizen Kane [#46]
American Beauty [#54]
Double Indemnity [#57]
A Clockwork Orange [#64]
To Kill a Mockingbird [#70]
The Apartment [#98]
Out of the top 100 movies on the IMDB best of list, all of these use voice-over narration. Let’s face it: Some of the greatest movies of all time use this narrative device. So who are you going to believe. A fictional bloviating character from a Charlie Kaufman movie — which by the way uses voice-over narration! — or the compelling, haunting V.O. from all of these memorable films?
I did a multi-part series on this subject last year. Here are links to my analysis of voice-over narration in five notable movies:
These movies provide some keys to why a writer should consider using voice-over narration:
- Entertainment value, especially if the V.O. is funny (A Christmas Story)
- Provide foreknowledge and create a mystery (American Beauty)
- Memoir, unreliable narrator and a big twist (Fight Club)
- Narrative device (recording) and confession (Double Indemnity)
- Bridging time jumps and tracing the deeply personal arc of a character’s metamorphosis (The Shawshank Redemption)
One big piece of advice: If you are considering using voice-over narration, you should do so in conjunction with what you determine your Narrative Voice is. By using V.O. narration, you put a specific, visceral stamp on your Narrative Voice, so you’d better be damned sure you know what that voice is.
Now allow me to copy and paste the summation of what I wrote about flashbacks:
Yes, we are well advised to bear in mind the general prejudice of Hollywood readers against the use of voice-over narration in a selling script, but I assure you — there is no rule outlawing them.
Again embrace the mantra: Tools, not rules.
If voice-over narration is essential to the telling of your story…
If you can use it in a unique way…
If you can create compelling moments with it…
If it helps make your story kick major ass…
Use it.
But make sure you know what you’re doing. How? Read scripts. Dozens and dozens of scripts which use voice-over narration. When it works, determine why. When it doesn’t, figure out why not. And watch movies. Same thing. What works. What doesn’t.
Know this: If you employ voice-over narration in a lazy way, simply to provide exposition, a pair of talking heads, no visual distinction, making for a flat scene… you will not be doing your script and yourself any favors.
Voice-over narration is a tool. Use it well and it can help you construct a more entertaining story.
If you have any questions or observations, please head to comments. Again, as long as we are taking such a comprehensive approach to this content, let’s do it to the max. I want to hear your thoughts and am glad to make this an extended conversation with a goal of putting this subject into a more helpful perspective.
Next: Sympathetic Protagonist.
