The Art of Story

It is likely that we have all been to a movie in the past month or two – right? But how many movies have left you feeling as if the last two and a half hours of your life (and $20 of your hard earned cash) has just flushed down the toilet?  Why is this? Bad stories. Without question, the most important part of any great movie is a captivating story, a compelling script. However, we seem to be at a point in the history of cinema where anyone can call himself or herself a writer, and they indeed can write, but they are not producing great stories by any stretch of the imagination.

I personally have fought this battle many times: the battle of developing a story that is enthralling. It is no easy task by any means, and I will forever be in the process of perfecting my craft as a storyteller. There is a fundamental force of screenwriting that many young screenwriters are often forgetting. Every story must contain a beginning, middle and an end. If you were to ask any learned screenwriter what the most critical element of writing a good movie was, they would answer you according to the Robert McKee creed: Three-Act Structure. I am not the first to notice the increasing number of movies that are lacking in story structure these days, Spielberg has said, “People have forgotten how to tell a story. Stories don't have a middle or an end any more. They usually have a beginning that never stops beginning.” I do not know about you, but a never-ending beginning is not something that I enjoy, I want to see stories go places! And so does Robert McKee (portrayed by Brian Cox) in "Adaptation."

Now, we have established that there is indeed a problem, what do we, as screenwriters, do to remedy this dilemma? We practice; we study; we learn. While natural talent is an important piece of the puzzle, often, it is tempting to rely upon this talent alone to make you a great writer. In this process, it is so easy to neglect the discipline that is required to becoming a truly gifted screenwriter. No one wants to go to the movies to see the story of a hum drum main character simply living out their daily lives in a world in which nothing but the mundane happens. We must tell stories that transport our audiences to another world, in which they are able to escape their realities and be swept away into the trials, conflicts, adventures and excitement of a protagonist who is changing and challenging the audience themselves to grow. Author, Mason McCurry has written a new book entitled Daily Rituals: How Artists Work, in which he gives six routines that can be commonly found amongst great creative minds:

                                         
1. Be a morning person.
2. Don't give up the day job.
3. Take lots of walks.
4. Stick to a schedule.
5. Practice strategic substance abuse.
6. Learn to work anywhere.

We writers should try to put some of these rituals into practice ourselves. (Coffee and ice cream can count as substance abuse, right?) Not that these rituals will make anyone an expert overnight, but continual practice yields growth and establishing a routine will return results. Also, when you are writing, get a second opinion! Corner your best friend, roommate, boyfriend, girlfriend, whoever and ask them to read your screenplay, or better yet, read it to them. If you have honest relationships, they will tell you when your stories are no good – and sometimes the most beneficial feedback comes from where you least expect it!