Breaking & Entering: Secrets Only the Pros Know – When to Break the Rules

The absolute last thing I expected to tell aspiring writers was: “Break the rules!” Much less one that is considered sacrosanct in screenwriting. But you’re about to learn a secret that the pros know. Master this, and it will transform your writing into irresistible storytelling.

Screenwriting is filled with rules, conventions, and constraints, from the nuances and no-nos of formatting, to conveying emotions without committing the cinematic sin of failing to “Show, Not Tell.”

Whatever the rules; this column is about breaking them! But with the confidence and dexterity of an A-List screenwriter to take your character introductions from ho-hum to wowza!

In the sprit of “Show, Don’t Tell,” I’ll offer up examples of great character intros so you can experience the power of masterfully breaking the rules.

A-List writers use their storytelling skills and their distinctive voices to lure us into the world of their characters. I’ve written about the actual sensation we get when reading a script and knowing instantly that we are in the hands of a skilled storyteller. We can relax and allow the story to envelop us, to experience it as if we were watching a film, or in the very shoes of the characters. It is a bit magical. I’ve compared reading great writing to the experience of falling in love. Learn how to make readers swoon.

Many aspiring writers get caught up in “following the rules.” While some of these so-called rules are considered essential, others are outdated, or overridden by the needs of narrative, the tone of the story, and the voice of the writer. Confident in craft, professional writers are able to focus on cinematic storytelling.

While those of us who read are indeed on the lookout for scripts that “look” amateurish, and have pet peeves or red flags, I’m concerned that conventional wisdom places too much focus on the DO NOTS, and that can be crippling.

When rereading some of my favorite produced scripts I found a few typos. I neither fainted nor screamed. In fact, there's not one, but two typos in one of my examples, and you may very well gloss right over them.

Get the best screenwriting software you can afford, read some of the top books on the craft from past and present, read a lot of great screenplays, and a few bad ones too. Stumped about what scripts to read? Check out my Master Class Exercise, “Read, Watch, Repeat” on creating your own customized reading list.

Then get on with constantly generating ideas and writing the one you think is strongest – the one that you cannot get out of your head. It’s calling to you – so write it! Then rewrite it, get feedback, and repeat until you have taken it as far as you can possibly go. Then put it away, because you may come back to it later with a new perspective or deepened skills that will take it to the next level. And move on to the next idea that beckons to you.

Mastering the technical aspects of screenwriting allows experienced writers to stop thinking about them and focus on the most important rule of all: Telling a compelling story that grabs our interest and engrosses us from start to finish. Mission Number One of all storytelling.

Pro writers know that their job is to introduce readers, producers, directors, actors, and ultimately all the talented craftspeople who bring the story to the screen, to the main characters by distilling all that they know to a few essentials. What we need to know to grasp who the characters are at the outset, the role they serve in the story, and how they connect to each other and to the theme.

Great writers cheat by breaking one of the biggest rules in the screenwriting book – “Show, Don’t Tell.” They break the fourth wall. They say "we see." They call the shots when it's important. They forgo showing for telling when it matters most. But they do it with confidence, style, and the panache that comes from mastering their voice, and ensuring that it matches and supports both the tone and message.

The best introductions focus on what is essential to understand about the character’s personality. Impressive intros go a step further, conveying the hero’s flaw, which sets up the conflicts and themes of the entire story.

You may have been taught to include each character’s exact age in parentheses. That adds visual clutter when you want to give your reader a smooth reading experience. If it's important, incorporate it. Kids are the exception, as the difference between five and fifteen is a thousand. That’s the only rule I’d write in stone.

Others list physical attributes. Hair and eye color, height, body type, ethnicity, and specific clothing – but lists are dry, and often these characteristics aren’t significant. And this can be needlessly limiting when you want the roles to be seen as castable.

Some writers create extensive character bios. While it’s great for you to understand them, backstory cannot easily be conveyed cinematically. Flat out "telling" sounds flat. That's where tone and voice elevate it to art. 

Introducing your main characters is packed with potential to impress readers with your skills and draw us into your story. The good news is they are one the most acceptable and impactful places to break the rules!

Aim for a single, lean, and exceptionally written paragraph:

As many times as you’ve been told not to do the director's job, pro's character intros often specify camera angles. You might also find “we see” – another cardinal rule in the contemporary era of screenwriting trampled upon. Having being told that you absolutely, positively, should not, cannot, must not do this, seeing these writers do so might be infuriating. But they use it judiciously and purposefully. It is pulling us in, not a crutch for falling short of indicating the camera’s point of view – what we see as we see it – with their words.

Heroes get star-worthy introductions that attract A-List actors. Scenes often build to the reveal of the protagonist, piquing our interest and adding a touch of tension and suspense. Intrigued, we barely notice as exposition is slipped in.

In Casablanca by Julius J. Epstein and Howard Koch, the opening is packed with essential exposition. The backdrop of the world is established – starting with a spinning globe, then the era in voice-over narration. We arrive in Casablanca, a city filled with corruption, where refugees desperately seek a way to flee the coming of WWII. Nazis arrive. We're literally drawn into the whirlwind of Rick's Cafe Americain, the employees and customers, the music, drinking, and gambling. Amidst this, we see Rick’s hand, then he reaches for his cigarette, and only when he brings it to his lips is Humphrey Bogart – in a white tuxedo – finally revealed, eleven pages in. That's a build to an intro fit for a star!

In The Fisher King by Richard LaGravenese, we see people listening to Jack’s popular shock jock radio show. We only see Jack’s hands as he plays sound effects, his lips as he tosses off callous quips to callers. His relentless, merciless patter, all in voice-over, as people start their days, listening to the radio. 

We even see his silhouette in shadow. But Jeff Bridges is not fully seen until the broadcast wraps. His arrogance to the staff is on full display. When the story skips to a year later, LaGravenese mirrors this prologue. Jack is concealed behind a tabloid until Anne swats the paper away underscoring that has gone from the cusp of fame and fortune to being down and out. BOOM! A hero's intro, twice, for juxtaposition.

Big risks bring big rewards!

Introducing characters in action accomplishes multiple goals. Action is visual and grabs our attention. It reveals character by showing personality and behavior. It allows you to advance the plot while introducing the protagonist. Serving two purposes in one scene makes for strong scenes. Subtext can reveal more complexity and authenticity than might be conveyed in dialogue. Learn more about how to use subtext here.

Action is an opportunity to showcase your protagonist’s skills and reveal their flaw. Their weakness or problem is the key to how they will change over the course of the story – their arc. Great characters have a great flaw and face great conflicts. This means big growth and change – a significant arc – must happen for them to triumph at the climax. Arc illustrates the theme. So this is your opportunity to seed in the theme at the outset – one of the most potent ways to create meaningful and resonant stories.

When great writers introduce their characters in action what is happening is unique, distinctive, and makes us want to know more.

Think Walter White driving a Winnebago careening through the desert – wearing only a gas mask and underwear… In the passenger seat is a man who has been shot, in the back, remnants of a meth lab crash, and two dead bodies roll about. Do we want desperately to know what happened to lead to this? Hell yes! This opening primes us for the unexpected to happen again and again. 

Thelma and Louise, a waitress and a housewife. Two ordinary women doing "women's work" – each slamming dirty coffee cups – an intentional far cry from where their story will take them – an adventurous road trip to break free of their daily lives and, ultimately, a crime spree. A contemporary, feminist western.

Each introduction conveys that Thelma and Louise seem trapped in their settings, representing their lives. 

The Dude, in Bermuda shorts and sunglasses who goes from checking milk in a grocery store in the middle of the night to arriving home and having his head plunged into the toilet while a man demands, “We want that money, Lebowski.” 

Character introductions in action help us connect us to your hero by drawing us into their world and their conflicts. Getting the reader invested in the outcome is key to keeping them turning pages.

Frank Darabont's adaptation of the Stephen King novella to the film The Shawshank Redemption, is a textbook in strong writing on every count that counts. Although he is writer-director and will literally get to “call the shots,” he does not clutter the page with camera angles.

His character introductions are masterful, strategic, and reveal who the characters are in the context of the world in which they exist. His use of language gives the sense that every word choice is deliberate. And he uses the power of The Rule of Threes, creating and breaking patterns with series of three adjective and three sentences.

This character intro is a fascinating study in contrasts, as Andy himself will be throughout the story. Notice the sentence structure. Three physical descriptors. Three personality traits. A transition sentence that tells not shows, conveying tone, foreshadowing, and creating mystery as all is not as it seems. Three sentences follow. Three details which are strikingly dissimilar from the first set. A visual that underscores subtext. A final line that points straight to the plot, hinting at the inciting incident.

In three sentences Darabont tells us about his protagonist with flowing visuals that match Red’s movements and offer a compelling “hero’s entrance” without calling the shots. First, we see how Red moves through the yard. Along the way, a single but telling detail about his clothing. And then Darabont straight up tells us how Red is regarded by the other prisoners. This significant element is conveyed in a deft cheat that will play out visually. It’s a brief moment in the film, but we learn volumes, as this character introduction focuses not on the specifics of Red’s appearance or age, but on how he operates and is perceived in the world of the story.

FUN FACT: The character was named “Red” because he was originally Irish, while the great actor Morgan Freeman is not. Another reason why insignificant specifics do not enhance character introductions and could needlessly limit casting.

As with Red’s intro, we learn three things about Warden Norton, the primary antagonist. All the words are edgy, dark, and evocative, painting a disquieting picture. One specific detail about his attire that goes straight to his character, a strategic metaphor that will illustrate “this man is not who he seems,” and description that conveys how Norton regards prisoners. All significant story elements.

Ironically, when polishing this column, or to be honest, while seeking distraction from polishing this column, I drifted to a social media screenwriting group and saw this post:

Unsurprisingly, this stirred up quite a bit of controversy. To be expected with group dynamics. I do have a rule here: Browse to see what’s on screenwriters’ minds, but make no comment. However, in this case, I had to chime in and support the Original Poster. It is true that the first few lines can convince us that there is a talented writer’s voice.

This sent me scurrying to read the openings of dozens of my favorite screenplays – not to mention another diversion from polish pass Number Three. What I found was great opening scenes, incredible first pages, and distinctive voices deftly setting the tone. Hooks that leave us absolutely dying to know more, setting the stage with the character and their world, and hinting at the story to come, as well as the theme. They break rules, they take liberties, they are intriguing and visceral. They set the tone and pull us into the moment!

These were mesmerizing. It was difficult to tear myself away and not keep reading. That's the power of openings. I’ve started accumulating great Page Ones, but that is a topic for another day. Meanwhile, make a return visit to reread the openings of your favorite writer's scripts and your favorite films for inspiration, elevating your work to be in their league.

Once you’ve gotten rid of the training wheels, try incorporating these rule-busters the way the pros do. This is the kind of writing that will grow your fan base, and that is the essential step to building a career.

Part Two of this series explores the use of “The Deft Cheat,” that masterfully breaks the ironclad rule, “Show, Don’t Tell,” within scenes so that it is compelling, captivating, and utterly indispensable. Expect more examples showing how the pros do it – far more illuminating than telling!