Coffee Break Screenwriter Breaks The Rules Sample PDF

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Is Breaking Bad?
Pilar Alessandras popular book, Th e C o f f e e B r e a k S c r e e n w r i te r ,
the
was a bestseller because it taught writers how to do something few coffee break
thought possible write a script ten minutes at a time. screenwriter
With this new book, she again shows writers how to expand their skills
by challenging the established rules of screenwriting. In this small
but powerful guide, Pilar discusses every major screenwriting rule,
revealing why it exists and when writers should break it. The result?
Breaks
A script crackling with creative surprises!
Totally indispensable. If Id had this 30 years ago, Id have saved 30 years.

Ted Raimi, writer / director, Lionsgate Online; actor, Spider-Man
the Rules
A succinct, clear guide find and polish the diamond hidden in your script!
Jen Klein, writer / co-producer, Greys Anatomy, Star
Living proof that rules are meant to be broken often and with glee!
Rich Fulcher, writer, Rick and Morty, Snuff Box, The Mighty Boosh, Disenchantment
Pilar Alessandra started her career as a senior story analyst BREAKS THE RULES
at DreamWorks SKG. In 2001, she opened the Los Angelesbased
On the Page Writers Studio, dedicated to consulting with and educating
screenplay and TV writers. Pilar hosts the On the Page Podcast, further
discussing many of the writing tips and techniques covered in her
renowned The Coffee Break Screenwriter. An in-demand speaker, shes
traveled the world teaching writing, and leading seminars at studios
including Disney Animation, ABC, CBS, and MTV. www.onthepage.tv
- A Guide for the Rebel Writer -

MICHAEL WIESE PRODUCTIONS | WWW.MWP.COM
Published by Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 379-8799, (818) 986-3408 (FAX)
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Cover design by Johnny Ink. www.johnnyink.com

Interior layout by William Morosi
Copyediting by Ross Plotkin
Printed by McNaughton & Gunn
Manufactured in the United States of America

Copyright 2018 by Pilar Alessandra
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
permission in writing from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
The author acknowledges the copyright owners of the motion pictures from which single frames
have been used in this book for purposes of commentary, criticism, and scholarship under the
Fair Use Doctrine.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Alessandra, Pilar, author.

Title: The coffee break screenwriter breaks the rules : a guide for the rebel
writer / By Pilar Alessandra.
Other titles: Guide for the rebel writer
Description: Studio City, CA : Michael Wiese Productions, [2018]
Identifiers: LCCN 2017025958 | ISBN 9781615932825
Subjects: LCSH: Motion picture authorship.
Classification: LCC PN1996 .A485 2018 | DDC 808.2/3--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017025958
Printed on Recycled Stock

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION xi
HOW THIS BOOK WORKS xiii
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK xv
CHAPTER 1:
WHERE DO THEY GET THIS STUFF? 1
Where do these rules come from and why are
they there?
CHAPTER 2:
VOICEOVER AND FLASHBACK AND WALL
BREAKING . . . OH MY 4
The Rule: Never use voiceover.
The Rule: Never use flashback.
The Rule: Breaking the fourth wall is a no-no.
Other rules discussed: Dream sequences and fantasy
sequences.
vii
viii THE COFFEE BREAK SCREENWRITER BREAKS THE RULES
CHAPTER 3:
LETTING YOUR CHARACTERS RUN WILD 14
The Rule: The main character must be likable.
The Rule: Your main character must have an arc.
The Rule: Characters need to verbally reveal their
backstory.
The Rule: Character description must be physical.
Other rules discussed: Only one main character. Main
character must save the day. Main character cant die.
Gay and transgender tropes.
CHAPTER 4:
SAY WHAT YOU MEAN, MEAN WHAT YOU SAY 29
The Rule: Dont write long dialogue scenes.
The Rule: Speaking directly is on the nose.
Other rules discussed: Subtitles and parenthesis.
CHAPTER 5:
FREEDOM FROM FORMAT 41
The Rule: Scenes must begin with proper
scene headers.
The Rule: Never add emotion to action description.
The Rule: Never describe what cant be seen.
Other rules discussed: World-specific terminology.
Naming characters. Camera direction. Script length.
CONTENTS ix
CHAPTER 6:
NEWS FLASH: THERE IS NO STRUCTURE JAIL 56
The Rule: The story must be linear.
The Rule: Act breaks and events must fall on
certain pages.
Other rules discussed: Readers passing on scripts due
to structural issues.
CHAPTER 7:
WHAT NOT TO WRITE... AND OTHER RULES
THAT DONT HOLD UP 65
The Rule: Write what you know.
The Rule: You have to write in one form and
one genre.
The Rule: Producers only want scripts with white,
male, leading characters.
The Rule: Producers only want scripts with characters
under the age of fifty.
Other rules discussed: The need to live in LA. Age
of screenwriters. Period pieces. Writing sequels and
trilogies. Scripts about politics and religion. What
readers want.
CONCLUSION:
RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN 82
Acknowledgments 84
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 86

HOW THIS BOOK WORKS
The Coffee Break Screenwriter Breaks the Rules is

broken down into seven chapters that take on the most
common rules associated with script writing.
Chapter 1 covers why the rules exist at all. I mean, who

came up with this stuff?
Chapter 2 covers storytelling devices like flashbacks and

voiceovers.
Chapter 3 focuses on character including likeability

issues and backstory.
Chapter 4 digs into dialogue issues such as lengthy dis-

cussions and on the nose writing.
Chapter 5 focuses on format and the expression of

emotion and visuals.
Chapter 6 dares to tackle structure and nonlinear writing.
Chapter 7 takes on the industry in regard to demograph-

ics, gender, and producer expectations.
xiii
xiv THE COFFEE BREAK SCREENWRITER BREAKS THE RULES
For every rule thats covered, we discuss...
1. WHY IT EXISTS
2. WHY YOU SHOULD BREAK IT
3. HOW TO BREAK IT
4. HOW BREAKING IT CAN BREAK BAD
5. WHO BROKE IT BEST
Youll also see True/False questions sprinkled throughout.

As a screenwriting teacher and script coach who has
read thousands of scripts from production companies,
studios, and aspiring writers, its my belief that there are
a handful of rules that actually work and some that are
plain silly. And, watch out, as I may lay down a few rules
of my own.
Of course, you can always try and break those as well.

Youre the writer!
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
This should be a book you can go to time and time

again whenever youre writing or rewriting a new screen-
play, TV pilot, short film, or web series.
Read this book from beginning to end to get inspired to

become the rebel writer that you secretly are...
OR
Jump to a rule you want to know more about and learn

why its there and how to break it creatively. Remain
open. The why its there section might actually inspire
you to apply the rule, rather than break it.
xv
There are no rules in filmmaking.
Only sins. And the cardinal sin
is dullness.
Frank Capra
CHAPTER 1
WHERE DO THEY GET

THIS STUFF?
WHERE DO THESE RULES COME FROM?
Quick answer: Books, the internet, Aristotle, and you.
Yeah you. Sure there are screenwriters, executives, story

analysts, and others whove written countless books
and created courses that give lessons and offer graphs
filled with story patterns and page demarcations. I wrote
one too! But, it was you, the writer, who took all of this
stuff as law.
1
2 THE COFFEE BREAK SCREENWRITER BREAKS THE RULES
If writers (and production companies) just saw this for

what it was all really meant to be, guidance, everyone
wouldnt be so stressed out.
RULES, GUIDANCE, WHATEVER.

WHY ARE THE RULES THERE?
To remind you of the patterns and rhythms of suc-

cessful screenplays.
To help you organize your thoughts and story.
To keep you from overwriting.
To stay within a form that translates to other areas of

the industry.
To remind you of audience expectation.
Youll find many rules have common sense or good

writing technique at their core. You should always con-
sider the rule and its intention before you purposely
break it. There might actually be something in it that
can help you.
SO, WHY BREAK THE RULES?
Because youre always looking for that one thing that

sets your script apart.
WHERE DO THEY GET THIS STUFF? 3
Because writing to formula can kill a story.
Because you want to keep the reader (and audience)

from getting too comfortable.
Because you secretly want to.
The safe writer is the unemployed writer. He or she

keeps getting the comment, Interesting, but not for us.
You want to turn this around to Fascinating. We dont
have anything like it!
SHOULD I BREAK ALL OF THE RULES?
No.
I mean, come on! Just because it appears to be a rule,

doesnt mean its bad for you. Like changing up just
one element in your script, breaking only one rule can
change everything. Do this too much and youll have a
story thats muddy within a form thats unrecognizable.
Rebel, but rebel gracefully.

CHAPTER 2
VOICEOVER AND
FLASHBACK AND WALL
BREAKING . . . Oh My
Whenever I ask a screenwriter about rules, the first

things that come up are voiceover and flashback.
Perhaps thats because theyve heard that they should
never, ever use these devices, then watch puzzled as
binge-worthy TV shows constantly employ flashback and
every Oscar nominated movie begins with narration. Im
equally puzzled, so its time to talk it through.
4
VOICEOVE R AND FL ASHBACK AND WALL B RE AK ING . . . Oh My 5
THE RULE:
NEVER USE VOICEOVER
WHY IT EXISTS
Film is a visual medium. (Show, dont tell.)
Leaning on voiceover encourages the writer to be

lazy with storytelling.
Voiceover has the potential to create a static shot.

Whats going on while someone is narrating? Most of
the time, not much.
WHY BREAK IT
Well-crafted voiceover can bring poetry into a scene.
Voiceover provides the opportunity to convey what

the dialogue and scene direction cannot.
Voiceover can create an all-knowing or truth-telling

character for the audience.
Voiceover can streamline an epic story by filling in

the timeline.
HOW TO BREAK IT
Make sure your voiceover is balanced throughout

the script. Layer it into the story and well feel like its
just another character talking to us. Or, bookend the

script with it so that the script feels like a fable.
Make sure your voiceover is tonally consistent.

By doing this, well begin to understand that the
voiceover is there as the punch line (Election), or
the inner-thought (Mr. Robot), or the guide who
moves us through time and place (The Shawshank
Redemption).
Make sure your voiceover doesnt switch tense. We

need to know the person speaking to us is either
talking in the moment or from a future looking back
on past events.
Make sure your voiceover is bringing a new ele-

ment or information into the scene. Is it bringing
wisdom, humor, or information to the scene that
we cant get by just watching the story? Yes? Then
break the rule!
HOW BREAKING IT CAN BREAK BAD
When writers write too much of it! A little goes a long

way with voiceover. When we dont see the words
actually come out of a characters mouth, we hear
only what we need to, then tune out as we search
for the visual story.
When clumps of voiceover compete with clumps

of scene direction. Instead layer the voiceover and
action. Tell us something, then show us something.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
When youre telling us what were clearly seeing

anyway. No matter how clever the voiceover is, if
youre doing this, the audience will get impatient.
When youre narrating a story like its an epic novel.

If you think you can stuff two stories into one by
adding voiceover, think again. Your voiceover really
should contribute not give us pages and pages of
exposition or backstory.
WHO BROKE IT BEST
The Shawshank Redemption, Raising Arizona,

Election, Jane the Virgin
THE RULE:
NEVER USE FLASHBACK
WHY IT EXISTS
Because writers often neglect their central stories in

favor of dwelling on the past.
Because flashbacks can become a crutch to reveal a

secret or answer a question when that answer should
be earned.
Because it can stop the action as a character takes

time to reflect on a past event.
WHY BREAK IT
A through-line of well-crafted flashbacks can create

intriguing subplots.
Flashbacks can build out a mystery.
Flashbacks can reveal an amusing or shocking truth

behind a present-day lie.
Flashbacks can replace needless exposition.
HOW TO BREAK IT
Figure out what story you want to tell with a flash-

back and break it into pieces. Keeping the story
linear, add those pieces prior to key plot points to
move the contemporary story forward.
Take your current flashbacks and edit them to be

short and punchy. Flash an image or flash a
spoken line. Dont linger.
Use your flashback to illustrate a truth. If someone

lies in the contemporary story, quickly flash to reveal
an image that shows the truth.
If you start with a shocking teaser, flash pieces of

the teaser throughout the story for genre effect, but
also to eventually show us what we didnt see in that

teaser. Perhaps a later flashback reveals who the killer
actually was or which character was witnessing the
action. Or, perhaps this revealing part of the event
will come from another characters point of view.
A flashback of a new point of view or context can

help a main character resolve his or her problem.
Looking back through another lens helps us under-
stand the final reveal in movies like The Sixth Sense
or Fight Club.
Flash back constantly and youll lose ground on your

more important, contemporary story.
Flash to moments for shock value alone and the

reader will feel emotionally manipulated.
Fail to indicate that were in a flashback by leaving

that information out of the scene header and youll
lose the reader entirely. Its ok to write:
FLASHBACK: INT. DINING HALL NIGHT
or
INT. DINING HALL NIGHT 1961

WHO BROKE IT BEST
Manchester by the Sea, Bloodline (season 1), The

Usual Suspects, The Sixth Sense, Lost, Citizen Kane,
Black-ish, Orange Is the New Black
THE RULE:
BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL IS A NO-NO
WHY IT EXISTS
Its an intrusive device that demands the audience

pay attention and become involved.
It can overshadow the movie or TV show, constantly

pulling the reader or audience out of the action.
WHY YOU SHOULD BREAK IT
Because its such an intrusive device it feels rebel-

lious. Thats why super rebels like Deadpool, Frank
Underwood from House of Cards, and the lead
character from Fleabag stop what theyre doing to
talk right to us. Thats why mischievous Jim from
The Office gives us a private raise of an eyebrow.
These characters dont care about the rules and, by
breaking the fourth wall, you indicate that you clearly
dont either.
HOW TO BREAK IT
Let us in on the thought behind a key choice as the

character pushes toward a new sequence or act.
FRANCIS
Shes wary. I can see it in her
eyes.
(and now to the camera)
Walkers political capital rises
or falls with the success of this
bill. And I need to be at the
center of it.
From House of Cards by Michael Dobbs
Again, devices such as this are great for revealing

truth. If other characters are trying to get away with a
lie, your character can look right at the camera and
tell the truth.
FLEABAG
(to camera)
Shes uptight and beautiful and
probably anorexic, but clothes
look awesome on her.
From Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
You can also throw the audience off base for a

moment; making us feel like a voyeur as a character
scolds us for continuing to hang around or teases us
with the reminder that we havent been forgotten.
Youre still here? Its over. Go

home. Go.
From Ferris Buellers Day Off by John Hughes
The fact is that breaking the fourth wall dares to

involve the audience so, if you use it carelessly, it
will make that same audience feel put off. For that
reason, have your character address the audience
only when it serves story, character, or genre.
When this device is used along with other devices

such as voiceover and flashback, the script feels over-
loaded and gimmicky. Choose one or the other.
When theres only one random aside rather

than carefully placing these moments throughout a
script you take us out of the reality of the story
and run the risk of never bringing us back in.
WHO BROKE IT BEST
House of Cards, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Fleabag,

Annie Hall, Deadpool
MAKING MY OWN RULE:

LOSE THE DREAM SEQUENCES
Dream sequences. I hate them. They add needless

filler to a script, are completely unreliable for informa-
tion, and dont move story. There, I said it. Now, feel
free to break it and show me that Im wrong.
TRUE OR FALSE? I hate dream sequences but I dont mind

fantasy sequences.
ANSWER: TRUE!
Both devices give a sense of subconscious desire,

but dream sequences are unreliable and too open to
analysis. A fantasy sequence shows desire in a dra-
matic or funny way in the actual moment the story is
taking place. We understand its role in the story and
can easily determine by snapping back to reality
whats real and what isnt.
If you do use fantasy sequences as a device, follow

the guidelines of voiceover and flashback, making
sure to be consistent and using it to help tell story.
CHAPTER 3
LETTING YOUR
CHARACTERS RUN WILD
As a writer, you dont like restraints on your creativity. So

why restrain your characters by assuming they need to
act a certain way in a certain situation? This chapter lets
your characters run free and find out who they really are.
We start right off the bat with the idea of likability, a

rule that, when dutifully followed, can cause a good
script to completely lose its spark. We then explore the
need for character arc, shake our heads at indulgent,
verbal backstory, and remind ourselves that beauty in
characters is only skin-deep.
14
THE RULE:
THE MAIN CHARACTER MUST BE LIKABLE
WHY IT EXISTS
To make the audience root for the character and / or

get behind the characters eyes.
To make us feel theres a possibility for redemption.
WHY BREAK IT
We secretly admire characters who take risks and do

shocking things. Case in point: Walter White, Tony
Soprano, Nurse Jackie, and the entire cast of Its
Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
A super-flawed character deserves the second act or

season trouble he or she might get into. Think about
a movie like Groundhog Day. Main character Phil is
a crabby weatherman who needs to learn a lesson
about appreciating the people and things around him.
For that reason hes forced to experience the same
day over and over again until he gets it right.
A defined character is stronger than one who lives

in the grey areas. In TV shows like Girls and Silicon
Valley, the ensemble is often narcissistic and self-
ish. But, those qualities also guarantee conflict as we
follow a variety of bad choices down the rabbit hole
of the seasons.
Imposing a nice moment on a character can feel

inauthentic and take the reader or audience out of
the moment. An audience knows when its being
played. A phony moment in a script will push the
reader away. An unlikable but interesting moment
will make the reader dig in to see where this is
all going.
HOW TO BREAK IT
Create a bigger jerk: Make someone in your script

more unlikable than your main character. (Pushy
boss, selfish girlfriend, womanizing friend.)
Show the context: The audience is privy to the big

picture. Show us the context of his or her bad mood
and well be on the characters side.
Balance flaw with skill: Show something the main

character does well. Often that flaw is a result of the
pressure of that skill. Sometimes that skill cant be
present without giving into the flaw.
Show the consequences. Well empathize with the

characters if theyre suffering for their sins. Plus, the
message of the piece comes through without lecture.
Heres what will happen to us, we learn, if we choose
to follow our baser instincts.
In a feature film if something doesnt happen once

act two begins that at least challenges the main char-
acter to be better, youre in danger of flaw overkill.
In a pilot, if we dont get a sense that there will be

weekly tests for the character, well feel that its just
a celebration of his awfulness. That might make the
show unlikeable... not just the main character.
Breaking it will definitely break bad if you are

unaware that your character is flawed. If you think his
selfishness, cruelty, racism or misogyny is cool, then
youre in danger of being unlikable.
WHO BROKE IT BEST
Empire, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Game

of Thrones, Shameless, Pulp Fiction, Nurse Jackie,
Groundhog Day, Girls, Silicon Valley, Veep, Silver
Linings Playbook
THE RULE:
YOUR MAIN CHARACTER MUST HAVE AN ARC
WHY IT EXISTS
To keep characters from feeling one-dimensional.
To bring depth to a story, allowing us in on emotional

journey rather than just a physical one.
WHY BREAK IT
Certain genres such as action movies and broad com-

edies better maintain their edge and humor when the
main character remains the same from start to finish.
Franchise potential emerges with a character who is

as brave or crazy at the end as he or she is at the
beginning of the movie. Think about James Bond or
Ace Ventura.
A television character keeps audiences tuning in

each week by not changing, or changing as little as
possible. The hook of Seinfeld, Its Always Sunny in
Philadelphia, and Curb Your Enthusiasm is that were
treated to characters who learn as little as possible.
And when there is a character arc in a dramatic TV
series, its a slow burn. Wed stop watching Don
Draper, Walter White, and Nurse Jackie act out if their
character arc led them to fully change by the end of
a season. In one season on Nurse Jackie, for exam-
ple, we follow her journey to sobriety, only to watch
her pop a pill in the last episode. This regression
allows us to start all over again with her super-flawed
character in the next season.
HOW TO BREAK IT
Your character may not change, but the world and

people around him or her should. To keep your story
feeling like a story, make sure that your main charac-
ter motivates, encourages, or directly creates change
in the people he or she comes into contact with. That
way theres an arc in the actual story line even if
its not the main characters personal arc.
Heighten your characters activity. We often watch

film or TV to see how characters deal with events.
In this case your main character is the event. He or
she is the tornado that whips up the town. Prove
that your character is so special, heroic, strange, fun,
or magical, that he or she deserves to be the same
person going out as coming in.
Just because a character doesnt have a full or rec-

ognizable arc, doesnt mean that theyre not human.
So beware of making your character cartoonish in a
way that doesnt feel relatable. (Mind you, I didnt
say likable.) The main character cant inspire change
in others if he or she isnt making a real emotional
connection.
Eventually, even James Bond was given a full arc. In

2006, we see Daniel Craigs Bond begin the movie as
an agent who kills for his job, but end the movie bent
on avenging the woman he loves. This all proves that
people really can change even though sometimes it
takes forty-four years of movies to get them there.
WHO BROKE IT BEST
James Bond, Ace Ventura, Austin Powers, Larry David,

Larry Sanders, Selina Meyer, Ferris Bueller, The Dude
THE RULE:
CHARACTERS NEED TO VERBALLY
REVEAL THEIR BACKSTORY
WHY IT EXISTS
To help us understand and identify with the character.
To create a life-context when he or she does some-

thing wrong.
WHY BREAK IT
Action and choice within the story help us get to

know a character. If you rely on verbally delivered
backstory to do that, youre cheating us of some key
character development.
Because youre giving your protagonist a crutch to

explain away his or her flaw and youre giving your
antagonist an excuse for being horrible.
The pace of a script can get bogged down when the

writer stops to rehash the past. Correction: It will get
bogged down!
Verbal devices that relay backstory such as mono-

logue or storytelling can feel old-fashioned and
contrived. Youll keep audiences on the edge of their
seats if you keep them guessing rather than leading
them by the nose.
HOW TO BREAK IT
If characters were influenced by specific eras during

which they grew up, give them behaviors and props
reflective of those time periods. Everything gives
away a persons history; the expressions they use, the
songs they hum, the clothes they wear.
Make sure your characters react to the characters

and world around them. We get to know characters
through their emotional responses.
Familiarity or awkwardness between characters will

convey a relationship history. No need to talk about
it when two people are showing it.
Show the characters stage of life with windows into

how they live, where and how they work, who theyre
friends with, etc. Audiences are smart. Theyll fill in
the blanks on their own.
If writers dangle a backstory mystery, but never reveal

the truth, the story will be unsatisfying and feel unfin-
ished. Sometimes after working hard to get there, a
character just has to say the secret out loud.
If theres the suggestion of conflict in a relationship

thats never satisfactorily revealed, we leave the script
with unanswered questions.
If the ending hinges on a backstory secret and you

havent alluded to it in any way prior to the third act,
well leave the script feeling puzzled.
WHO BROKE IT BEST
The Road, The Walking Dead.

DISCLAIMER: Backstory in these examples may indeed
be verbally discussed. But when its finally delivered,
its earned.
THE RULE:
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
MUST BE PHYSICAL
WHY IT EXISTS
To create a specificity that helps us see the

character.
To help casting directors bring the correct physical

type into their casting calls.
WHY BREAK IT
Physical specificity actually rules out creative and

diverse casting. Will the casting be open to a black or
Latina actress if shes described as a tall blonde?
Female characters are constantly described in terms

of their beauty or body type which is sexist and,
frankly, uninteresting.
Here are some examples curated by Ross Putman and

posted on his Twitter site @femscriptintros:
JANE, 33, stunning with (former) cover

girl looks.
JANE, 30s, pretty enough, is standing at

the table.
JANE, with lengthy blonde hair, enters.
The woman with strawberry blonde hair.

Her eyes are chocolate brown. Her ruby
red lips break into a grin. This is JANE
(23).
HOW TO BREAK IT
Describe personality and skills. In The Coffee Break

Screenwriter I also spoke about just getting a sense
of a characters essence.
DOROTHY VAUGHAN (40s) slides out from

under the car. No-nonsense, brilliant,
tough, mechanically gifted.
From Hidden Figures; screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi
Inside the car is ERIC WRIGHT, 21, but

you know him as
SUPERIMPOSE: ERIC WRIGHT AKA EAZY-E
A man who is completely in his element

comfortable and poised, ready for
anything.
From Straight Outta Compton by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff
Paramount President BARNEY BALABAN, 70s,

ferocious, righteous, sits behind his
impressive desk...
From Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho (aka Hitchcock) by John J.
McLaughlin
CLAIRE, Late 30s, uptight suburban mom,

tries to make every day special for her
kids, needs control.
PHIL, Late 30s, real estate agent, upbeat,

goofy, thinks hes cooler than he is.
From My American Family (aka Modern Family) by Steven Levitan and

Christopher Lloyd
When you add an action to a great character

description, it imprints the character even more:
DETECTIVE ROSARIO ORTIZ, 45, aggressive,

gallows humor, and her partner DETECTIVE
DAN WILLIAMS, 40, quietly intense, watch
the girl behind one-way glass.
From Damages by Todd A. Kessler & Glenn Kessler & Daniel Zelman
A cavernous space. Sound-proofed walls.

And in the center, a DRUM SET. Seated
at it, in a sweat-marked white T, eyes
zeroed on his single-stroke roll, is
ANDREW NEIMAN.
From Whiplash by Damien Chazelle
ALICE WARD, a salty New England broad,

50s, with a cigar in her mouth, pulls a
casserole out of the oven.
GEORGIE CLEMENTS. 20s, a meatball, leans

out his window, GUNS his engine to get
Dickies attention.
From The Fighter by Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
A meatball. I love that.

Writing essence plus action is such a fun way to

describe characters that its tempting to go over the
top. If your descriptions get too colorful or metaphori-
cal, pull back a bit. You might think youre being cute
by describing a playful character as a monkey in a
man suit but this is film and TV where anything
can happen. Misread a description like that and a
producer might end up buying the script because
he thinks its actually about a man possessed
by a monkey.
WHO BROKE IT BEST
Hidden Figures, Whiplash, The Fighter, Up in the Air
TRUE OR FALSE? THERE MUST ONLY BE ONE MAIN

CHARACTER IN A MOVIE.
ANSWER: FALSE!
The proof can be found in the large number of

buddy movies, two-protagonist romantic comedies,
ensemble movies, and TV shows that feature large,
equally weighted casts.
TIP: If you are writing an ensemble movie or TV

show, make sure their individual storylines have a
beginning, middle, and end. Even three scenes (one
per act) can do it.
TRUE OR FALSE? The main character always has to save the

day.
ANSWER: TRUE AND FALSE!
The true part: A main character should be involved

in the solution to his or her story. If he or she sud-
denly steps to the side, why were we following that
character this whole time?
The false part: The main character may still be

involved if someone he or she has taught, mentored,
or influenced uses a skill learned from the main
character to ultimately save the day.
And that leads to the next question...
TRUE OR FALSE? The main character cant die at the end of

the movie or TV series.
ANSWER: FALSE!
Who doesnt love a grand moment of physical sacri-

fice? But when a character does die, its most often
for a greater good. He or she leaves the world and
the other characters in it changed in some way. We
need to believe that the character had to die to solve
the problem.
TRUE OR FALSE? Its annoying when the happy ending of a

script involves the main character selling a script.
ANSWER: TRUE!
Super annoying. Add to the annoying list: when char-

acters win the lottery, marry rich, or come into an
inheritance. Money (and script sales) dont buy you
love, nor the respect of audiences who want to see
their heroes earn their happy endings.
TRUE OR FALSE? Killing a gay or transgender character is a

tired trope.
ANSWER: TRUE!
Film and TV scripts are more actively integrating

gay and transgender characters. But the rate at
which they then kill them off for dramatic reasons is
alarming. If youve been smart enough to include a
character that brings diversity of experience to your
cast, keep them alive for goodness sake. Youll enrich
the script and avoid clich.

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Totally indispensable. If Id had this 30 years ago, Id have saved 30 years.

- A Guide for the Rebel Writer -

Cover design by Johnny Ink. www.johnnyink.com

Manufactured in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Alessandra, Pilar, author.

Printed on Recycled Stock

HOW THIS BOOK WORKS  xiii

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK xv

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 86

The Coffee Break Screenwriter Breaks the Rules is

Chapter 1 covers why the rules exist at all. I mean, who

Chapter 2 covers storytelling devices like flashbacks and

Chapter 3 focuses on character including likeability

Chapter 4 digs into dialogue issues such as lengthy dis-

Chapter 5 focuses on format and the expression of

Chapter 6 dares to tackle structure and nonlinear writing.

Chapter 7 takes on the industry in regard to demograph-

For every rule thats covered, we discuss...

Youll also see True/False questions sprinkled throughout.

Of course, you can always try and break those as well.

This should be a book you can go to time and time

Read this book from beginning to end to get inspired to

Jump to a rule you want to know more about and learn

WHERE DO THEY GET

WHERE DO THESE RULES COME FROM?

Quick answer: Books, the internet, Aristotle, and you.

Yeah you. Sure there are screenwriters, executives, story

If writers (and production companies) just saw this for

RULES, GUIDANCE, WHATEVER.

To remind you of the patterns and rhythms of suc-

To help you organize your thoughts and story.

To keep you from overwriting.

To stay within a form that translates to other areas of

To remind you of audience expectation.

Youll find many rules have common sense or good

SO, WHY BREAK THE RULES?

Because youre always looking for that one thing that

Because writing to formula can kill a story.

Because you want to keep the reader (and audience)

Because you secretly want to.

The safe writer is the unemployed writer. He or she

SHOULD I BREAK ALL OF THE RULES?

I mean, come on! Just because it appears to be a rule,

Rebel, but rebel gracefully.

Whenever I ask a screenwriter about rules, the first

Film is a visual medium. (Show, dont tell.)

Leaning on voiceover encourages the writer to be

Voiceover has the potential to create a static shot.

Well-crafted voiceover can bring poetry into a scene.

Voiceover provides the opportunity to convey what

Voiceover can create an all-knowing or truth-telling

Voiceover can streamline an epic story by filling in

Make sure your voiceover is balanced throughout

just another character talking to us. Or, bookend the

Make sure your voiceover is tonally consistent.

Make sure your voiceover doesnt switch tense. We

Make sure your voiceover is bringing a new ele-

HOW BREAKING IT CAN BREAK BAD

When writers write too much of it! A little goes a long

When clumps of voiceover compete with clumps

When youre telling us what were clearly seeing

HOW THIS BOOK WORKS xiii

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK xv

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 86