Every screenwriter selling a screenplay wants to offer up something original, but few producers want to take a risk on breaking new ground. Meanwhile, every producer wants to make money and looks to the box-office successes of the past to try to find a bankable project for the future.
However, one thing everyone can agree on is the advice for screenwriters that clichés in screenwriting should be avoided… or should they?
What Makes a Huge Box Office Success?
Huge box office successes have universal, or at least mass, appeal. In order to fulfill that, a movie has to connect with the audience. Ironically, the fastest way to connect with an audience is by giving them stories, characters and situations which are easily recognizable and which fulfill their expectations. Producers therefore lean towards ideas that are “safe” with “tried and tested” story formats, peopled by characters that the audience will feel they know; but the problem with this is that those well-trodden paths quickly fall into the category of clichés
What is a Cliché?
A cliché is something that is over-used to the point of being boring, and familiar to the point of being predictable. Since “boring” and “predictable” are adjectives that no-one would want to be associated with their movie, clichés are should not find their way into any movie scripts.
Part of the Language of Drama
A cliché is also part of the language of drama. Clichés only came into existence because they were appropriate, effective or expedient. They have since become a shorthand means of communication. Audiences recognize clichés and whenever they see a cliché they begin to anticipate where it will lead and what the outcome will be.
Exploiting the Cliché
In novel writing, a writer should understand the rules of grammar before breaking them, and in scriptwriting, screenwriters who understand clichés and their value can use them to their advantage by:
- Turning the cliché on its head
- Acknowledging the cliché for comic effect
- Using the cliché as a springboard
Turning the Cliché on its Head
Being aware of audiences' expectations gives ample opportunity to surprise them. If a storyline or character seems to be following the path of a well-worn cliché then a writer can exploit it by turning the tables at the last moment with an unexpected outcome, e.g. perhaps the hero lawyer doesn’t win the big court case of his life.
Acknowledging the Cliché for Comic Effect
The Arnold Schwarzenegger film True Lies, like many action movies that came after it, acknowledges the standard format for action movies, heroes and bad guys, and uses it to comic effect. The humour is used to heighten the clichés, drawing attention to them and celebrating them, allowing the audience to become part of an “in joke”.
Using the Cliché as a Springboard
If a cliché creeps into your synopsis or script, don’t worry about it in a first draft. It’s more important to work on structure initially. You can always refine the details later. Think of clichés as nothing more than dramatic shorthand. The cliché is simply a means to an end. Allow them to be there “doing a job” in the early stages of drafting a screenplay. Any clichés can be easily fixed in development or revisions. Spot the clichés and work on giving them a truly original twist. Use them as starting points and let them grow into something unique.
Find out more about writing for stage and screen.
Janice Hally - Janice Hally has written more than 300 broadcast hours of prime-time TV drama in the UK, as well as fiction and non-fiction books.
