Screenwriting 101: Justin Rhodes

“In my view, genre and structure are the places where you don’t necessarily have to reinvent the wheel. The tropes are there because they provide a grammar the audience speaks and can use to understand your story. What hopefully isn’t cliché is the unique perspective, handed down in the voice of your character, on whatever situation your structure demands of your protagonist. It’s fine to have a meet cute in a romantic comedy, because, after all, they do have to meet. But what transmutes you from someone going through the plot motions to someone who’s creating a genuine emotional experience in your audience is the choice to experience these moments from a singular point of view. For me, that’s how I’d define voice, and that’s actually what people pay you for. They don’t pay you for structure; they can buy that for $15 from Syd Field.”

— Justin Rhodes

From Go Into The Story interview, March 12, 2012