Moving From Traditional to Modern Structures in Screenwriting: Thoughts from Toby Wagstaff
In some ways, the role of screenwriters in film and television hasn’t changed much over the decades. It's their job to come up with the story, develop the plot structure, flesh out the characters, and craft the dialogue. But what has shifted significantly in the streaming era is the space into which that story fits. The entertainment industry has been drifting away from the standard 2-hour movie or 22-episode TV season, to the increasingly popular 8-12 episode limited series. This has a profound effect on the way we both create and consume narrative.
Writer and script consultant Toby Wagstaff has witnessed this evolution first-hand over the last two decades of his career. Studios are now opting for a more movie-like structure in television shows. On the story side, this usually means one clear narrative told in developing stages which build on each other, rather than a collection of mostly standalone episodes. With regard to character, it means more emphasis is placed on growth and change - the traditional cinematic 'character arc' - rather than stability and definition. In traditional TV, viewers were accustomed to seeing a stalwart character they basically knew and understood getting into new scrapes, adventures, or shenanigans week after week. In the limited series, we experience a character being profoundly changed by the events of the story.
When done well, this structure can provide the best of both worlds for both writer and viewer. The viewer gets to experience a complete, satisfying, and carefully-constructed story, filled with characters they have time to really get invested in, while the writer has the space to explore rich nuances, themes, and side-plots in a way that's impossible within a two-hour time constraint. The exciting number of "goldilocks" shows that have figured out how to walk this line are making a huge contribution to the ever-expanding list of binge-worthy choices filling our screens today.
The Evolution of Screenwriting
Technology is a huge driver of this change. When streaming services gave the viewer the ability to decide not only what they watch, but when, where and how, it led to new kinds of viewing habits that could never be imagined a generation ago. In many ways, the content producers themselves are struggling to understand and keep up with a new demand they themselves created.
In the pre-streaming landscape, series tended to fit into a few classic frameworks, defined mostly by genre. The airwaves were dominated by sitcoms, soaps, and cop/lawyer/hospital dramas. Storylines were generally linear, plot goals were clear, characters rarely strayed from their well-defined motivations and typical actions. Over the years, countless examples were produced from these templates, and one result of the streaming boom is that the best of these examples are now available on demand anytime for anyone who wants them. Viewers don't have to wait for reruns or set their DVRs to see their old favorites, it's all waiting patiently online. More disconcertingly for the industry, viewers may be less worried about finding a new show to get hooked on - why risk disappointment committing to yet another formulaic knock-off of a classic if they can stream Friends, or ER, or Law and Order whenever they like?
Now that there is less pressure - and less appetite - to keep churning out variations on the same old models, contemporary screenwriters must adjust to an audience who's looking for something truly new. In some ways this is a daunting challenge; but Toby Wagstaff suggests that another way to look at it is that the art of storytelling has been set free. Today’s television audience demands innovative forms, complex characters, twisting plots, and a bit of experimental creativity - in every genre. The playground for the artist's imagination has exploded in size and scope.
3 Modern Structures in Screenwriting
Here are a few trends that Toby Wagstaff notes are becoming more and more palatable - and desirable - to studio execs:
1. Multiple active protagonists with complex character traits
Scriptwriters no longer have to hew to a traditional protagonist/antagonist storyline. To keep the viewer's attention, multiple active protagonists (and often, multiple antagonists) are developed simultaneously, or one may replace another in the course of a story. The lines between protagonist and antagonist are increasingly blurred, and characters who don't fit comfortably into "good" or "bad" categories are becoming more central to the narrative.
2. Extended storylines and mature themes
What was once taboo in the American living room has gone out the window. The 90's and 2000's were a boom time for anti-heroes and relatable screw-ups. The Sopranos, Seinfeld, The Shield, The Wire, 24, House, and more, all eroded the notion that characters needed to be traditionally "likable", and heroes always had to do the right thing. Screenwriters today are encouraged to develop characters who are nuanced and often morally dubious. The popularity of these types of shows has meant old network constraints have been lifted, and television themes are more mature, inclusive, and diverse. Storylines now often unfold cryptically or interwoven with multiple sprawling threads to create a larger world - or even universe. Consider Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul, and the increasing presence of the Star Wars and Marvel universes in the TV landscape.
3. Storylines and plots with marginalized perspectives
Another exciting current that Toby Wagstaff is enthusiastic to observe in modern screenwriting is the growing inclusion of different voices and perspectives. Social and cultural change in the real world has to be mirrored and paralleled in art. Viewers demand authentic representation of their experiences and imaginations. Studios and producers are realizing that characters who were once secondary, peripheral, or incidental to conventional TV narratives are at least as compelling as traditional protagonists when they are the focus. And the only way to make that happen in a way that's both socially and artistically effective is for those stories to be told by the people who have the knowledge and experience to make them truthful and authentic.
