Inspired by the biological classification system of the Linnaean taxonomy, screenwriter Eric R. Williams developed the Screenwriters Taxonomy in 2017 to create a common language of creative collaboration for filmmakers.
[1] Williams’ central thesis in The Screenwriters Taxonomy: A Roadmap to Collaborative Storytelling is that the term “genre” is used so broadly to describe films that the modern use of the word has become meaningless.
[2] The Screenwriter's Taxonomy proposes seven categories for discussing the creative process of telling cinematic stories.
[3] In the broadest sense, Williams contends that all narrative fiction films can be broken down into two types: Comedy or Drama.
The difference between these types is simply based on whether or not the film is more serious (drama) or humorous (comedy).
[10] · Requiem for a Dream · Zodiac · Your Name Here · Hustlers · Maleficent · The Terminal · Dr. Strangelove · Ghost World · Fruitvale Station · Man on the Moon · Moonrise Kingdom · Dumb and Dumber · The Player · Under the Tuscan Sun · Deadpool · Some Like it Hot · Fast Food Nation · Young Frankenstein · Knocked Up · The Princess Bride · Mrs. Doubtfire · The Three Stooges · Swiss Army Man Williams argues that there are only eleven true genres, which he calls “Super Genres”.
The pathway becomes a subconscious roadmap for the audience – a tool to guide them through the story.
As an example, in the 1991 Academy Award Winning film Silence of the Lambs, the audience joins Clarice Starling on her metamorphosis from fledgling to experienced FBI agent.
The visceral pay-off for the audience comes from her mental battle with Dr. Lecter and Buffalo Bill.
The audience's enjoyment comes from watching this larger force destroy the protagonist.
Additionally, in this pathway, the hero's attention to personal tragedy diverts them from their original heroic journey.
Pathway in this category: The protagonist rarely returns home – literally or metaphorically.
The audience is more engaged in the emotional relationship between the various protagonists than they are in external conflicts.
Pathways in this category: In most stories, the protagonist battles an antagonist: another flesh-and-blood sentient being.
These pathways diverge from this expectation by telling stories of a protagonist's battle against something non-sentient.
These are stories of circumstance, where the “antagonist” does not set out to willfully engage and destroy the protagonist.
Pathways in this category: From the outset of any story, the screenwriter must decide how much information the audience will have.
Point of View (POV) as a decision tree with three central questions.
By finding the answers that best help to tell their story, screenwriters determine a POV for their screenplay.
[18] The Screenwriters Taxonomy boils the answers to these questions down into the five most common POVs: The characters are unaware that a film is being made, and so have no narrative voice.
Instead, the filmmaker crafts a story by taking us on an omniscient tour of characters and events, designed to intrigue and entertain the audience by showing the perfect piece of the story at the most impactful time.
Alan Ball used this technique in his final draft of American Beauty.
[19] A greater sense of objectivity is created when the protagonist's POV is limited.
Although the story is told from a single person's subjective interpretation of events, this POV may seem more authentic and objective in certain situation.
In fact, some of the most famous stories of all time – like the tales of Sherlock Holmes – are told from a secondary, limited perspective.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as the author, reveals only what Watson would logically know or be able to infer about how Sherlock Holmes solved the crime.
The Coen Brothers used this POV in No Country for Old Men, with sheriff Bell reflecting back on a particular case.
Each category further defines the film and allows for more specific discussion, analysis and/or creative decision making.
An example of eight films and their categorization according to the Screenwriters Taxonomy:[21] the Sundance Kid[25] Docudrama Docudrama Satire Light drama Docudrama Hyper-drama Dark drama Tragedy Survival: Captivity Mission: Tale Bro-mance: Traditional Love: Non-traditional Bro-mance: Stronger bond Epic: Events Workplace: Worker story Military: Historical Workplace: Company story Identity: Loss of... Family: Family bond Gangster: Anti-hero Family: Rift Chase/hunt Lost innocence Man vs. society Man vs. technology Reunion films Man vs. self Filmmaker omniscience