Imagine screenwriting if Google had hired Blake Snyder to help digitize the Hollywood feature formula:

(The following read by AI Machine voice)

“Protag saved the cat on page nineteen, giving him a human side, three pages fluff until getting Protag stuck in avoidable inciting dilemma he chose not to avoid, after which break into two, strange new world of dilemma choice.

Twenty-eight scenes, alternating up down through end of two, leave Protag stuck in seemingly hopeless position before breaking to three, resolution of hopeless position and inciting dilemma.

Thirteen fast paced scenes, alternating way up way down, end way up and leave audience with warm fuzzy denouement.

Would you like a male Protag or female Protag? PG or R rating? Natural disaster dilemma or social factor dilemma? Check drop down menus for subdivisions of dilemmas and political and social slants.

Enter your title and click on the EXECUTE button to read your screenplay.”

Although, I will readily admit, some screenwriting rules of thumb don’t just make sense, until a writer becomes extremely skilled, those guideposts keep most of us out of the ditches, the very best screenplays, the ones I read over and over again simply for pleasure, break lots of rules.

I’m not sure who Google will hire to help them write Formula Writer 2, the upgrade to Formula Writer 1. Maybe they’ll recreate William Goldman’s brain digitally.

(Smarter, Snarkier Machine voice)

“I know you wanted a female Protag, global warming, left slant moral dilemma script but, screw you, here’s a four act hundred-thirty page buddy prison break tale with no moral position on anything and an ambiguous ending. Transfer one-point-five-million into my account and enjoy, or not, it’s up to you but, believe you me, humans are lining up for this script.”