I never went to school to learn I couldn't do that. There are no bad conventions. There is only bad writing and the attempt to salvage it with conventions. Again with Jaws. How many stories.
Form is nonsense.
Only the story matters. Trust it to tell itself as you see it. After the first 20 pages, a story should be moving YOU along. I read about the ups and downs you had with the financing for Suspects. It must have been devastating to have the funds one day, and the next day have it pulled out from under you.