In all my screenwriting courses and workshops around the world, I’ve read thousands and thousands of screenplays. Exactly how many, I really don’t know. I lost count many years ago. But no matter what country or city I happen to be in, I am usually asked the same question over and over again: what do I find to be the biggest and most common problem of screenwriters?
Written by
James Cameron
and
William Wisher
Continuing the interview with James Cameron, on the origins of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. (Read Part I)
“Basically, what I wanted to say in Terminator 2 was that everything is meant to be a certain way, everything has already been written. You can call it karma or destiny, whatever.”
Written by
James Cameron
and
William Wisher
When I first saw Terminator 2: Judgment Day, I knew it was an extraordinary film. Not only were the special effects extraordinary, but the thoughts and ideas behind the film were marvelous. Especially, the last line: Sarah Connor (played by Linda Hamilton) observes that “if a machine can learn the value of a human life, maybe we can too.” That line was so profound, so moving, it just blew me away.
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A few weeks ago, during one of my screenwriting workshops, a student turned in pages from her screenplay with a worried and concerned expression on her face. I didn’t say anything. I simply took the pages and read them.
The scene she had written took place at the beginning of the second act, as the main character, a lawyer, is investigating the mysterious and unexpected death of her mother who had died while recovering from a simple surgical procedure in the hospital.
Stunned and grieving, she is trying to find out why her mother had suddenly died, but no one has any answers, and no one is talking. The doctors placate her, the nurses know nothing, and the hospital administrator is concerned and suggests that she join a grieving group. Her grief turns to anger, and she’s determined to find out what happened. Pursuing one lead after another, she manages to locate one of the nurses who had taken care of her mother right before she died. The nurse had mysteriously quit the hospital a few days after the mother’s death and had changed her address and literally disappeared. But through persistence, and her lawyer friends, she manages to track the nurse down. And now, she’s going to talk to her.
Make no mistake; pitching is an art. Every screenplay begins with an idea and if you want to write a screenplay based on your idea, then the chances are you’re going to have to pitch it to someone; it could be a producer, a director, a production executive, an agent or anyone in the business.
Written by
Michael Blake
Academy Award Winner
Best Adapted
Screenplay
At the dawn of the 90’s, I happened to attend a Writer’s Guild screening of a newly released film called Dances with Wolves, written by Michael Blake and directed by Kevin Costner. I loved it; the epic, visual sweep of the story reminded me of classic westerns like Red River and The Searchers. Dances With Wolves was more than a mere “western.”
Written by Ted Tally
Academy Award Winner for
Best Adapted Screenplay
As you know, the art of adaptation is a very special craft, some even call it a “gift,” and there are many ways to approach adapting a novel, or magazine article, or newspaper story, or personal experience, into an effective and meaningful screenplay.
Callie Khouri
photo by Brian Blevins
I’ve always been a big fan of Callie Khouri’s ever since I saw Thelma & Louise for the first time. The film really knocked me out because I was expecting it to be a comedy, kind of a road relationship story, more like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in size 7, triple A. I remember it so well, watching it and thinking it’s a comedy and not knowing where it’s going.
