Category Archives: Screenwriting

“Writing Impenetrable Characters” Lenny Abrahamson on ‘Normal People’ and ‘Conversations with Friends’

Film, Latest News, Screenwriting, Television

“It kind of grew out of Normal People,” said Lenny Abrahamson about his new series Conversations with Friends. Both stories come from Irish author Sally Rooney. “It seemed very obvious having gone through the adaptation in episodic form. We learned how best to work with Sally’s material and we all felt like Conversations should be a series.”

The series are listed as Normal People premiering in 2020 and Conversations with Friends premiering in 2022, but the process was a little more overlapping for the writer/director. “We were cranking up with breaking the episodes while Normal People was still not out in the world.”

“I’ve been attending to other things on the slate, but I’ve been in Sally Rooney’s world since starting on Normal People,” joked Abrahamson.

TV Series Not Films

For both stories, it would appear longevity is a major player in what makes the stories work. You need to see a long rise and fall of the relationships to truly understand the joy and turmoil. “Partially it is that,” said Abrahamson. “It’s the amount of screen time.”Creative Screenwriting Magazine

Lenny Abrahamson. Photo by Molly Keane

“But, with Sally’s work, it also benefits from a quiet, close look. You need to draw people into the characters]and the details of their experiences. You need to have them pay close attention to the small changes and shifts going on in their lives.”

This feels like a luxury given today’s instant gratification audiences, but Abrahamson has earned some patience delivering projects like Room, Frank, and Normal People. “If you try to impose the stronger, more extreme arc of a feature film — the single rise of a traditional story — it doesn’t work for what is really an accumulative, slow build.”

“I think the short episodes mean they don’t feel like traditional TV drama with the plot and B-story. It’s not a traditional TV hour,” he said of the latest series. “You can work in a movie style but these short, intense bursts of story over 25 minutes allows you to be pure in this filmmaking style, but it doesn’t impose the feature length demand for a crescendo.”

In Conversations with Friends, the team had some difficulty building the episodes. “You’re juggling and trying to keep those balls in the air. You have this dynamic of Frances and Nick that changes everybody and pushes the story, but if you’re not careful, you lose the focus on Bobbi and Frances.”

With these two adjacent paths, the writers had to spend time moving back and forth, then re-examining lines from the book to make it all work on the screen. “We had to expand those short references into scenes so each episode had its own point, but also leaves you with something strong. But if you compress too much, you lose detail and the breath [the episode] needs.”

The Normal People Style

Abrahamson developed a very specific style with Normal People, which he wanted to push even further for Conversations with Friends. Some critics have described the style as “the intimate camera” which is needed for the intimate journey of the characters.

“We wanted to push that further. So if anything, it does make some strong demands of the audience, unless you lean in and let yourself be drawn into the characters, then that’s when it works.” He continued, “But if you just sort of tuning in and hoping for an easy ride through, then it’s not as satisfying I think. And I like that. It’s good to push yourself and challenge the audience.”

In many ways, this also helps with re-watchability as there’s always more to catch on a second viewing. “It is interesting. I think this style of work does pay to rewatch. I think there is a lot of stuff happening that you may enjoy in a different way or see in a rewatch. I never make something with that in mind, but I hope everything I make does pay re-watching because that’s a sign that there’s depth and density.”Creative Screenwriting Magazine

Connell (Paul Mescal) & Marianne’s (Daisy Edgar-Jones) Photo by (Photo by Enda Bowe/Hulu

All of this comes back to the novels. Abrahamson read Conversations with Friends as a fan, but didn’t see either as a series until he read Normal People. “For me, if I see pictures when I’m reading, if I can feel a tonal territory visually and in terms of screen storytelling, that’s the thing. I felt it quickly with Normal People. I think it has to do with the simplicity of her writing. There’s little in the way of literal pretension or purple prose.”

The writer/director added, “She writes in a very direct way, but she does bring you deeply into contact with the characters. I think the chimes with how I make films. I like my structure and scaffolding to be hidden and to just seem like you’re with people and hard to analyze or reverse engineer.”

Fully Developed Characters

Another aspect somewhat unique to these stories is that even though all of the characters are relatively young, they appear to be fully developed. This is quite different from many American teen soap opera narratives. “A lot of TV and movie depictions of people in their lives… it’s either soapy or dystopian or provocative,” joked Abrahamson. “Partially around young people sexuality. It’s intensely shocking and designed to be around dysfunction, where intimacy is a problem.”

In some ways, this is valid, as emotions can be heightened with young loves, but Abrahamson gives the author credit for being “unsentimental” while still “giving a portrait of the joy and healthfulness of love, intimacy, sex, conversation, and friendship.” These transformative years help make these stories work.

While working on the adaptation, he said it’s interesting that once you start to adapt, you see the new story in one light and start to forget aspects of the adaptation that didn’t transfer. “I’m re-reading the book and realizing we changed a lot. I didn’t think we had.”

“There are aspects we didn’t put in or aspects we had to embellish. Even things like the character of Melissa. She was an essayist, but she’s a writer now. There’s a bunch of story mechanics we didn’t use from the novel. That’s probably my own dislike of movies where the main character is a photographer where you end up with endless actors doing sexy clicking,” he joked.

“But I actually think, overall, the changes are small and everywhere. The emphases shift, but there’s not a massive part of the story we didn’t use.” Other parts were merely too internal to make it to the screen.

“I don’t believe in a formula for screenplays — those Syd Field books. I think that’s reductive, but the idea of what holds you, what moves you from one moment to the next, I think that’s been clarified for me by working on [adaptations] and that material that doesn’t have that pure shape. You find it on the screen.”

Writing Bad Screenplays

To elaborate on the idea of “sexy clicking,” Abrahamson said he avoids “sexy jobs” and other tropes in screenplays. “The other one is a Marine Biologist. Thrillers always have that. There’s a shorthand. It’s adjacent to real life, but it’s not [real life]. Just like everybody is way too attractive and apartments look great. I’m tough on scripts.”

“I’ve never done something that just came through the door,” he said about scripts arriving on his desk. “Partially because I like to be involved in the conception and execution right from the beginning, but also because I’m very critical of scripts. Part of this is because a lot of scripts are designed to be read by people who might fund them. That means, for very good reason, writers fill the pages with descriptions and color, to make the read vivid. As a Director, that irritates me. Shooting scripts for me are bare.“

This means the bulk of screenplays irritate Abrahamson. “Part of it is also the way people are educated to write screenplays. You’ll find the name of a character and then open brackets and five adjectives of who they really are. Then I think, ‘Well, I don’t need to investigate this.’ I’m interested in characters where there’s an impenetrability, where you don’t really understand them.”

“I don’t want to see 1. Here’s the person, 2. Here’s the problem. That’s now how life presents itself. Most people experience things as a slightly foggy vista where they don’t know where they’re going and they don’t know where they want to go. That’s more interesting to me.”

In some ways, Abrahamson wishes there were two drafts of the screenplay: one for the investors and one for the director. “In Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir, I absolutely believed the characters, but I couldn’t reduce them to a… beaten down cop who finds himself in a dead end job when X happens.”

For those trying to break into the industry today, Abrahamson advises you to “start doing what you want to end up doing.” He clarified, “It’s hard to push through the studio system if your aim is to go somewhere else. The people who make the best studio movies are people who love studio movies. But if you want to make something more independent, you have to start by doing that.”

This interview has been condensed. Listen to the full audio version here (and learn more about Normal People in our first conversation here).  

“The Depth Of Comedy Characters” Judd Apatow on ‘George Carlin’s American Dream’ & Beyond

Film, Latest News, Screenwriting

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow

“When I was a kid, all I wanted to do was stand-up. I probably had some idea of being Eddie Murphy or Bill Murray, like we all did,” said Judd Apatow, “but I love the idea of doing stand-up. I did it for 7 years when I was in high school, took off a couple of decades and I’ve been doing it for 8 years since.”

Judd Apatow is perhaps best known for work in the film world, writing movies and television like The Ben Stiller Show, The Larry Sanders Show, Freaks and Geeks, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, Funny People, and This is 40, among others. 

But he’s also known for mentoring rising stars, such as with Lena Dunham for Girls, Pete Holmes for Crashing, Amy Schumer for Trainwreck, and Pete Davidson for The King of Staten Island. Somehow, between all these projects, he’s also created documentaries about George Carlin, Garry Shandling, Darryl Strawberry, and The Avett Brothers, published books of interviews with famous comedians called Sick in the Head, and a follow-up Sicker in the Head. The thread through all of these avenues, however, is comedic storytelling.

“It’s like a tuning fork, where it’s fun, but it also services all of my other writing and all of my other projects,” he said about stand-up, specifically in regards to his 2017 special, The Return. “You really feel like you understand the audience and you’re taking in information on an unconscious level of how to be funny.”

Comedy Movies Today

Apatow referred to comedy movies today as a “hedged bet.” He said, “It’s a weird moment because before the pandemic, things were moving towards action and spectacle. A lot of that has to do with the fact that a comedy film doesn’t travel well. It’s not like your comedy is going to be gigantic in China. A lot of studios want that potential.”

Essentially, since many blockbuster films cost $200 million to make, studios will occasionally allow for a $20 or $30 million dollar comedy to be made as a hedged bet. If they make a handful of these, perhaps one will do well. Regardless, most recent comedies are action-comedies.Creative Screenwriting Magazine

Judd Apatow. Photo by Mark Seliger

“It’s an understandable business approach, but it does train the audience [to understand] there aren’t going to be that many comedies when there used to be a lot more. When the pandemic happened, people just thought, I should just get everything at home.”

Apatow and his peers are hoping things go back to a time when the theaters are full and safe. “When people have an experience of communal times where they’re laughing their asses off, hopefully they realize that’s something I want in my movie diet.”

Currently, Apatow is listed as a Producer on the R-rated comedy Bros, which is essentially the first gay rom-com. Billy Eichner is the star and writer. Nicholas Stoller is listed as the writer/director. “It’s riotously funny and a really well-made emotional movie, [but] it’s a test to see if people are going to leave their homes to go to the theaters [this September].”

Voice-Driven Comedies

“I like breaking new people. I like new ideas, new territories,” said the screenwriter about the types of films he wants to make. “I don’t want to be generic or hacky, so when someone has an idea I haven’t heard before or it comes from a community that’s underserved, I like to try to make films in those areas.”

The writer/director/producer said he’s been able to get a lot of films made, but there are just as many that the studios have refused to make. “Like Bros, there hasn’t been a mainstream comedy about the gay community. There’s some on streaming, but we wanted to take a big swing. This should be a When Harry Met Sally-type of movie.”

The initial tests performed well, so now the creators are excited to see how this original movie will hit audiences in the Fall. Across the board, it’s clear Apatow is interested in story, but also voice. “I’m very interested in the story, but as a fan of comedy, so much of it is the personality. You see John Belushi in Animal House or Bill Murray in Caddyshack.”

He continued, “My mind goes to people first, but there does need to be a story.” In another example, he mentioned Kristen Wiig wanting to do a movie about a maid of honor who can’t afford to do it, which became Bridesmaids. This started because he loved Kristen Wiig and wanted to help her find a vehicle to show off her talents on the big screen.Creative Screenwriting Magazine

Annie (Kirsten Wiig) in Bridesmaids

“I wish there was a movie that was all about her. As a fan, I want to see them, but they have to have a great idea or it ends there. I just always want to have something I’m working on that I’m deeply passionate about. I want each one to feel like it’s the first one or the last one.”

The Documentary Movement

While working on Funny People, Apatow hired a crew to do a documentary about the making of Funny People. “I think it’s equally as good as the movie. I think I was looking for a way to get closer to the documentary world.” A few years later, Apatow joined Lena Dunham for Sundance’s Iconoclasts in a conversation about comedy and officially got the documentary bug.

“I saw the cut and was really moved about how it was put together. Garry Shandling introduced me to Rick Rubin and Rubin said I should do something with The Avett Brothers. He said, ‘Life is better when you’re around them.’ They were working on a new album and he thought we could shoot some stuff.” Apatow decided to follow them around on his own dime. 

Through this unique path, he stepped into the documentarian world. Ironically, since the Avett Brothers didn’t really have any quarrels as a band, the creators realized there wasn’t drama. “I didn’t think there was a story because they were nice and nothing was happening, then we realized that’s what it’s about. It was a beautiful, musical poem about this love and this journey.”

Soon after, he worked on a 30 for 30 for ESPN about Dwight “Doc” Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. When making documentaries, Apatow is concerned with covering someone’s entire life so much as “what defined them.” In Doc & Darryl, the ball players had unique backgrounds that led to their careers in Major League Baseball. In the George Carlin documentary, the story was more about Carlin finding himself, discovering his voice, and being open to change and then redefining himself decade after decade as a stand-up.

“What happened to George Carlin that made him such a critical thinker and rebel? In documentaries, you can go deep. That’s what’s interesting to me. That’s what I do in movies too. What happened to Pete Davidson that led to his personality? Why aren’t Amy Schumer’s relationships working? There’s something similar about my interest in fiction and non-fiction.”

The 2022 book Sicker In The Head includes conversations with Cameron Crowe, David Letterman, John Mulaney, Kevin Hart, Margaret Cho, Whoopi Goldberg, and Will Ferrell, among others. By simply asking “how are you doing?” during the pandemic, Apatow felt he could grow as a creative and a person based on many of the responses from the interviews.

One particularly unique interview is between Apatow and Crowe, where both had unique upbringings around the icons they most admired. Apatow interviewed comedians for the school newspaper (stories which became the book Sick in the Head) and Crowe interviewed bands for Rolling Stone (stories which became the movie Almost Famous).

For these types of interviews, he reads a handful of Q&As or listens to podcasts to prepare. He felt a deep connection with David Letterman, who revealed he appeared to be having fun but was actually a ball of nerves. Apatow often feels the same way on set.Creative Screenwriting Magazine

Judd Apatow. Photo by Mark Seliger

“When I was in film school, they were always talking about structure. I didn’t want to have any rules. I hated that they were trying to box me in. I even took a class with Syd Field where he basically read his book to us, but then I started writing spec scripts and I realized they were all correct,” he joked. “

Syd Field told him, “I know you don’t think you’re going to do this structure, but whatever you’re doing, you have to have this structure. The inciting event. The conclusion. I still use all of that today. I use the Syd Field paradigm.”

Audience Validation

Similar to stand-up, Apatow said you do feel the validation when an audience watches your movie, in terms of using the three-act structure or Chris Vogler’s examination of The Hero’s Journey. “It’s one of the best books you can buy on storytelling,” he said of Vogler’s book.

Based on Apatow’s response, he writes his own version of the story first, then re-examines The Writer’s Journey to see “which story” he’s doing or to help with missing plot points. “Even with weird things like You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, it is ironically a reluctant hero’s journey.”

Using these methods helps Apatow take risks in his career. “I think they’re all risks because in comedy, they’re all risks. You just never know if it’s going to work. Like, would someone watch a movie about a 40-Year-Old Virgin? Is that the worst idea you’ve ever heard in your life?” he joked. “Steve [Carell] and I said, well, let’s make it totally credible. He’s a normal sweet guy and [sex] just got past him.”Creative Screenwriting Magazine

Trish (Catherine Keener) & Andy (Steve Carell) in 40-Year Old Virgin

He continued, “Maybe it’s about relationships. He has to figure out how to have a relationship and that’s way more complicated than just sex. All of his friends are trying to have sex, but he finds love,” he said, adding that Garry Shandling helped with the overall theme.

Then, there are shifts within films in terms of risk. The King of Staten Island was meant to be more grounded where The Bubble was meant to be like a Mel Brooks-like satire about the pandemic. “Can you be funny about it? Can you talk about isolation and the weird feelings we have when we’re forced to be in isolation?”

In terms of advice for screenwriters, Apatow said “you can usually tell when someone has a voice.” He continued, “If someone is writing with some specificity and you feel the soul of someone in the writing, it’s clear when someone is generic and when someone is coming across to you.”

“I remember, a long time ago, some producer said you can open up to any page and tell if it’s worth reading and if that person knows what they’re doing. It sounds horrible, but it’s kinda true. I just always tell people to write about something you really care about. You can tell when people are writing to make money, but writing is always better when you’re offering something and giving yourself. You have to go all the way.” This interview has been condensed.

Listen to the full audio version here.Series Navigation<< “The Depth Of Comedy Characters” Judd Apatow on ‘George Carlin’s American Dream’ & Beyond

Rhiannon Fish Returns For A Royal In Paradise

Directing, Film, Latest News, Screenwriting

By FilmInk Staff June 16, 2022

Young Aussie actress Rhiannon Fish (Home And Away, The 100) returns to Australia for The Steve Jaggi Company’s new romantic comedy drama A Royal In Paradise.

“Having the opportunity to work in Australia again is a dream come true… especially on a project like this one,” says young Australian actress Rhiannon Fish. “[Director] Adrian Powers has found a very unique/modern way of telling a classic fairy tale.”

One of many, many young local talents to graduate from the long-running television drama Home And Away onto the international stage with a major role in the TV series The 100 (which was followed by a host of television films), Rhiannon Fish is back in Australia for the first time since 2018’s sci-fi actioner Occupation to take the lead role in A Royal In Paradise.

The latest effort from director Adrian Powers (Forbidden Ground), A Royal In Paradise follows New York writer Olivia Perkins (Rhiannon Fish), a successful author on deadline for her next romantic adventure novel. The recent breakup with her boyfriend, however, has left her with writers’ block and a failing belief in love. Keen to help, Olivia’s best friend Katie (Cara McCarthy) convinces her to take a trip to the tropical Haven Isles in the hope of reinspiring her.

On the other side of the world, Prince Alexander (Mitchell Bourke) is reminded by the Queen (Andrea Moor) of his upcoming duty to marry royalty. Needing some distance, Prince Alexander decides to attend a marine conservation fundraiser on Haven Isles. On arriving at the island, the Prince and Olivia meet and form a friendship, but Alexander keeps his identity a secret. Experiencing all the Island has to offer, Olivia and Alexander grow closer, until the Prince’s true identity is exposed by a royal spy.

Currently shooting in South East Queensland, A Royal In Paradise is the latest sweet-natured, commercially-minded release from The Steve Jaggi Company, the prolific outfit behind successful youth and romance titles like Swimming For Gold, Back Of The Net, Rip Tide, This Little Love Of Mine and Romance On The Menu. “We had a lot of fun writing the script for this royal romance that embraces some beloved fairy tale archetypes while also possessing a great, modern message,” says director Adrian Powers. “I’m delighted to be directing this film with my long-time creative collaborators at The Steve Jaggi Company. We have a strong team assembled and it’s fantastic to finally be underway with filming.”

For more on The Steve Jaggi Company, click here.

I Will Not Read Your F*%!ing Script

Screenwriting

So. I read the thing. And it hurt, man. It really hurt. I was dying to find something positive to say, and there was nothing.

by JOSH OLSON

Originally published September 9, 2009 The Village Voice

We know you’ve been working very hard on your screenplay, but before you go looking for some professional feedback, you might keep in mind the following piece by A History of Violence screenwriter Josh Olson.

I will not read your fucking script.

That’s simple enough, isn’t it? “I will not read your fucking script.” What’s not clear about that? There’s nothing personal about it, nothing loaded, nothing complicated. I simply have no interest in reading your fucking screenplay. None whatsoever.

If that seems unfair, I’ll make you a deal. In return for you not asking me to read your fucking script, I will not ask you to wash my fucking car, or take my fucking picture, or represent me in fucking court, or take out my fucking gall bladder, or whatever the fuck it is that you do for a living.

You’re a lovely person. Whatever time we’ve spent together has, I’m sure, been pleasurable for both of us. I quite enjoyed that conversation we once had about structure and theme, and why Sergio Leone is the greatest director who ever lived. Yes, we bonded, and yes, I wish you luck in all your endeavors, and it would thrill me no end to hear that you had sold your screenplay, and that it had been made into the best movie since Godfather Part II.

But I will not read your fucking script.

At this point, you should walk away, firm in your conviction that I’m a dick. But if you’re interested in growing as a human being and recognizing that it is, in fact, you who are the dick in this situation, please read on.

Yes. That’s right. I called you a dick. Because you created this situation. You put me in this spot where my only option is to acquiesce to your demands or be the bad guy. That, my friend, is the very definition of a dick move.

I was recently cornered by a young man of my barest acquaintance.

I doubt we’ve exchanged a hundred words. But he’s dating someone I know, and he cornered me in the right place at the right time, and asked me to read a two-page synopsis for a script he’d been working on for the last year. He was submitting the synopsis to some contest or program, and wanted to get a professional opinion.

Now, I normally have a standard response to people who ask me to read their scripts, and it’s the simple truth: I have two piles next to my bed. One is scripts from good friends, and the other is manuscripts and books and scripts my agents have sent to me that I have to read for work. Every time I pick up a friend’s script, I feel guilty that I’m ignoring work. Every time I pick something up from the other pile, I feel guilty that I’m ignoring my friends. If I read yours before any of that, I’d be an awful person.

Most people get that. But sometimes you find yourself in a situation where the guilt factor is really high, or someone plays on a relationship or a perceived obligation, and it’s hard to escape without seeming rude. Then, I tell them I’ll read it, but if I can put it down after ten pages, I will. They always go for that, because nobody ever believes you can put their script down once you start.

But hell, this was a two page synopsis, and there was no time to go into either song or dance, and it was just easier to take it. How long can two pages take?

Weeks, is the answer.

And this is why I will not read your fucking script.

It rarely takes more than a page to recognize that you’re in the presence of someone who can write, but it only takes a sentence to know you’re dealing with someone who can’t.

(By the way, here’s a simple way to find out if you’re a writer. If you disagree with that statement, you’re not a writer. Because, you see, writers are also readers.)

You may want to allow for the fact that this fellow had never written a synopsis before, but that doesn’t excuse the inability to form a decent sentence, or an utter lack of facility with language and structure. The story described was clearly of great importance to him, but he had done nothing to convey its specifics to an impartial reader. What I was handed was, essentially, a barely coherent list of events, some connected, some not so much. Characters wander around aimlessly, do things for no reason, vanish, reappear, get arrested for unnamed crimes, and make wild, life-altering decisions for no reason. Half a paragraph is devoted to describing the smell and texture of a piece of food, but the climactic central event of the film is glossed over in a sentence. The death of the hero is not even mentioned. One sentence describes a scene he’s in, the next describes people showing up at his funeral. I could go on, but I won’t. This is the sort of thing that would earn you a D minus in any Freshman Comp class.

Which brings us to an ugly truth about many aspiring screenwriters: They think that screenwriting doesn’t actually require the ability to write, just the ability to come up with a cool story that would make a cool movie. Screenwriting is widely regarded as the easiest way to break into the movie business, because it doesn’t require any kind of training, skill or equipment. Everybody can write, right? And because they believe that, they don’t regard working screenwriters with any kind of real respect. They will hand you a piece of inept writing without a second thought, because you do not have to be a writer to be a screenwriter.

So. I read the thing. And it hurt, man. It really hurt. I was dying to find something positive to say, and there was nothing. And the truth is, saying something positive about this thing would be the nastiest, meanest and most dishonest thing I could do. Because here’s the thing: not only is it cruel to encourage the hopeless, but you cannot discourage a writer. If someone can talk you out of being a writer, you’re not a writer. If I can talk you out of being a writer, I’ve done you a favor, because now you’ll be free to pursue your real talent, whatever that may be. And, for the record, everybody has one. The lucky ones figure out what that is. The unlucky ones keep on writing shitty screenplays and asking me to read them.

To make matters worse, this guy (and his girlfriend) had begged me to be honest with him. He was frustrated by the responses he’d gotten from friends, because he felt they were going easy on him, and he wanted real criticism. They never do, of course. What they want is a few tough notes to give the illusion of honesty, and then some pats on the head. What they want — always — is encouragement, even when they shouldn’t get any.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to tell someone that they’ve spent a year wasting their time? Do you know how much blood and sweat goes into that criticism? Because you want to tell the truth, but you want to make absolutely certain that it comes across honestly and without cruelty. I did more rewrites on that fucking e-mail than I did on my last three studio projects.

My first draft was ridiculous. I started with specific notes, and after a while, found I’d written three pages on the first two paragraphs. That wasn’t the right approach. So I tossed it, and by the time I was done, I’d come up with something that was relatively brief, to the point, and considerate as hell. The main point I made was that he’d fallen prey to a fallacy that nails a lot of first-timers. He was way more interested in telling his one story than in being a writer. It was like buying all the parts to a car and starting to build it before learning the basics of auto mechanics. You’ll learn a lot along the way, I said, but you’ll never have a car that runs.

(I should mention that while I was composing my response, he pulled the ultimate amateur move, and sent me an e-mail saying, “If you haven’t read it yet, don’t! I have a new draft. Read this!” In other words, “The draft I told you was ready for professional input, wasn’t actually.”)

I advised him that if all he was interested in was this story, he should find a writer and work with him; or, if he really wanted to be a writer, start at the beginning and take some classes, and start studying seriously.

And you know what? I shouldn’t have bothered. Because for all the hair I pulled out, for all the weight and seriousness I gave his request for a real, professional critique, his response was a terse “Thanks for your opinion.” And, the inevitable fallout — a week later a mutual friend asked me, “What’s this dick move I hear you pulled on Whatsisname?”

So now this guy and his girlfriend think I’m an asshole, and the truth of the matter is, the story really ended the moment he handed me the goddamn synopsis. Because if I’d just said “No” then and there, they’d still think I’m an asshole. Only difference is, I wouldn’t have had to spend all that time trying to communicate thoughtfully and honestly with someone who just wanted a pat on the head, and, more importantly, I wouldn’t have had to read that godawful piece of shit.

You are not owed a read from a professional, even if you think you have an in, and even if you think it’s not a huge imposition. It’s not your choice to make. This needs to be clear — when you ask a professional for their take on your material, you’re not just asking them to take an hour or two out of their life, you’re asking them to give you — gratis — the acquired knowledge, insight, and skill of years of work. It is no different than asking your friend the house painter to paint your living room during his off-hours.

There’s a great story about Pablo Picasso. Some guy told Picasso he’d pay him to draw a picture on a napkin. Picasso whipped out a pen and banged out a sketch, handed it to the guy, and said, “One million dollars, please.”

“A million dollars?” the guy exclaimed. “That only took you thirty seconds!”

“Yes,” said Picasso. “But it took me fifty years to learn how to draw that in thirty seconds.”

Like the cad who asks the professional for a free read, the guy simply didn’t have enough respect for the artist to think about what he was asking for. If you think it’s only about the time, then ask one of your non-writer friends to read it. Hell, they might even enjoy your script. They might look upon you with a newfound respect. It could even come to pass that they call up a friend in the movie business and help you sell it, and soon, all your dreams will come true. But me?

I will not read your fucking script.

Josh Olson’s screenplay for the film A History of Violence was nominated for the Academy Award, the BAFTA, the WGA award and the Edgar. He is also the writer and director of the horror/comedy cult movie Infested, which Empire Magazine named one of the 20 Best Straight to Video Movies ever made. Recently, he has written with the legendary Harlan Ellison, and worked on Halo with Peter Jackson and Neill Blomkamp. He adapted Dennis Lehane’s story “Until Gwen,” which he will also be directing. He is currently adapting One Shot, one of the best-selling Jack Reacher books for Paramount.

©2009 Josh Olson. All rights reserved.

NOORA NIASARI’S FEATURE FILM DEBUT SHAYDA ANNOUNCED

Directing, Diversity, Film, Latest News, Screenwriting
Image

Writer/director Noora Niasari (Photo credit: Sherwin Akbarzadeh)

From a unique and authentic voice comes the highly anticipated feature debut Shayda, by writer and director Noora Niasari, starring Iranian actress Zar Amir-Ebrahimi (Tehran Taboo, Morgen sind wir frei) with major production investment from Screen Australia.

Melbourne-based Niasari is well known for her award-winning short films including Waterfall which screened at the 66th Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) where it was nominated for best short film, Tâm and feature documentary Casa Antúnez. HanWay Films has come on board to handle international sales and distribution, UTA Independent Film Group is representing the U.S. sale.

Shayda is produced by Vincent Sheehan (The Hunter, Jasper Jones, Animal Kingdom, Lore) through his new production venture Origma 45. Cate Blanchett, Andrew Upton and Coco Francini at Dirty Films (Apples, Carol, Little Fish) are executive producers. Shayda received major production investment from Screen Australia in association with The 51 Fund and financed with support from VicScreen and the MIFF Premiere Fund, while local distribution in Australia and New Zealand will be handled by Madman Entertainment. The 51 Fund (Cusp and the upcoming Shari & Lamb Chop) provides financing to feature films of any genre that are directed by women, with the goal of providing support to the most exciting female voices within the creative industry. Caitlin Gold, Lindsay Lanzillotta, Naomi McDougall Jones, Lois Scott, and Nivedita Kulkarni also serve as executive producers on behalf of 51. 

Heads of production will include Cinematographer and Niasari’s closest collaborator Sherwin Akbarzadeh (Stories From Oz). Osamah Sami (Ali’s Wedding), Leah Purcell (The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson), Mojean Aria (The Enforcer), Jillian Nguyen (Expired) and Rina Mousavi (Alexander) will star alongside Amir-Ebrahimi. Production will commence on 11 July in Australia.

A young Iranian mother (Amir-Ebrahimi) and her six-year-old daughter find refuge in an Australian women’s shelter during the two weeks of Iranian New Year (Nowrooz) which is celebrated as a time of renewal and re-birth. Aided by the strong community of women at the refuge they seek their freedom in this new world of possibilities, only to find themselves facing the violence they tried so hard to escape.

Vincent Sheehan commented, “Shayda is a powerful, timely and important story to be telling and Noora’s unique Iranian/Australian voice as a director will be a potent combination. I am thrilled to be working with such a quality stable of producers and market partners with a shared passion and commitment to backing Noora and her story.”

Screen Australia’s Head of Content Grainne Brunsdon said, “Rising talent Noora Niasari has created a well-crafted script, vibrant characters and an authentic world and Screen Australia is delighted to support her debut feature through development and into production. Shayda offers a unique perspective on a story with universal themes of survival and the cost of freedom.”

Dirty Films also noted, “We first encountered Noora’s talent watching her short films, The Phoenix and Tâm. We were blown away by her precise, emotionally-driven filmmaking and her capacity to draw out gripping performances. We are excited to be working alongside Vincent again to help Noora fulfil her bold and distinct vision for Shayda.”

HanWay Films MD Gabrielle Stewart said, “We are delighted to be part of an incredible team supporting Noora Niasari’s feature debut. Noora has written a beautiful piece that reflects much of her own experience of moving to Australia as a child. There is an intimacy to her storytelling that brings to life what it is to honour the traditions of the culture you have left behind as a mother raising her young child, whilst together bravely embracing a whole new one.”

BO report: Satisfying start for ‘How To Please a Woman’ as ‘Doctor Strange 2’ remains on top

Directing, Film, Latest News, Screenwriting

by Sean Slatter IF magazine May 24, 2022

Sally Phillips in ‘How To Please A Woman’. (Image: David Dare Parker)

Australian cinema made a welcome return to box office top three on the weekend as Madman’s Fremantle-shot How To Please a Woman came in behind Marvel juggernaut Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness and Downton Abbey: A New Era.

Leading the way again was Disney’s Doctor Strange sequel, which took in $3.9 million from its third frame for a gross total of $32.8 million, representing a decline of 47 per cent from the previous week. Universal’s latest Downton Abbey installment was a distant second, managing $578,991 from its fourth outing to track at $6.6 million. The film also had its release in the US, where it made a solid $16 million domestic debut.

It was closely followed by How To Please a Woman, which bowed to $501,064 from 294 screens at an average of $1,704 per session to build on a positive initial response from festival screenings in Perth and on the Gold Coast.

Renée Webster’s feature directorial debut stars British comedian and actor Sally Phillips as Gina, a 50-something who has lost her job and is stuck in a passionless marriage.

While Gina has always lived life on the sidelines, she is met with a business opportunity to convert team of well-built moving guys into housecleaners. Clientele soon demand something more – sex, or better yet, pleasure. Gina and her team launch an enterprise that is all about getting intimacy right between people, but she soon has to acknowledge her own appetite in order to make a new life for herself.

Starring alongside Phillips are Erik Thomson, Alexander England, Caroline Brazier, Tasma Walton, Roz Hammond, Cameron Daddo and New Zealander Josh Thomson.

Village Cinemas national programming manager Geoff Chard told IF the film’s opening was comparable to that of fellow Australian releases June Again and Swinging Safari.

“Overall the box office was a little softer than hoped for, with How To Please A Woman being the highest-ranked new opener at just over $500,000 nationally,” he said.

“This is similar to the recent Australian films June Again and Swinging Safari. The location-specific results were quite varied, with some sites (in particular our regional locations) much higher in the rankings, with the majority our suburban multiplexes further down the list.”

Wallis Cinema programming manager David Simpson also said How To Please A Woman had “certain site-specific success” among its locations.

“We are finding that given this is an Aussie film, it is doing well where we customarily have a lot of ex-pat regulars,” he said.

Robert Connolly and Eric Bana begin filming follow up to ‘The Dry’ in Victoria

Directing, Film, Latest News, Screenwriting

by Sean Slatter IF Magazine May 17, 2022

Top row (from left) are Deborra-lee Furness, Lucy Ansell, Sisi Stringer, and Richard Roxburgh. Bottom row (from left) are Robin McLeavy, Eric Bana, Anna Torv and Jacqueline McKenzie.

The team behind the award-winning film The Dry has begun production on another Jane Harper feature adaptation in Victoria, with Eric Bana reprising his role as Aaron Falk and Robert Connolly returning as writer and director.

Set to shoot primarily in the Dandenong Ranges, Yarra Valley, and the Otways, Force of Nature follows five women that take part in a corporate hiking retreat, from which only four come out on the other side.

Federal Agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper (Jacqueline McKenzie) head deep into the Victorian mountain ranges to investigate in the hopes of finding their whistle-blowing informant, Alice Russell (Anna Torv), alive.

Deborra-lee Furness, Robin McLeavy, Sisi Stringer, and Lucy Ansell play the remaining hikers, while Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor is back in the role of Erik Falk, alongside Richard Roxburgh as Daniel Bailey, Tony Briggs as Ian Chase and Kenneth Radley as Sergeant King.

Made Up Stories’ Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson and Steve Hutensky are again producing alongside Bana for Pick Up Truck Pictures and Connolly for Arenamedia. Ricci Swart, Andrew Myer, Robert Patterson, Joel Pearlman and Edwina Waddy are executive producing.

The film has received major production investment from Screen Australia, in association with VicScreen, and is being financed with support from Soundfirm and Blue Post. Roadshow is on board as local distributor, with WME Independent to handle international sales.

Connolly said he was “so excited” to return to the world of detective Aaron Falk.

“We’re also delighted by the exceptional cast of established and emerging actors joining us on this journey,” he said.

“Jane Harper’s Force of Nature is a deeply emotional and thrilling story showcasing the extraordinary world and landscape of the Australian wilderness.”

Bana said he was proud to be able to follow up The Dry.

“Jane has once again provided a thrilling story that gives us another chance to
showcase a unique and incredible Australian landscape,” he said.

“Whilst it was always our dream to bring this story to the big screen, its fate always rested with the Australian cinemagoing public. Their overwhelming support of The Dry turns this into a reality.”

Eric Bana and Robert Connolly on the set of ‘The Dry’.

Released on New Year’s Day in 2021, The Dry took in more than $20 million at the Australian box office to become the fifth-biggest release of the year and the 14th highest grossing Australian film of all time.

Screen Australia head of content Grainne Brunsdon said the cast and setting of the sequel meant it was likely to become “another cinematic event”.

“The Dry was an extraordinary success, reaching number one at the Australian box office and quickly becoming an Australian classic,” she said.

We’re delighted to support this immensely talented team’s return for Force of Nature and deliver an enthralling Australian thriller.”

Victorian Creative Industries Minister Danny Pearson said the production would inject $10 million into the state’s economy and “showcase Victoria’s regions to the world”.

Stuart McDonald back on familiar turf with ‘A Perfect Pairing’

Directing, Film, Latest News, Screenwriting

by Sean Slatter IF magazine May 19, 2022

Adam Demos and Victoria Justice in ‘A Perfect Pairing’. (Image: Vince Valitutti/Netflix)

As a kid growing up in Queensland, Stuart McDonald used to walk along the cliffs of the Numinbah Valley in the Gold Coast hinterland and hope to be able to capture the scenery as a director when he was older.

That wish became a reality when he filmed Netflix rom-com A Perfect Pairing in the area last year.

The director said the memories from his childhood were not lost on him as he returned to the location for the film.

“It was so strange as an adult, literally being at the foot of those hills looking back up and getting the chance to actually direct a film there.”

Written by Elizabeth Hackett and Hilary Galanoy, A Perfect Pairing stars Victoria Justice as Lola, an LA wine-company executive who travels to an Australian sheep station in an attempt to land a major client (Samantha Tolj).

While working as a ranch hand, she forms a connection with a rugged local Max (Adam Demos). As they open up to one another, Lola discovers that Australia has introduced her to much more than just a love for entrepreneurship. The cast also includes Nicholas Brown, Natalie Abbott, Lucy Durack, Luca Sardelis and Emily Havea.

The film was produced by Hoodlum Entertainment’s Deborah Glover and Tracey Vieira, alongside Robyn Snyder and Deborah Evans.

Hackett and Galanoy also executive produced with Hoodlum’s Tracey Robertson Nathan Mayfield, and Fernando Szew.

Shot across five and a half weeks in winter, much of the production took place outdoors, with McDonald admitting they were “really fortunate” with the weather, while also paying tribute to cinematographer Ben Nott and production designer Helen O’Loan for their work.

A Perfect Pairing. (L to R) Natalie Abbott, Luca Sardelis as Breeze, Emily Havea, Jayden Popik, Victoria Justice, Adam Demos, and Alex Neal. Image: Netflix © 2022.

“The cinematographer Ben Nott has such a beautiful eye and is so energetically engaged in the filmmaking process and Helen O’Loan, our production designer, was stunningly good,” he said.

“They made the film so beautiful and created things that didn’t exist.”

McDonald also singled out first assistant director Damien Grant for praise for helping to figure out “every location where the sun was at every single time in the day”, so they were always shooting “in the perfect light”.

“There’s a lot of math in that Rubik’s Cube of figuring out the right direction at right time of day,” he said.

“It was a lot of work, but it really paid off.”

A Perfect Pairing is McDonald’s first feature film since 2015’s family adventure Oddball, having since helmed episodes of series such as Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, American Housewife, and Wrecked.

Having spent a decent chunk of time working abroad, he said he was pleased to highlight a part of his home country that international audiences may not be aware of.

“In some ways, there is that image of Australia as the dry outback, which is of course still part of the country, but it isn’t only that,” he said.

“I was really pleased that I could make Oddball in Warrnambool because it has such a specific look to it.

“When we made A Perfect Pairing in Numinbah Valley, I was really happy because [the location] was also very specific, in the way there are these huge rocky cliffs topped with rainforests that roll down these big hills.

“It’s great when Australian filmmakers get to celebrate parts of the country that are quite unique.”

The director is set to continue his relationship with Netflix for his next project, Choose Love, which is currently shooting in Auckland.

Also a rom-com, the interactive feature follows Cami, a young woman who seemingly has it all but still feels something is missing, a feeling that begins to grow when she meets Rex and an old love returns to her life.

McDonald commended the streamer for its faith in the rom-coms, noting some studios did not pursue films within the genre as vigorously as they once did.

“I think there will always be an audience for that genre because how we feel about each other and how we negotiate our love lives isnt something that is going to go away,” he said.

A Perfect Pairing is available to stream on Netflix.

10 Expert-Level Filmmaking Tips from Jane Campion 

Directing, Film, Latest News, Screenwriting
Jane Campion at work on The Power Of The Dog

1. You will always encounter a proportion of both love and fear for a project you want to take on. What you need to do is overcome the fear just enough so that the inspiration and love for it is slightly stronger than the fear.

Fear will hold you back. As I type this, I know it’s held me back. Aside from making great things, I think all filmmakers probably need therapy, but also maybe the ability to be introspective. Confront fear and translate that into inspiration. 

2. At the start of the film, plant a seed in the audience’s mind and steer their attention toward something that will trigger a memory for them later on.

You know I don’t believe there are any rules in writing, but I do think plant and payoff is the most important part of storytelling. If you can set up certain aspects at the beginning, you can help your characters’ arc, and hang a light on things for the audience to connect to later. 

3. Dig deep to try and discover if the story or characters apply to your own life experience in some way and use what you learned from those experiences.

Writing and directing comes from a personal place. You don’t have to have been in the same situation as the characters, but try to find where they are in terms of emotional states.

Have you felt scared, excited, turned on, happy, etc? How did you react then? Add some naturalism. 

4. While you’re making the film, give it all the love, attention, and intelligence it needs, but once it’s out in the world, let it be. 

We’ve seen many directors mess with their work over time. I think the best thing you can do is find a finished version and let your art stand. There’s always the temptation to change or alter things. Let it hang, see how it matures.

Then make something new. You have a lot to offer. 

5. Tell your friends to be brutal with their feedback. You have to pull your muscles to hear that bad feedback. Because feedback is brutal. But feedback is also help, and it’s the only way to learn.

Man, it can be so hard to hear the real notes from people. So hard.

But I promise you, when your story gets better, when your writing goes further, when your films premiere somewhere, it will all be worth it. Listen. Take it in. Let it make you better.  

6. Have someone do psyche work with you. Let them help you facilitate a discussion between yourself and your character.

I have found this to be really helpful. Work with a friend or a mentor and talk out every aspect of a character. You can even use an actor friend to play one of them. That’s really fun because you can ask them questions and truly round out your story and the way to sink into these people. 

7. Shun the world you don’t like and create your own.

Life is very hard. Hollywood is full of rejection. Writing and directing can take you far away from your troubles and give you the opportunity to examine things you never would get to see otherwise. Time travel. Fall in love. Go somewhere special. 

8. Write, in disguise, about yourself and the people around you by changing the details.

We all know a few characters. Put them in your work. Make them authentic. Combine people you know or just keep digging into them. Change names and details, but don’t fear using friends and family as a jumping-off point for something more. 

9. Make your audience think back to how they missed something in your film that’s been in front of their noses the whole time.

This is the thing about planting early, you can surprise the audience later. Really find people interested in how things are panning off by rewarding them. If you add layers to your storytelling, this will really show up. 

10. If your mind goes blank on set, just remember all you need to do is put the camera up, put some people in front of it, and trust that you’ve done enough preparation that you know what you’re doing.

Intuition is your best friend. It can carry you through a long career. The truth is, you’re always going to be hustling for work. But when you get lost or down, follow your gut.

Set up a camera and shoot something. Find your inspiration.

Comedy ‘How to Please a Woman’ Sold to U.S., U.K., Other Territories by Beta Cinema (EXCLUSIVE)

Film, Latest News, Screenwriting

By Leo Barraclough Variety 7 May 2022

Sally Phillips as Gina, How To
Courtesy of David Dare Parker

Comedy “How to Please a Woman,” starring “Veep” and “Bridget Jones Diary” actor Sally Phillips, has generated brisk business for Beta Cinema. Brainstorm Media has taken all rights for the U.S. and will release the film theatrically on July 22, and pay TV operator Sky has secured all rights for the U.K.

Beta Cinema also sold all rights for Canada (Mongrel Media), Poland (Monolith Films), former Yugoslavia (Discovery), Czech Republic (Bohemia Motion Pictures) and Hungary (ADS).

Madman will put the film out in Australia and New Zealand on a wide release on May 19 and May 26, respectively.

Phillips stars as 50-year-old Gina, who feels she has become “invisible to everyone.” Establishing a house-cleaning service, staffed by good-looking male cleaners who provide cleaning with benefits, the film follows her as she learns how to ask for what she wants and encourages other women to do the same.

“We fell in love with this movie as we feel most people will when they see it,” said Michelle Shwarzstein, head of distribution at Brainstorm Media. “This film manages to tackle an often taboo subject in the funniest and most heartfelt way. People will walk away smiling.”

Paul Wiegard, co-founder and CEO of Madman Entertainment, stated: “Australian and New Zealand exhibitors are backing this feel-good, relatable comedy about female sexuality and vulnerability. More than 300 screens have already confirmed. The film offers a fun girls’ night out, the themes of empowerment and pleasure connecting with the primary audience.”

Thorsten Ritter, exec VP acquisitions, sales and marketing at Beta Cinema, stated: “We acquired ‘How to Please a Woman’ very early at script stage as it resonated with us as a truthful, enlightening and smart comedy for a mature audience. I am very pleased to see all of what we envisaged from the script and the filmmakers behind it worked out so beautifully.”

Erik Thomson (“The Black Balloon,” “The Furnace”), Alexander England (“Alien: Covenant”), and Caroline Brazier (“Three Summers,” “Rake”) round out the cast of this Australian production, written and directed by Renée Webster.

It is produced by Tania Chambers and Judi Levine of Feisty Dame Productions and Such Much Films, supported by Screenwest, Lotterywest and Screen Australia.

At the Cannes Film Market, Beta Cinema will host a market screening for “How to Please a Woman” on May 19, 11:30 a.m. at Olympia 3.

Recent highlights for Beta Cinema include Berlinale 2022 Special Gala entry “The Forger,” featuring Louis Hofmann from the Netflix series “Dark,” and David Hayman and Udo Kier starrer “My Neighbor Adolf.”