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HOW TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS AS A SCREENWRITER
by Brian Konradt
Throughout
filmmaking history screenwriters have used many methods to achieve success in
Hollywood. Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally, 1989) easily gained access to
Hollywood as the daughter of stage and screenwriting team Henry and Phoebe
Ephron. Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, 1999) juggled many jobs and
wrote for the T.V. series, “Get a Life,” before catching the
attention of producer Steve Golin. Alan Ball (American Beauty 1999) chose a
different path; he first worked as a theater producer and writer. Producers
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner invited him to Hollywood because they both saw the
debut of Ball’s hit play, “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” at
the Manhattan Class Company Theater.
While Hollywood screenwriters
have their own success stories, they also share strong work ethics and know how
to foster vital business connections. This article examines how current
Hollywood screenwriters Dan Bucatinsky and Tim McCanlies learned from their
predecessors’ habits and how they jumpstarted their writing careers.
Dan Bucatinsky is a talented and disciplined writer who broke into the
Hollywood scene in 2001 with his romantic comedy, “All Over the Guy.”
A 1987 graduate of Vassar College, Dan took advantage of his education and
worked diligently to learn his craft and develop a unique style. His time spent
writing countless papers, stories, and scripts in college attributed to his
screenwriting excellence. When he returned to Vassar in 2004 to advise aspiring
screenwriters Dan emphasized the importance of writing everyday.
“Even when I draw a blank, even when I don’t feel like working,
even when nothing I put down on paper is any good…I force myself to write
for at least a couple of hours everyday,” Dan revealed.
This
discipline is a trademark of successful Hollywood screenwriters. According to
Dan, a writer’s willingness to push himself can prove more significant
than raw talent. There are many naturally gifted writers; what distinguishes a
great writer from a good one is the technique they have gained through careful
study and years of dedication.
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Several
helpful books exist for writers seeking guidance as they try to develop their
skills, including, “Crafty Screenwriting” by Alex Epstein,
“Adventures in the Screen Trade” by William Goldman, and
“Secrets of Film Writing” by Tom Lazarus. Dan Bucatinsky and
countless other screenwriters rely on these resources to craft innovative,
creative screenplays. These resources can be bought at any bookstore or online
at www.ShootingScripts.com.
Like Dan Bucatinsky, Tim
McCanlies (Iron Giant, Secondhand Lions, Dancer, Texas Pop. 81) gained
attention for his artful writing. He nurtured his natural writing talent by
practicing and revising scripts when he wasn’t working at odd jobs to
support himself.
In 1979 he published his first novel,
“Harlem,” and enrolled in the Sherwood Oaks Experimental College to
further study writing techniques. While in school Tim simultaneously excelled
in his classes and completed a screenplay based on his novel. His hard work
paid off: college founder Gary Shusett noted Tim’s diligence, read the
screenplay for Harlem, and helped to get the script optioned by Interscope.
In a recent interview Tim revealed that he still writes everyday and
added that “the key to good writing is to focus on developing strong,
interesting characters.” He stressed the importance of building up a
writing resume, encouraging aspiring writers to embrace all learning
opportunities including internships and jobs as assistant writers.
One
of Tim’s early jobs was as an assistant writer for the 1987 film North
Shore. An array of writing jobs and internships can be found online through
websites like www.mandy.com,
www.backstage.com,
www.hollywoodlitsales.com,
www.FreelanceWriting.com, and
www.CyberScreenwriter.com.
Tim urges beginning
writers not to lose hope, saying that it took him more than six months to write
and revise the screenplay for “Iron Giant” even with his strong
educational background and years of professional writing experience.
As gifted, hard working writers, both Dan Bucatinsky and Tim McCanlies
recognize the significance of contacts in Hollywood. Hollywood studios receive
thousands of scripts each month. Of these thousands only a few hundred may make
it from the mail room, past the intern’s desk, and into the
executive’s office. In the rush to read and pass scripts through the
hierarchy, Hollywood studios push many screenplays to the back burner or, worse
yet, immediately discard screenplays without review. Some amazing screenplays
end in the trashcan while many mediocre scripts are approved for production.
Why does this happen?
Because when a script arrives with a
cover letter of recommendation from an executive’s old professor, friend,
co-worker, etc… it goes straight to the top of the studio’s
“Read Me Now” list regardless of quality. This is the reality of the
Hollywood system, however unfair it may seem to newcomers.
The smart
screenwriter will accept this reality and make the most of his/her connections
to ensure that their script lands in the “Read Me Now” list. Although
mixers through organizations like the American Screenwriters Association and
the Writers Guild of America are good places to make contacts, the schmoozing
element of the business often requires some luck as well as hard work.
For example, Dan Bucatinsky was close friends with a woman named Lisa
Kudrow when he was studying to become a writer at Vassar College. When Lisa
became famous for her role in the popular television sitcom,
“Friends,” she helped Dan achieve his Hollywood dream. She ensured
the production of “All Over the Guy” by signing onto the film as an
actress and recommended Dan as a writer to many Hollywood producers and
directors. Dan and Lisa continue to collaborate on film projects, and he writes
parts for her into his screenplays. When Dan speaks to students, he stresses
making valuable friendships in college and urges students to view writing as a
business as well as an art.
Tim McCanlies also credits much of his
success to luck and connections. Without the support of Gary Shusett, an
associate producer on the 1988 film “Moon Over Parador,” it is
unlikely that Interscope would have read Tim’s unsolicited screenplay
“Harlem,” let alone optioned it. Once Gary Shusett helped him get his
foot in the door, Tim had the opportunity to make films with rising Hollywood
stars like Brad Bird (Iron Giant 1999, The Incredibles 2004) who appreciated
his work ethic and creativity. Tim’s career as a Hollywood screenwriter
thrives today because of the connections he made and fostered as a young
writer.
The key to breaking into Hollywood as a screenwriter is
twofold: a willingness to write, study, and practice with consistency; and a
talent to develop relationships with people in positions of power. There is not
one right way to be a screenwriter, but these elements are significant to
achieve success in Hollywood.
© B.
Scott
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Scott has been
a professional freelance writer for more than a decade. He is an active forum moderator at Writing Answers, a vibrant community of writers helping writers.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
1)
Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of
Screenwriting by Robert Mckee
2)
Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever
Need by Blake Snyder
3)
The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing,
Formatting, and Selling Your Script by David Trottier
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