Analysts

WHAT ARE THE MAIN THINGS YOU LOOK FOR WHEN YOU READ A SCRIPT?  A solid hook and an interesting protagonist are a must.  The protagonist doesn’t always have to be likeable, but he does have to be sympathetic.  Of course, the more mainstream the film is supposed to be the more likeable the protagonist should be.  Other things I look for in a script are a fresh voice (is this something/someone I haven’t seen/heard before?) and a passion for the story being told.

WHAT MAKES BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS?  All characters have faults.  Don’t be afraid to show them.  Whether they’re good guys or bad guys I think it’s important to see as many sides of the characters as possible for them ring true.  Honest dialogue that is not “on the nose” is imperative.  If you look at the screenplays of Mamet or the recent British comedy In the Loop, dialogue can be the engine that moves the story.  Although, it’s a mistake to think people actually talk this way when in reality it takes quite a bit of craft to make-up dialogue that feels true.

WHAT’S THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE YOU SEE?  Since I’ve been guilty of this myself, I don’t have a problem saying that the most common mistake for writers is not telling us what the story is about until it’s too late in the script to care.  I’ve seen stories that don’t start until page forty or sixty or even page ninety.  I think this goes back to having a passion for the story being told.  While it can be hard to pour your guts out on the page, it’s important to remember that what motivated you to write your story is the same passion we need to experience when reading it.  Don’t be afraid to let us know what the story is about, why it’s important, and what the stakes are for the protagonist.  Trust me, we need to know to care.

WHAT KIND OF SCRIPTS ARE YOU MORE LIKELY TO CONSIDER?  I’m most likely to consider scripts that know what they are and live up to their expectations no matter the genre.  If it’s a comedy it should be funny.  If it’s a western, there should be horses and guns.  If it’s a musical there should be songs etc.  Too often scripts don’t know what they are.  The simpler the writer can answer the question “What is this screenplay about?” and the more faithful the writer can hold to that answer the more likely I am to consider that script.

WHAT’S THE BEST SCRIPT YOU’VE EVER READ?
Sunset Boulevard.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIEGOING EXPERIENCE?  My wife and I got married at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood.  The marquee for the 11:00 am showing in theater number one read “Now playing: Josh and Kelly’s Wedding”.  We served soda and popcorn to all our guests and a favorite picture of the two of us was projected onto the screen.  An usher even came in to give his pre-movie speech and said, “the running time for this film is the rest of their lives.”