Screenwriting Quote #139 (Robin Swiscord)

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Screenwriting Quote #139 (Robin Swiscord)

July 2, 2010 by Scott W. Smith

“You don’t learn how to write a screenplay by just reading screenplays and watching movies. It’s about developing the kind of mind that sees and makes drama. You can do this in a kind of holistic way by reading history and theology and psychology, reading great fiction and poetry, and plays. You develop an eye for the structures of everything and look for the patterns that help you become a dramatist.”
Robin Swiscord
Oscar-nominated screenwriter, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, Karl Iglesias
page 134

Posted in Screenwriting Quotes | Tagged Karl Iglesias, Robin Swiscord, The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | 5 Comments

5 Responses

on July 2, 2010 at 8:19 am Screenwriting From Iowa » Screenwriting Quote #139 (Robin Swiscord)

[...] “You don’t learn how to write a screenplay by just reading screenplays and watching. It’s about developing the kind of mind that sees and makes drama. You can do this in a kind of holistic way by reading history and theology and psychology, reading great fiction and poetry, and plays. You develop an eye for [...] Original Source… [...]
on July 2, 2010 at 10:00 am joe

So is watching “reality” TV give you a taste of those particular producer’s take on drama.?

Seems like from first date to using bathroom, they are doing their particular take on drama.

Joe
on July 2, 2010 at 7:38 pm Meg

I went for a number of years without writing (for various reasons which I swear will never find themselves in any movie I write but still mentally beat myself up for)–but reading this quote reminds me of how even when I wasn’t writing I was always looking for STORY.
on July 2, 2010 at 7:40 pm Meg

Just wanted to add how much I enjoy your blog. It’s become my weekend ritual to at some point catch up on the week’s posts.
on July 2, 2010 at 8:19 pm Scott W. Smith

Thanks Meg for the encouragement.

I think one reason so many movies reference other movies is that is the only world some writers know. It becomes kind of a shorthand hipness rather than a focus on story, character & theme.

I think writer’s are curious people and even when they are not writing they are writing. It all goes into your story bank. There is a fellow I read about years ago who was very successful who jumped off an overpass onto cars killing himself. I’ve wondered what lead him to jump as well as the effect it had on the car that he landed on at least 100 times. Haven’t written anything about it, I just keep rolling in over in my brian from time to time.

It’s caused me to take an interest in reading about others who have taken their life, including some history books, and various articles by doctors and scholars on both suicide and the psychology of success. It’s taken me down all kinds of rabbit trails and I don’t know if a script will emerge one day, but it’s given me a deeper understanding of human nature.

Joe— I don’t see too much reality TV, but I know they are basically looking for the quickest road to conflict. I have done freelance shooting and field producing on various national TV programs and in general time and budgets are limited so they usually have an angle they go into the shoot looking for—the conflict is built into who the chose to interview or throw together.

So what you see on reality shows is part producer’s tastes, part what the producer thinks the audience is interested in, and part just the nature of the beast of doing reality TV.

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