Screenwriting Tips from Hollywood Professionals

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  • čas přidán 4. 12. 2018
  • Screenwriters of "A Quiet Place," "BlacKkKlansman," "Uncle Drew," "Nutcracker and the Four Realms" and more offer their best advice for writers trying to break into the entertainment industry.
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Komentáře • 255

  • @Brandon-vy6uw
    @Brandon-vy6uw Před 5 lety +1008

    James Gunn says it the best “Finish what you write weather you think it sucks or not. Just finish it”

    • @joeygonzo
      @joeygonzo Před 5 lety +42

      whether . Finish it and re-write it.

    • @ScoobyandShaggy5554
      @ScoobyandShaggy5554 Před 4 lety +11

      Yep I think that’s a great idea to write a story however forget the rules then go back and heavily revise.

    • @spfccsmft
      @spfccsmft Před 4 lety +13

      "Just finish writing that tweet, no matter what."

    • @romans8024
      @romans8024 Před 4 lety +2

      Completed project (or a deed for that matter) is what counts. You can take the most from your experience when it has begining and end.. in one box. Psychologically, it's as valuable as life will ever get. Just think about it in the terms of what you really deny for yourself when you're using an excuse not to finish your crap.

    • @mylifeinjoylike8445
      @mylifeinjoylike8445 Před 4 lety

      Xxx

  • @ScottGuinn
    @ScottGuinn Před 5 lety +323

    For me, it's really hard to write and feel accomplished on a consistent basis. Some days everything makes sense and you feel incredibly inspired. Other days you feel like the worst writer in the world and forget how to bring a page to life. I will improve though - thanks for the tips!!!

  • @iv0rysh0es39
    @iv0rysh0es39 Před 5 lety +361

    Only advise I got in film school screenplay writing classes:
    Every word needs a purpose. It needs to either promote the plot, further development, but it needs to have a function. Don't have any "car park" scenes to linger.
    Oh, and "count down your word count, it's too long"...

  • @homer_thompson5090
    @homer_thompson5090 Před 4 lety +349

    Co-writer of BlackkKlansman: "Quantity, not quality matters. Show it early and often" ... Co-writer of BlackkKlansman: "Take a lot of time to get the concept right first before you dive in to actually start writing it"

    • @themediaangel7413
      @themediaangel7413 Před 4 lety +20

      The duality of man

    • @alexispapageorgiou72
      @alexispapageorgiou72 Před 4 lety +13

      That second one didn't actually make any sense, but yin yang writing partners sounds like fun, even though they'd probably get the job done after their employers naturally become one with the world.

    • @ckrug32
      @ckrug32 Před 4 lety +30

      These actually aren't diametrically opposed ideas.
      One writer is saying make sure you outline or write treatments or bullet points or whatever you need to do to ensure that you've got the concept of your movie down. Then, and only then, start churning pages out.
      The other writer says churning pages out is about quantity -- write through the entire scene you've outlined, even if it feels shitty because you will need to come back and revise anyway -- and not quality, because there's no use in trying to make it "perfect" on your first try, ...you will need to come back and revise anyway.
      These ideas go hand in hand.

    • @ckrug32
      @ckrug32 Před 4 lety +4

      Ocean Blue you’re talking about the “quantity over quality” guy right? If so, I understand what you’re saying but I don’t think he meant that at all. He means write many scripts and many drafts of each of these scripts, so that you continually receive feedback and continually revise them to make them better.
      I think he’s trying to warn new writers about perfectionism, and how many of us can get stuck on a script for months or years because we just want to make it perfect before someone else sees it. But the reality is, while you were toiling away at your one “masterpiece” someone else has written ten scripts and has gotten an agent and is now working professionally as a writer because they showed their work, got feedback, and revised.

    • @ckrug32
      @ckrug32 Před 4 lety

      Ocean Blue it is absolutely about what he meant. I understood it clearly and I’m trying to clarify it for you
      Peace out ✌️

  • @pingupangu1
    @pingupangu1 Před 4 lety +69

    3:36 - just skip to this, Ashleigh Powell gives the most encouraging tip that every writer can relate to

  • @filmtoppings
    @filmtoppings Před 4 lety +95

    0:03 "You Are My Friend" is now known as A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood btw

  • @fatastrophe9854
    @fatastrophe9854 Před 4 lety +50

    i always feel that you should show yourself truly on your work, whether it be through characters, setting, etc. you shouldn’t be uptight and embrace your flaws, even write about them, maybe someone will resonate with them.

  • @Reymei
    @Reymei Před 4 lety +31

    I think that David guy never once blinked.

  • @ellengreenberg9179
    @ellengreenberg9179 Před 3 lety +8

    Write through the suck. Love it. Thanks.

  • @1muzikmania
    @1muzikmania Před 5 lety +47

    I loved Christy Hall's DADDIO script. Made me feel at ease about my own simple-ass script.

    • @saiashwin26
      @saiashwin26 Před 5 lety +2

      her get home safe is absolute trash though

    • @fatastrophe9854
      @fatastrophe9854 Před 4 lety

      the script can be as simple as you want it to be, it’s what comes after your script that you want to put style and what not into

    • @samwri3330
      @samwri3330 Před 4 lety +2

      It's just a shame she ruined it with Get Home Safe.

  •  Před rokem +1

    I loved the last tip. When you feel like it and the ideas are coming, just write you ass off!!!!!

  • @falconawesomeness1141
    @falconawesomeness1141 Před 4 lety +24

    Don’t hide from your truth and don’t deny the truth of others either. There’s a great story in both.

  • @Bvideo105
    @Bvideo105 Před 5 lety +7

    Love this. Thanks for making this video, Variety.

  • @charlievega3978
    @charlievega3978 Před 3 lety +6

    I had to replay this video because it was so inspirational. Everyone's advice is so true and I'm glad I watched this. Being a writer starting out and this has got to be the best video I could've clicked to watch. Praying for each and everyone of these people, God bless them for sharing their advice with me.

  • @gabrielpalacios624
    @gabrielpalacios624 Před 4 lety +5

    These tips sound genuinely true, thank you guys, you gave me some motivation to continue

  • @fixedfocusfilm3068
    @fixedfocusfilm3068 Před 3 lety +1

    Thank you for this gem, Variety.

  • @mackenziediaz8780
    @mackenziediaz8780 Před 4 lety +6

    This is great. I want to be Screenwriter when I graduate and I really needed this!!

  • @ozymandias5449
    @ozymandias5449 Před 4 lety +27

    The last lady really helped me out

    • @alexispapageorgiou72
      @alexispapageorgiou72 Před 4 lety

      Only way that makes sense, to me anyway, is under serious time constraints, which no matter the reason, do not bode well with proper art. Every word you write defines the next step you take. Crap will bring forth more crap. Surely you gotta love everything you write, otherwise why on Earth would you write it down. Maybe she meant putting down something that's not quite perfect and not actually writing down something you just know is bad.

  • @sahrn1783
    @sahrn1783 Před 4 lety +4

    Thanks. I needed this more then anything

  • @amol997279
    @amol997279 Před 4 lety +5

    This is inspirational and I hope I will do something with this.

  • @67Dio
    @67Dio Před 4 lety +1

    I thought this things only happened to me, thank you guys for sharing your thoughts!!!!!!

  • @AxelFoley-sb5re
    @AxelFoley-sb5re Před 4 lety +2

    All great advice!

  • @thelast1163
    @thelast1163 Před 3 lety +1

    Props to all but the last one was exactly what I needed to hear.

  • @paradisecolors
    @paradisecolors Před 4 lety +7

    I love what Christy Hall said :)

  • @emmanuelmccallum
    @emmanuelmccallum Před 2 lety

    This gives me the complete motivation to start my own animation movies and any movie subject to just write thank you i’ll see you in Hollywood.

  • @JB-bq2qj
    @JB-bq2qj Před 4 lety +54

    Where’s the screenwriter of Pixels???

  • @speedone1509
    @speedone1509 Před 5 lety +2

    Thanks for this

  • @TARUJI
    @TARUJI Před 5 lety +5

    Needed this.

  • @scottslotterbeck3796
    @scottslotterbeck3796 Před 4 lety +9

    Best. Advice. EVER!!! "Write through the Suck."

  • @steve_negrin
    @steve_negrin Před 4 lety +1

    nice, really helpful
    thanks

  • @ryannixon4138
    @ryannixon4138 Před 5 lety +2

    Great vid thanks

  • @Sweet_Karma
    @Sweet_Karma Před 5 lety +3

    Much obliged 🤠

  • @moviesovermatterproductions

    I absolutely loved this! 👏🏾🌹🥰

  • @ryannixon4138
    @ryannixon4138 Před 5 lety +1

    Great advice

  • @johnnycaper_
    @johnnycaper_ Před 4 lety +2

    it's hard to just write a full script from scratch, like just sit down and write a whole movie. Even tho you want it, but it never really happens. Usually it's just bunch of ideas, bunch of that, lil bit of that, some random quotes, random monologues and just in total random madness. It takes a time to come up with a story from all that, but everything that you write leads you to the ultimate story. It all really adds up sooner or later. I still haven't written a single script, but god damn I have so much pages of text lol. I don't know, I guess the madness and chaos is just a part of it. It's beautiful, it's frustrating, it's scary, it's fun. Overall it's fucking art, don't expect to it all just pop up like a candy in a story/resupply :D

  • @michaelsix9684
    @michaelsix9684 Před 3 lety +1

    plan on doing lots of rewriting, it might take several drafts to get it right

  • @hanselmadeabeat9200
    @hanselmadeabeat9200 Před 2 lety

    This was actually a wonderful video for me.

  • @Horror-Man
    @Horror-Man Před 4 lety +14

    1:54 She looks like Paris from Gilmore Girls.

    • @iamsyrex
      @iamsyrex Před 4 lety +1

      Paris from Gilmore Girls looks like Summer Smith from Rick & Morty.

  • @noemietarrade2423
    @noemietarrade2423 Před 4 lety +1

    Please do this with directors and actors PLEASE

  • @davemckay4359
    @davemckay4359 Před 4 lety

    These advice s are top notch

  • @tillwiesmann3144
    @tillwiesmann3144 Před 3 lety +14

    Junge wegen dir muss ich mir das in englisch geben

  • @burgesssam
    @burgesssam Před 5 lety +8

    It's not fair that Elizabeth Chomko is that beautiful and that intelligent :O

  • @megamoviez
    @megamoviez Před 5 lety +13

    I've been writing short films for a while but after this I'm really going to crack down on this!

    • @ameerahtoyfunreview9674
      @ameerahtoyfunreview9674 Před 5 lety

      How is it going.

    • @s.s5933
      @s.s5933 Před 4 lety

      Good luck bud! I have ideas but haven't even put a dent in actually writing. Just pages of plots and ideas. I'm motivated to start writing. I'm kinda scared but I'll try 😓

  • @garyleeheard3434
    @garyleeheard3434 Před 2 lety +2

    Read your favorite movies and learn from those guidelines. And never write in camera direction unless you plan to film and direct the film your self . Write as much as you can long as it helps the story go into the right direction. Learn ,be good then get better . Love your choice of career .every career has it's ups and downs .

  • @rishikamath6718
    @rishikamath6718 Před 3 lety +1

    Christy Hall 2:04 is a dead ringer for Bonnie from How to Get Away with Murder!

  • @just-simplymarvelous
    @just-simplymarvelous Před 4 lety +7

    i like to get introduced to a manager to view my script.

  • @UPLIFT185
    @UPLIFT185 Před 4 lety +1

    My question is how did you guys succeed in getting your Screenplays on screen? What is the procedure?

  • @Oli_The_HouseCat
    @Oli_The_HouseCat Před 4 lety +5

    Imagine we got advice from Elizabeth Banks or writers of spoof movies

  • @JKES4
    @JKES4 Před 3 lety

    Yes

  • @jasoncoladonato1034
    @jasoncoladonato1034 Před 4 lety

    first person's advice I'll never forget

  • @ozymandias5449
    @ozymandias5449 Před 4 lety +1

    Beyond anything let’s argue that this video is genuinely helpful

  • @kheshwankolah9935
    @kheshwankolah9935 Před 4 lety

    In a good screenplay words match images. They can be jumbled but all dialogue results in imagery and vice versa. Or it’s an unbalanced outcome and leaves ppl dissatisfied. Thoughts cannot be seen or heard. Ppl have to say or do things. It’s like ❤️ u can’t think it u express and feel in front of ur lover. Same here.

  • @ineverswag
    @ineverswag Před 5 lety +4

    Christy 😍😍😍😍

  • @Mehhu
    @Mehhu Před 4 lety

    More, please!

  • @m.mishra9133
    @m.mishra9133 Před 3 lety

    Quantity over quality. I think i 100% agree with that. Atleast when you're starting out.

  • @johnvargas2880
    @johnvargas2880 Před 3 lety

    Need to know what 2 do w an idea for a SCREENWRITER.

  • @German-B1tch
    @German-B1tch Před 8 měsíci +3

    i had to watch this as homework. 👍

  • @ellie.b
    @ellie.b Před 4 lety

    As someone who is striving to be a screenwriter, this video is so helpful. Love ❤️

  • @Macmittens411
    @Macmittens411 Před 5 lety +19

    2:00 - She is so beautiful!

  • @chrissystewart6268
    @chrissystewart6268 Před 4 lety

    What made screenwriters begin their career?

  • @user-kd9ro2yv3h
    @user-kd9ro2yv3h Před 5 lety

    Nice

  • @michaelcavanaugh
    @michaelcavanaugh Před 5 lety +1

    I want to hear from Noah!

  • @MartimusDecimusMeridius
    @MartimusDecimusMeridius Před 4 lety +2

    Any help please on how to format a script. Any books that are best for that

    • @SpaceBoiii69
      @SpaceBoiii69 Před 4 lety +1

      U could use softwares for formatting the Screenplay writing.

    • @MartimusDecimusMeridius
      @MartimusDecimusMeridius Před 4 lety

      @@SpaceBoiii69 do you know what software is best suited please.

    • @SpaceBoiii69
      @SpaceBoiii69 Před 4 lety

      @@MartimusDecimusMeridius There are many videos regarding the softwares!!! I personally use CeltX.

    • @MartimusDecimusMeridius
      @MartimusDecimusMeridius Před 4 lety +1

      @@SpaceBoiii69 I shall take a good look this week. Thank you for your time and reply. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Hope you have a great day.

  • @jeffescanto
    @jeffescanto Před 4 lety

    for me its about the story... if you have your story and you know where your story needs to go. and you have your characters and know them very well. then writing is easy. i dont just write blind, i know the end of my story and the fun is getting the characters and moving the plot to that end. and as for writers block. how i deal with that is just forget about the work and do something else. and then go and sleep. and when i wake up i am unblocked and it flows again. as for writing through the block like one of the ladies said. you can try that, but you might loose your natural voice if you go that route, and your story might take a different direction from where you were originally going. which may be fine, but i'll bet the natural story which you were telling without forcing your way through it, would have been 10 times better than what you finally have when you force it

  • @scottslotterbeck3796
    @scottslotterbeck3796 Před 4 lety +6

    OMG...No, none of my stuff is a masterpiece! No problem with that!

  • @mopurinowshad1475
    @mopurinowshad1475 Před 4 lety +21

    My tip
    Readmore
    Day dream

  • @jameslatimer4968
    @jameslatimer4968 Před 4 lety +26

    Need tips from Tarantino

    • @dumbguy5949
      @dumbguy5949 Před 4 lety

      Dankmemeulous change history into something impossible, curse a lot and repeat 10 times.

    • @filmtoppings
      @filmtoppings Před 4 lety

      "INCLUDE AS MANY CURSE WORDS AND SLURS AS POSSIBLE"

    • @corrupt_insomniac
      @corrupt_insomniac Před 4 lety +1

      Make white guys say nigger lol

  • @thatdudeuhate6649
    @thatdudeuhate6649 Před 4 lety +4

    The Ultimate Screenwriting Tip: Know the right people. 😂

  • @BingeOnThisChannel
    @BingeOnThisChannel Před 4 lety +4

    Hey David... easy on the lens with that stare.

  • @TheYBFamily
    @TheYBFamily Před rokem

    Last one is speaking the truth

  • @nyranstanton203
    @nyranstanton203 Před 4 lety

    these people and screenplay writers in general don't get enough credit outside just the inside industry people.

  • @RSousa-ru7xi
    @RSousa-ru7xi Před 4 lety +7

    And still, Hollywood give us things like skywalker ascension.

    • @randomguy6679
      @randomguy6679 Před 4 lety

      Not every writer in Hollywood is perfect, but there's still gold every now and then.

  • @Spiderstan727
    @Spiderstan727 Před 6 měsíci

    Chomko gave the best here

  • @jp_produces
    @jp_produces Před 5 lety

    Hey its that House Hunter's Screenwriter loved that episode lol

  • @NatalieMarte
    @NatalieMarte Před 5 lety +3

    I would love to collage with some people. If there are any writers here who would like to write an easy 2 character story for a short film, let me know. I want to make amazing shorts but I need an amazing story!! ;)

  • @jaxchan9033
    @jaxchan9033 Před 4 lety +9

    Funny how they dont take their own advise at times

    • @itsadamwells
      @itsadamwells Před 4 lety

      jax chan how so?

    • @jaxchan9033
      @jaxchan9033 Před 4 lety +1

      @@itsadamwells in terms that there is good advise here,but if you look at some films from the past couple of year. It doesn't seem like they took it

    • @jaxchan9033
      @jaxchan9033 Před 4 lety

      @@itsadamwells I'm not hating on them, I understand the difficulty that comes with a job like that

    • @alexanderford3831
      @alexanderford3831 Před 4 lety +2

      Not to mention that the screenplay doesn't go straight from the page, onto the screen. Directors, producers, and even the actors themselves will slice, dice, and reinterpret the writers intent. For better or worse.

  • @gooddog20002
    @gooddog20002 Před 4 lety

    Don't worry about what worked in the past and don't worry about what would be a hit. Just write what you want to see. That is how WALL-E, ALIEN, ALIENS, ET and BLADE RUNNER was written.

  • @deebee6390
    @deebee6390 Před 4 lety

    LOVE the diversity of writers here guys

  • @guerillawhite3083
    @guerillawhite3083 Před 4 lety +9

    ah yes im interested in advice from the people who wrote uncle drew

    • @dyslexicstoner2408
      @dyslexicstoner2408 Před 4 lety +2

      that movie was fucking abominable. doing my taxes is less boring than that movie.

    • @kgthompson5814
      @kgthompson5814 Před 2 lety

      @@dyslexicstoner2408 😄 🤣

  • @jamesrogers9056
    @jamesrogers9056 Před 4 lety

    Christy Hall shakes her head 'No' while smiling

  • @sorrybabyx
    @sorrybabyx Před 4 lety +1

    Where are D and D?

  • @BygoneT
    @BygoneT Před 4 lety

    Oh so this is where I need to come when I need examples of what not to do

  • @AyushNishad
    @AyushNishad Před 4 lety +1

    May be what you saw to like ....is more important of screenwriting

  • @sampsonraysimon
    @sampsonraysimon Před 4 lety +4

    As a collaborative artist, I absolutely HATE screenwriting. But I’m such a weird guy, that if I don’t write roles for myself, I ain’t finna get cast.
    So ya gotta do whatcha gotta do.

    • @bluerabbit1236
      @bluerabbit1236 Před 4 lety +1

      Sampson Ray Simon Who the fuck ever uses finna in a sentence anyway?

    • @Madbandit77
      @Madbandit77 Před 4 lety

      @@bluerabbit1236 Definitely NOT a writer...:/

  • @rajarajanmanoharan
    @rajarajanmanoharan Před 4 lety

    I clicked for the hot chick in the thumbnail but stayed for the nuggets of wisdom.

  • @RottenDoctorGonzo
    @RottenDoctorGonzo Před 4 lety +2

    Years of trying but still I can't get a good structure going. 🤷

    • @sandycheekz4692
      @sandycheekz4692 Před 4 lety +1

      Find the central question your story revolves around. Then, try writing an outline and organize it into three acts.
      Act One: Pose the question
      Act Two: Explore/exploit the question
      Act Three: Answer the question.
      I'm just a student but these tips have helped me IMMENSELY with pulling my stories together.

    • @RottenDoctorGonzo
      @RottenDoctorGonzo Před 4 lety +1

      @@sandycheekz4692 Thank you so much for the tips. I'm going to try them out.

  • @churchillosimbo
    @churchillosimbo Před 5 lety +43

    I love how they're alot of women.

  • @devol4444
    @devol4444 Před 4 lety +5

    Anyone from England wanna help with my movie?

    • @davidadams5388
      @davidadams5388 Před 4 lety

      Help writing ?

    • @SavageSoftware
      @SavageSoftware Před 4 lety

      Help how?

    • @devol4444
      @devol4444 Před 4 lety

      @@davidadams5388 sorry I don't know why I wasn't specific help writing it.

    • @devol4444
      @devol4444 Před 4 lety

      @@SavageSoftware sorry I don't know why I wasn't specific help writing it.

    • @SavageSoftware
      @SavageSoftware Před 4 lety

      @@devol4444 have you written anything before?

  • @maxinewest1326
    @maxinewest1326 Před 2 lety

    I have idea for a movie. It would be called Duck and Hide the Evidence. It would be about government officials who is in with the mobster and framing a woman over her own painting that she painted. They delete videos camera footage and paying people to lie in order to help the mob,. This movie would be about a huge cover up.

  • @TheSunshinefee
    @TheSunshinefee Před 4 lety +4

    where is the diversity? how about older screenwriters, black/brown/asian/latino screenwriters ? you know they do exist

  • @PCIMPOSSIBLE
    @PCIMPOSSIBLE Před rokem

    I'm not a Hollywood pro, and I'm not going to become one. Ever. My scripts must include, but are not limited to, LOVE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, or there will be no script at all. Ever.

  • @churchillosimbo
    @churchillosimbo Před 5 lety +11

    More color tho

    • @VikingFitness00
      @VikingFitness00 Před 5 lety +3

      agreed where were the Asians and latinos?

    • @josephdocherty7919
      @josephdocherty7919 Před 5 lety +5

      @@VikingFitness00 Race doesn't matter. Why are we judging their writing capability based entirely on their ethnicity?

    • @s.s5933
      @s.s5933 Před 4 lety

      @@josephdocherty7919 it's not judging their capabilities. It's just asking for more diversity. You know Spike Lee, Tyler Perry, Ryan Coogler?

    • @josephdocherty7919
      @josephdocherty7919 Před 4 lety

      I know that, but you think they could get multi million directors / writers in a CZcams video? You know how much it would cost to get Spike Lee in this?

    • @josephdocherty7919
      @josephdocherty7919 Před 4 lety

      @@s.s5933 Not only that, but they got the writer of BlackKklansman in it. Isn't that good enough?

  • @delux2414
    @delux2414 Před 4 lety

    I'm not going to take advice from somebody who wrote a bad movie

  • @codrobert6269
    @codrobert6269 Před 3 lety +3

    Lost bouu

  • @LyndenLegault
    @LyndenLegault Před 4 lety

    Hollywood Professionals My Ass

  • @trevscribbles
    @trevscribbles Před 4 lety

    Christy Hall mistaking "advice" for platitudes Amelie would use to describe a sugary breakfast cereal.

  • @lolllek6838
    @lolllek6838 Před měsícem

    👨‍🎨

  • @juniorberns
    @juniorberns Před 4 lety

    writers are and screenplay is...

  • @minco997
    @minco997 Před 2 měsíci

    ⚠️

  • @davemckay4359
    @davemckay4359 Před 4 lety

    The last ones cuye too