Renown screenwriter shares tips at lecture
Taylor Stephens
Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: News
James Hart, a professional screenwriter, visited the halls of Howard Auditorium, Center for Performing Arts, to give a lecture to students interested in screenwriting for movies.
Bill Willoughby, associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts, said he was honored to have Hart visit Tech to talk to students aspiring to be screenwriters.
Hart, writer of movies such as "Hook," "Dracula" and "Tomb Raider," said there are three questions a writer needs to ask before he can write a screenplay: who the main character is and what he wants, what are the relationships and in the end, does the main character get what he wants and is it good or bad that he got it.
"Any narrative is about trying to climb the mountain at first and then trying not to slip off of the other side at the end," Hart said. "As a writer, it's your job to make people give a damn."
Hart also said imagination is a key part to writing any movie. He said movies that are adaptations of books generally do not do as well because it destroys the barrier of imagination.
"The best movie is in your head, which is why we turn to books," Hart said. "'Where the Wild Things Are' was a brilliant book because it made us remember how simple childhood is, but it should have been a short film rather than a major motion picture."
Amanda Sharp, a senior speech communication major, said she would prefer to stay true to the book.
"Movies that are made from books fail because a movie should be a movie and a book should be a book," Sharp said. "The book creates an imagine in our mind that the movie can't always live up to."
Hart said another key point besides imagination is the use of a villain.
"One of the necessary qualities of a villain is to make you think, 'You know, this isn't that bad,'" Hart said. "Look at Captain Nemo from '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.' He's supposed to be made out to be the bad guy, yet you have sympathy for him."
Hart also said no idea is pointless, and everyone should have their chance to shine.
"It doesn't matter how old you are or how stupid someone tells you your idea is, [your idea] is never stupid," Hart said. "It took my 6-year-old son one question, 'What would've happened if Peter Pan grew up?' to create the movie Hook."
Hart said to remember to set a feasible world, have a visible goal, let the main character of the story reach the top of the mountain and the point of no return, let the plan fall apart, approach a conflict resolution and give the story a satisfying ending.
"No director, actor, truck driver delivering the props, doughnut guy or costume director has any hold on you," Hart said. "None of them have a job until you write 'The End.'"
Bill Willoughby, associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts, said he was honored to have Hart visit Tech to talk to students aspiring to be screenwriters.
Hart, writer of movies such as "Hook," "Dracula" and "Tomb Raider," said there are three questions a writer needs to ask before he can write a screenplay: who the main character is and what he wants, what are the relationships and in the end, does the main character get what he wants and is it good or bad that he got it.
"Any narrative is about trying to climb the mountain at first and then trying not to slip off of the other side at the end," Hart said. "As a writer, it's your job to make people give a damn."
Hart also said imagination is a key part to writing any movie. He said movies that are adaptations of books generally do not do as well because it destroys the barrier of imagination.
"The best movie is in your head, which is why we turn to books," Hart said. "'Where the Wild Things Are' was a brilliant book because it made us remember how simple childhood is, but it should have been a short film rather than a major motion picture."
Amanda Sharp, a senior speech communication major, said she would prefer to stay true to the book.
"Movies that are made from books fail because a movie should be a movie and a book should be a book," Sharp said. "The book creates an imagine in our mind that the movie can't always live up to."
Hart said another key point besides imagination is the use of a villain.
"One of the necessary qualities of a villain is to make you think, 'You know, this isn't that bad,'" Hart said. "Look at Captain Nemo from '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.' He's supposed to be made out to be the bad guy, yet you have sympathy for him."
Hart also said no idea is pointless, and everyone should have their chance to shine.
"It doesn't matter how old you are or how stupid someone tells you your idea is, [your idea] is never stupid," Hart said. "It took my 6-year-old son one question, 'What would've happened if Peter Pan grew up?' to create the movie Hook."
Hart said to remember to set a feasible world, have a visible goal, let the main character of the story reach the top of the mountain and the point of no return, let the plan fall apart, approach a conflict resolution and give the story a satisfying ending.
"No director, actor, truck driver delivering the props, doughnut guy or costume director has any hold on you," Hart said. "None of them have a job until you write 'The End.'"
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