Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Are you a writer?

I just came across this quote:

“I could be just a writer very easily. I am not a writer. I am a screenwriter, which is half a filmmaker… But it is not an art form, because screenplays are not works of art. They are invitations to others to collaborate on a work of art.”--Paul Schrader

Do we agree with this? He’s got a point but I’m not so sure. And if it is true, or if we convince ourselves that it is true, then is all that work in vain?

The following really pushes the point:

“Out of the thousand writers huffing and puffing through movieland there are scarcely fifty men and women of wit or talent. The rest of the fraternity is deadwood. Yet, in a curious way, there is not much difference between the product of a good writer and a bad one. They both have to toe the same mark.”--Ben Hecht

Should we just concentrate on premise and high concept and stop being so goddam precious with our words?

Can you do that? I don’t think I can.

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