Creative Principles

Ben Smithard spent his childhood watching movies. When he decided to enter the business, he made his way into Cinematography with commercials and music videos. He struggled, but eventually made his way into TV and film, with credits including ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,’ ‘Goodbye Christopher Robin,’ ‘Blinded by the Light,’ and ‘Downton Abbey.’

In this interview, Smithard talks about research before meeting the director, how he uses paintings to describe the hypothetical look of film, what it means to “refine ideas” during pre-production, why storyboarding isn’t always necessary, how he collaborated with Costume Designer Anna Robbins (Episode 175), the unique visual differences between the PBS series and the film, and how the industry has changed with excessive special effects.

If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Now in its 26th year, the Austin Film Festival was founded by Barbara Parker in 1993. At the time she had no film experience, but through her leadership the festival has been at the forefront of uncovering new voices in the film industry from all over the world.

Plus, the festival sees over 20,000 attendees each year, and notable past participants including Ron Howard, Harold Ramis, Oliver Stone, David Simon, Judd Apatow, Vince Gilligan, and Norman Lear.

In this interview, Morgan discusses why filmmaking shouldn’t just be a hobby, why festivals don’t try to predict the industry, how making shorts can be like film school, why every choice in a movie matters, why filmmakers need to know math for career longevity, and why persistence is everything.

If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Timothy Greenberg was almost a scientist. Like many people, from an early age, being making movies didn’t seem like a real career until he met someone in the business and gave it a shot. Around the age of 30, he taught himself how to write screenplays.

While writing features as a practice, he also started making short films, and then directed commercials, and eventually got a job on The Daily Show. After 11 years on the show, he decided to pursue fiction writing once more.

Currently, Greenberg’s credits include The Detour, Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas, and the Paul Rudd-led Netflix series, ‘Living With Yourself.’ The description reads, " A man undergoes an experimental treatment to improve his life, only to be replaced by a new and improved version of himself, and must fight for his wife, his career, and his very identity.”

In this interview, the writer-director talks about the differences in short form and long form content, how every project can be made a little tighter, why writers should think about projects that make money, how he handles idea creation, what to do when you lose touch with your own projects, and why big premise concepts are universally enjoyed.

If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Christine Leunens describes herself as a “very, very bookish child.” She started writing 20-page letters to friends and they were so long that her grandfather said, “I think you’re going to be a writer one day.”

While living in Paris, she started writing comedy and dramedy scripts as plays. After some frustrations due to major changes to her work, she decided to give up her contracts and focus on novels.

“It felt so meaningful for to me to go and write the story I wanted to tell.” The New Zealand-Belgian novelist is best known for 'Primordial Soup,' 'A Can of Sunshine,' and 'Caging Skies,' which was recently adapted into a film by writer-director Taika Waititi, under the name 'Jojo Rabbit.'

In this interview, Leunens describes her no-safety-net approach to writing, where she got the idea that for 'Caging Skies,' what’s at the heart of 'Jojo Rabbit,' how every novel is different, and why writers need to cut their work for the big picture.

If you enjoyed this interview, look for the print version on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

In the latest film from Henry Alex Rubin, Leighton Meester, Finn Wittrock, and Jay Courtney star in ‘Semper Fi.’ In the story, A police officer who serves in the Marine Corps Reserves is faced with an ethical dilemma when it comes to helping his brother in prison.

This idea has been rattling around the mind of Rubin for over a decade. While working on the documentary, ‘Murderball,’ the writer-director got lost in the idea of telling future stories about soldier dealing with PTSD.

In the documentary, ‘Murderball,’ audiences are invited to watch quadriplegics who play full-contact rugby in wheelchairs, as they overcome unimaginable obstacles to compete in the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.

In this interview, the director discusses his commitment to a subject, how documentaries differ from films, when it’s time to shelve an idea, how to find spontaneity on set, and how writing a script is like ironing out the wrinkles of a shirt.

If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Matt Eskandari believes filmmakers learn by doing. While making shorts like “The Taking,” he was chosen by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg to participate in the Fox Filmmaker Competition, On the Lot. Soon after, he filmed a handful of Indies, like ‘Victim’ and the contained thriller, ’12 Feet Deep.’

Now, Eskandari is working directly with Bruce Willis on two films: ‘Trauma Center’ and ‘The Long Night.’ The first is about a woman trapped overnight in a trauma center, while two men are out to silence her. In the second, Willis stars as Frank, a disgraced doctor held hostage by criminals on the run.

In this exclusive chat, the writer-director talks about creating your own opportunities as a filmmaker, how making shorts unveils strengths and weaknesses, why film school is all about relationships, when to put a project aside, and how to create internal monsters in cinema.

If you enjoyed this interview, look for the print version on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Anna Robbins made an unlikely shift from Scottish law to costume design, which began as an attempt to satisfy a creative urge and then move back to something “more sensible.” With credits such as ‘Perfect Sense,’ ‘Your Highness,’ and ‘The Eagle,’ Robbins is best known for her work on the series and film, ‘Downton Abbey.’

Like the series, the costume designer works to incorporate authentic wardrobe from the 1920s into the film, but finer details can be seen in cinema that aren’t necessarily noticeable on television. In the 2019 film, audiences are invited to watch “The continuing story of the Crawley family, wealthy owners of a large estate in the English countryside in the early 20th century.”

In this interview, Robbins discusses her views on storytelling through costume design, how to adapt literature to the big screen through love, how to collaborate with costume designers on set, and the emotional mood while wrapping the series and film versions of ‘Downton Abbey.’

If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas forged her own path to become an agent, a screenwriter, and a producer. With role models like Sue Mengers and Toni Howard, she battled to become an agent while most women were forced into the role of secretary.

Soon, she helped represent Julia Roberts, Andie MacDowell, Susan Sarandon, Madonna, and Jennifer Lopez. For these female stars, it was equally as important as saying “yes” to films and saying “no” to films. Then, she produced films like ‘Maid in Manhattan,’ ‘Mona Lisa Smile,’ and ‘Perfect Stranger.’

The latest film from the duo is called ‘Hustlers.’ Jennifer Lopez plays Ramona, alongside Julia Stiles and Constance Wu. “Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.”

In this interview, Elaine discusses her producing partnerships with Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry, what she looks for in a project, why people need to reinvent themselves, how the marketplace is looking for events, and why she doesn’t see Hollywood as male or female, but story driven.

If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods first met as sixth-graders in their hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa. 

Known for ‘For Always,’ ‘Her Summer,’ and ‘ Spread,’ their big break came from the success of ‘A Quiet Place,’ where “a family is forced to live in silence while hiding from monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing.”

In the new film, ‘Haunt,’ “A group of friends encounter an extreme haunted house that promises to feed on their darkest fears. The night turns deadly as they come to the horrifying realization that some nightmares are real.”

In this interview, the screenwriters talk about their career after the success of ‘A Quiet Place,’ why horror doesn’t need to be elevated, their early influences in the horror genre, thoughts on PG-13 versus R horror, working with Eli Roth, and how they divide time between writing, directing, and big picture brainstorming.

If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Plus, read our previous interview on 'A Quiet Place' for Creative Screenwriting here: https://creativescreenwriting.com/silent-films-dont-lean-on-the-crutch-of-dialogue-bryan-woods-scott-beck-talk-a-quiet-place/

When Jonathan Eig realized there hadn’t been a biography on Muhammad Ali’s entire life, he knew he found his next project. With other books on Al Capone, Lou Gehrig, and Jackie Robinson under his belt, he felt confident in his task, but also didn’t know anyone in the world of boxing to begin.

Eventually, Eig was able to launch conversations with the key people from Ali’s life, including his three surviving wives and past managers. Conducting over 500 interviews to gather information for the unauthorized biography, he even uncovered thousands of pages of unreleased FBI and Justice Department files on one of the most popular men of all time. Now he’s working with Ken Burns on an official documentary series.

In this interview, Eig shares the role of “happy accidents” in the life of Muhammad Ali, his views on the value of biographies and autobiographies, how he determines fact from fiction in his research, why a massive index is crucial, and he shares a few details about his next challenge, a biography on Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5