Who has the Write Stuff?

Hue Rhodes wraps himself into an existential knot when he talks. With his left arm wrapped around his belly and his head resting in his right hand he says words that seem too fancy to be real--yep, he's a screenwriter. Also add director and editor to his credits for his film festival movie Saint John of Las Vegas. Basically, he's one of those guys who takes the "film by" credit because he has his hands in everything from script to screen.

The three other screenwriters at the table Peter Hanson (Tales from the Script), George Hickenlooper (Hick Town), and Steven Peros (Footprints) collectively agree that if an aspiring screenwriter wants to keep their words pure, without having a director or a producer mucking them up, then it's important to keep the "film by" credit all to yourself. 

"If a screenwriter is really passionate about a script, they should direct it themselves," said George Hickenlooper, an intriguing, better-looking version of Alfred Hitchcock.

This was just one gem of many that these men offered during the two hour screenwriting workshop that started 3 p.m. Nov. 21 in Gallery 30 at the Starz Film Festival. Powered by their experience, the writers covered topics from qualities of a good screenplay to what it takes to be a screenwriter.

"If you want to be a screenwriter, it's a losing battle from day one," Hickenlooper said, then added, "You might as well just be a poet."

The room thickens a little with disappointment. It's obvious the screenwriters here aren't willing to blow smoke up anybody's ass, but Peter Hanson does chime in with a little optimism, "If it becomes a movie, you, the writer, has one."

There are so many obsticles that can get in the way of realizing a screenplay, Hanson said, that if your script gets produced, regardless of the end results, that's a victory.

Script tips from the pros:

Peter Hanson: It has to be a good piece of writing and reading. You must love the story you're telling. Do it in 90 pages. Describe a character in one scentence. Screenwriting is all about economy and carpentry. Build a structure that's going to withstand the elements in as few words as possible.

Steven Peros: Unlike a poem or a novel, the screenplay is a blueprint for something else. The biggest trick is to make the reading of the script match as close as possible to what it would be like to watch it as a movie. Try to incorporate new information on each page like character, plot, or theme (preferably more than one of these elements at once).

Hue Rhodes: Sock 'em in the mouth. Write the story first to discover the story.

George Hickenlooper: Always be open to building upon it. The script keeps evolving.

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