International Screenwriters and Directors from the Mumbai Mantra and Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab conducted a discussion on the missing link for good cinema – a tight edgy script. The stalwarts shared their passion for the search for the elusive and successful script.
The panel moderated by Anjum Rajabali, Screenwriter & Michelle Slatter, Director, Sundance Institute consisted of Guillermo Arriaga, Michael Goldenber, Asif Kapadia, Shekhar Kapur, Kasi Lemmons, Jose Rivera and Audrey Wells.
The panel discussed the shortage of good writers in the industry as a result not many good movies are being made. But Shekhar Kapur was quick to add that there are no shortages of good writers but there are no listeners! He said, “Our search is based on the imperial data that is based on the successful movies of the past. When Kishore Kumar era was going on only he was singing every other song not because there were no other singers but because we people wanted Kishore Kumar’s clone. We need to listen to others in order to be sure that there is a shortage of talent.”
The panelists also spoke about their inner fears and anxiety while writing a script. Kasi expressed, “My characters speak to me in my head and the thing that scares me is that I’m afraid how do I put all that has been said in my mind on the paper. The entire process of beginning is sometimes a lot scary”.
The screenwriters also shared their journey of their first script and how they came upon the concept. Jose has found the concept for his first film after his son accidently gets a cat home and the cat gets eaten by a cayote in the backyard of their house near Holly hills
About the structure of the story being formulated in the writers mind Guillermo said, “We don’t tell any story in a linear way. Every person goes back and forth while telling a story and that’s the natural way. When I start I have no structure, background, or end! I like to discover my story as it goes. I don’t write outlines.
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