Recently, I've come across a comment here that producing films doesn't make any impact on screenwriting skills. There may be some misunderstanding from my side, but it nudges me to share some thoughts that could be helpful.
Having almost lifelong writing experience, I see shifts from writing to screenwriting and then to film producing as steps towards embodiment of the stories you work with. "Everybody has a story", and this stories themselves seem to push us forward to find their way into reality.
You can ask any writer how difficult and painful it is to write a screenplay based on your own novel. That's why many established writers hire screenplay writers to do it in cooperation. But believe me, going through such experience gives a writer a lot in seeing what works better for the audience. Yes, it's different types of writing but knowledge, ability to see your story as a movie enriches your writing as a novelist. I passed it almost ten years ago. It works.
In the same way, I have experienced another shift two years ago and now I can say that film producing enriches your screenwriting abilities, because you see better what exactly moves your story most efficiently. It would be great and inspiring if any of the peers shared ideas of this kind here. Thanks in advance.
3 people like this
Hi Alexander, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject!
4 people like this
Seeing a project from a different perspective can usually help you in the role you normally play. A director, writer, and producer often times have different priorities when producing work, and if you can be in those roles it will serve you when you are in the others.
3 people like this
Bob, I agree with you absolutely - each role of film production is one of sides making a story real, making this magic =) Thank you! And thank you, Shellie, for supporting words!
3 people like this
I've done only a little producing compared to my writing. I definitely would say the producing has made me more budget conscious in my writing. What has really affected my writing a lot more is editing. That really helps you understand just how much you can cut out of a screenplay, because of how the viewer can draw their own correct conclusions with good edits.
2 people like this
Yes, Terrence, I agree, absolutely – I just see editing as a natural and almost-non-separable part of writing process. When I was writing for TV series in a team of authors, all written scripts for episodes were being discussed within our team, and every writer should give a feedback, it was very efficient way of working, especially if the discussion is led by an experienced professional, in our case, it was a TV Producer with lots of projects done and aired. But most shocking thing I’ve ever experienced with an Editor’s hat on my head =) was when one day I won a very very long competition for writing a pilot of another animation series and our Producer asked me to take a look at all scripts they had received… It was dozens of works, short scripts from different writers but… they were so similar to each other… No-no, they were not the same, of course, but very close in plot, in the way how conflicts are being solved… All these writers think with very close patterns… Oh, it was such a serious lesson for me… Yes, editing experience is very valuable. That's true.
1 person likes this
Very valuable information indeed Alexander Kalinkin. Film is a collaborative effort involving many different people with different roles. It is always good to keep such things in mind when writing a script. Great insights!!!!
1 person likes this
I want to learn it all to be of help to it all.
1 person likes this
Alexander Kalinkin I realize I was unclear. I was referring to video editing. But yes editing other people's scripts is a valuable experience as well.