James Gray on the loss of CRAFT in screenwriting

James Gray discusses the problem as he sees it with screenwriting and the erosion of quality and excellence in film.

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Film & Animation

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[Fapsamup]

Where can I find the whole broadcast?

[baillou2]

@Fapsamup It's from a podcast that's no longer being produced by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. You might be able to search its archives and find it.

[Fapsamup]

I do agree with him, that Hollywood has become a fastfood industry. But... Analysing the craft to death has killed movies. Try to read books about Tarkovski, Godard, Bresson, Renoir, Lynch, Resnais, Marker, Kubrick... instead. You'll learn a lot more about the independent artform and poetic structure, the true possibilities and essence of cinema.

[baillou2]

@Fapsamup I don't think that what has killed movies is analyzing the craft to death. I see very little craft at all. And what James Gray is advocating is exactly what you're recommending. In fact he loves Godard, Lynch and Kubrick.

[gooddog20002]

You can't be brillant in an assemble line fashion for making movies.

[gooddog20002]

Yes most of the movies now do SUCK!

But there are still so good writers, but writing is a hit or miss process. THE MISFITS was written by MAILER and it was great. But he hadn't written anything in 20 years and even for the best writers they can't be brillant all the time.

[BUDDY6414724297]

3:10 TO YUMA was well written and it made a lot of money.

[BUDDY6414724297]

Let us not forget it is also in the executiion of the story, shakespeaere is a great writer and how many times have we seen people butcher his work.

[BUDDY6414724297]

As badly as writers are treated in the business is it any wonder that the writing in movies is so bad?

[BUDDY6414724297]

I can still write great stories. The key is to keep it simple and write what you want to see. Write the story that you are burning to write.

And forget what has worked in the past!

[ghostmanlostsoul]

We live a world that honors dishonor. In a world that squashed good men and praises scondrels. I am a blacklisted writer and an award winning writer. Sois it any wonder that people who are amoral will rise to the top while people with principles find themselves black balled. so is it a surprise that we see a lot of crap being made. since the people making these shows how no thought about anything except thier own self promotion. so we get a lot of panderfest crap.

[souldude81]

James screenwriting is an art and a craft.