FILM SCHOOL NYFA - GUEST LECTURE PAUL SCHRADER (part1)

The New York Film Academy presents screenwriter Paul Schrader as part of its guest lecture series.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• paul
• schrader
• new
• york
• film
• academy
• screenwriting
• screen
• writing
• nyfa
• lecture
• paulschrader

[filmfan09]

I love Paul Schrader's work. He is one of the best screenwriters/directors around. I love the fact that he tells stories that aren't always happy. His films are honest, which I love. It's a shame he isn't more well-known outside of film buffs.

[ssstracener]

He's so honest, and that seems to be what it takes to write truly memorable work, believable characters.

[HumanActivitySystem]

(Continued) By aspiring greatness of another man's creative force, you actually negate what it was that made that man's creative spirit - which was that man himself - not you. You can take a photo of a great man - and draw a portrait of it - but it will really be at all like him because it will not be alive and writing is something only the living can do. So, I think admiring is much better then aspiring - when it comes human beings. If you are not the creative source you aspire to - don't write

[HumanActivitySystem]

I disagree with the guy who introduces Schrader saying, as fact, that "there are names (writers) you aspire to." Doubtless this is true, for, well, I don't know - virtually everyone else, but I think that might be exactly why there are so few great writers. We forget so many of the great doctors, scientists, leaders, entertainers, etc, from the past in a generation or two, but most of the first dozen or two names of "great writers" well known today have been dead for generations if not 1000 yrs.

[HumanActivitySystem]

@ssstracener So I think what it really is - is that to even just become a decent writer, you must be capable of honestly expression your intentions. And to realize your intentions, you must first have come to know yourself very well - and the degree of knowledge you have of yourself will determine the level of awareness you will be able to exercise in honestly expressing your intentions. But, you might honestly intend to lie - and that is why this level of awareness leads to many lonely writers.

[HumanActivitySystem]

@ssstracener That's an interesting idea. You definitely need to honestly express yourself to write (and other things) anything decent because why else would you do that much work; work that might not get published for reasons that you can't control (now you can at least guarantee you will get published electronically, which is pretty awesome - going in knowing that it's up to you to decide & not some strangers you might not even like or ever meet). But you have to write lying characters, too.

[GenericMammal]

6:35 "If I didn't create him he would start to create me."

[slitherlock]

never saw taxi driver...this mans honesty has me downloading it as soon as I'm done typing this.

[fratt41]

This is beautiful!

[Z0mgZ0mbies]

@filmfan09 I hear that.