- What is the first story you ever wrote?
It was a very bad story about some girl who steals a painting from a museum.
- Growing up, what movies or stories inspired your creative passion?
Billie Wilder and Woody Allen were then and still are my favorite screenwriters. I find their scripts unbelievably fantastic. “Some like it hot” and “Zelig” are possibly the greatest movies ever written.
- For an unknown writer, what is the best way to get their screenplay seen?
Well I don’t really know as I also direct my scripts.
- What experiences from your life influence your characters?
I think lately it’s a massive heartbreak I went through. I put all the negative energy from it into my screenplays.
- Can you explain your character development process?
I don’t really know how to explain it. It just happens, I think.
- Do you write bios before you start writing?
I recently started doing that to understand my characters more. It helps when creating scenes. I know exactly what the character would do. Thanks to bios I know them inside out.
- How emotionally involved are you with the characters you create?
If they’re based on me or people close to me I get very involved. They remind me of situations I’ve been through and sometimes make me very emotional.
- What are your thoughts on structure?
I think it’s good to know what it is and to learn how it works. It’s been proven very effective throughout the years. However, once you know it, it’s also easier to break and invent new rules.
- Do you outline before you start writing?
Yes, I do. It just makes the writing process so much faster and easier.
- What is the most important aspect of building a great character?
The character needs to be truthful. Real. We need to understand why they behave like they behave. Even if they’re the villain of the story. We still need to get why they are what they are.
