27 Quotes About Screenplays



  • Author Emma Thompson
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    [Over breakfast] We discussed the 'novelisation' question. This is where the studio pay someone to novelise my script and sell it as Sense and Sensibility. I've said if this happens I will hang myself. Revolting notion. Beyond revolting.Lindsay [Doran] said that the executive she had discussed it with had said 'as a human being I agree with you -- but ...' I laughed until my porridge was cool enough to swallow.

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  • Author William Goldman
  • Quote

    Screenplays are structure, and that’s all they are. The quality of writing—which is crucial in almost every other form of literature—is not what makes a screenplay work. Structure isn’t anything else but telling the story, starting as late as possible, starting each scene as late as possible. You don’t want to begin with “Once upon a time,” because the audience gets antsy.

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  • Author Augusten Burroughs
  • Quote

    I never could have written the screenplay because I would have been forced to learn new software and I can't learn one more thing.

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  • Author Diablo Cody
  • Quote

    I really just love to open a blank document and spew, whereas with a screenplay I have to be more judicious.

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