G.Pics spent last Friday night at the BFI, attending a talk by Simon Beaufoy, the BAFTA and Academy Award winning Screenwriter of The Full Monty and Slumdog Millionaire. As part of the BAFTA / BFI lecture series, the night took the form of an interview / Q and A session, giving an insight into how Simon works and his screenwriting process. So, we thought we'd share some of his thoughts with everyone.
Initially starting out in documentary film making, he stressed the importance of authenticity and the power of narrative structure in storytelling.
"Ask yourself, if I gave you a camera, what would you point it at?"
Throwing yourself into your story world is integral, to take the time to listen to people, to soak up the visual landscape and to learn from everything that surrounds you.
Remember as you write, to be flexible with your story as ultimately it will take on a life of its own, telling you what it wants to be. However, hold on to the truth of your story, don't start writing scenes just to try and manipulate your audience.
Finally, remember to write what you love, as inadvertently a part of who you are will creep in to your writing. If you start to feel any doubts, remind yourself why you love film-making.
Another fantastic night at the BFI – They hope to make the Screenwriting Lecture series an annual event, so make sure you book up early next year and get to as many as you can.
