Have you ever dreamt of being in the movies? Maybe you're a bit of a thespian¹? But what if you don't have matinee-idol looks? Well, if you're creative and write well you could make your mark in Hollywood as a screenwriter instead.

 

Tony Gilroy is one of Hollywood's most sought-after screenwriters, with blockbusters such as The Devil's Advocate, Armageddon and The Bourne Identity under his belt.

 

His advice to budding screenwriters is to make stuff up but keep it real. Gilroy believes knowing about human behaviour is the deal-breaker. According to him, "the quality of your writing will be directly related to your understanding of human behaviour".

 

He says: "You need to become a journalist for the movie that is in your head. You need to report on it; every scene has to be real."

 

Gilroy also thinks you've got to start with a very small idea that you can build on. For example, the Bourne films are based on novels by the writer Robert Ludlum, but Gilroy says he didn't actually read them. Instead he created a world around the character of Jason Bourne, a spy who has lost his memory and tries to discover his own identity.

 

Gilroy says: "The smallest thing with Bourne was, 'If I don't know who I am and I don't know where I'm from, perhaps I can identify who I am by what I know how to do'. We built a whole new world around that small idea."

 

In short, he explains: "You just start small, you build out and you move one step after the next and that's how you write a Hollywood movie".

 

One thing a screenwriter can't do without though, is a thick skin. You've got to learn how to handle rejection². Even when you're successful. Gilory was nominated for an Oscar for his script for Michael Clayton, starring George Clooney. But the 2007 award in that category went to Brook³ Busey-Maurio, for her debut⁴ script for the film Juno.

 

So, do you think you have what it takes to consider a career in the movies?

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