An Interview with a Screenplay Writer

An Interview with Tim Xxxxx

Tim Xxxxx is a Screenplay Writer and Assistant Producer. He is currently working on a few projects, including one called “Evilution”. According to Tim, grammar isn’t all that important when writing a script. He says, “screenplays are mostly about direction and dialogue so the importance of grammar correctness is much less than that of a story.” Tim also writes short stories and believes that good grammar is important in the story. In the field of writing for screenplays the most desirable writing style is simple and direct. He says, “What makes a good movie isn’t the grammar. The actors bring their talent, the producer uses his skill, and the writers change scenes and fix clumpy dialogue.”

Tim does read a fair amount of screenplays from young people, some from students. In a script, the language is more important than grammar. “The dialogue has to be believable and not forced.” What impresses him most is the format. There is a particular format for writing a screenplay and if this is not correct there is a good chance a director will not read the script. “If the student has the format down, we give them a shot. We read the script and can usually tell in a few pages if it has potential.”