Creative Principles

Jed Mercurio worked as a hospital doctor for three years before he joined the Royal Air Force and learned flying training and aviation medicine. He was originally hired as a script consultant, before he was asked to write episodes on his own. Credits include ‘Cardiac Arrest,’ ‘Bodies,’ ‘Line of Duty,’ and now ‘Bodyguard.’ In his latest series, a 6-episode mini-drama, Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) stars as David Budd, a Specialist in the Protection Branch of London’s Metropolitan Police Service assigned to protect the ambitious Home Secretary, Julie Montague, portrayed by Keeley Hawes. In this interview, the screenwriter discusses his journey from medicine to screenwriting, why he originally chose to write under a pseudonym, how to write a real-world political drama, and the difference between American and English political dramas. If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

From an early age, Donna Zakowska had an appreciation for vintage fabrics. Her childhood love for clothing led to a fascination with dance, studies at Yale, and the overall joy of a collaborative art. As a costume designer, Zakowska’s credits include ‘Harriet the Spy,’ ‘Forces of Nature,’ ‘John Adams,’ ‘TURN: Washington’s Spies,” and the new Amazon hit, ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.’ In this interview, the costume designer talks about wardrobe as an intellectual activity, characters who say things about society, how to learn about character through wardrobe, dressing a world of characters, and how clothing brings Midge Maisel alive. If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Michael Tolajian got his start on 'NBA Inside Stuff,' but additional credits include 'Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,' '30 for 30 (Once Brothers),' 'The Drive: Pac-12 Football,' and now the FS Sports documentary, 'Q Ball.' With the help of Golden State Warrior Kevin Durant, Tolajian and company was able to move forward with his documentary on a prison basketball team, which consisted of teammates and inmates at “the Q,” as well as their journeys of redemption. In this interview, Tolajian discusses how he got the permission to film in San Quentin, how sports can bring people together, the work it takes to build rehab programs, and what criteria he looks for when creating a sports documentary. If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

As a young stuntman, Jesse V. Johnson learned the ropes of directing on films like ‘Total Recall,’ ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’ ‘War of the Worlds,’ ‘Mission: Impossible III,’ ‘Hell or High Water,’ and dozens more. In this interview, Johnson discusses the various types of stuntmen (including his “ground-pounder” days), how life experience brings something extra to the film, how actor-stuntmen like Keanu Reeves or Matt Damon have changed over the years, and what it’s like to work with world-class stunt performers like Scott Adkins and Tony Jaa. We also discuss Johnson’s films ‘Triple Threat’ and ‘Avengement.’ In the latter, Adkins stars as Cain Burgess. “While released on furlough from prison, a lowly criminal evades his guards and returns to his old haunts to take revenge on the people that made him a cold-hearted killer.” If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Luke Davies is a poet, novelist and screenwriter, known for ‘Lion,’ ‘Candy,' 'Life,' 'Beautiful Boy,' and now 'Catch-22.' His books have won many awards, including the inaugural Prime Minister's Literary Award for Poetry for his volume Interferon Psalms, and the Age Book of the Year prize for his volume Totem. A fan of 'Catch-22' from an early age, it was Davies’ original idea to turn the story into a series. Finding a way through the craziness of the novel was the first challenge. Joseph Heller’s story takes place during World War II, specifically from 1942 to 1944. It follows the life of Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier. Most of the events in the book occur while the fictional 256th Squadron is based on the island of Pianosa, in the Mediterranean Sea, west of Italy. The novel looks into the experiences of Yossarian and the other airmen in the camp, who attempt to maintain their sanity while fulfilling their service requirements so that they may return home. In this exclusive interview, Davies discusses removing the clutter to adapt the story for Hulu, writing emotional beats for actors, the psychology of character, taking the audience on an emotional journey, why your treatments should be engaging, and the equal importance of discipline and rest as a writer. If you haven’t seen 'Catch-22,' there are some potential spoilers in this interview. There’s also a print version of this interview on Creative Screenwriting’s website. If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Alan Elliott is a man of perseverance. After working with Warner Brothers Records, along with Steven Bochco, and on the infamous television musical ‘Cop Rock,’ Elliott sunk his teeth into Sydney Pollack’s (Out of Africa, Tootsie) abandoned project, ‘Amazing Grace.’ The documentary presented Aretha Franklin and a choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles, January of 1972. After Pollack’s successful film ‘The Way We Were’ launched Barbra Streisand’s film career, the studios promised Franklin a similar journey. For various reasons, the film fell apart. Decades later, Elliott decided to pick up the pieces. Specifically, these pieces were boxes and boxes from Pollack’s private collection. To the buyer’s surprise, the films were disorganized, not linked in terms of audio and visual, and utterly a complete mess. In this interview, the composer turned director discusses discipline, why insanity is necessary for a creative mind, the responsibility of a filmmaker, why creativity is so personal, the modern infrastructure of the music business in terms of making and publicizing art, a favorite moment with Mick Jagger, and his ongoing fascination with the Queen of Soul. If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Fascinated by Stephen King, Brian De Palma, and Steven Spielberg, Mike Flanagan grew up making movies with friends. Around the time he got to college, he started making shorts, digital features, and skits until he realized his fascination with the horror genre. As the creator of 'The Haunting of Hill House,' Flanagan wanted to create something unique for the streaming platform, Netflix. The description for the 10-episode series reads, “Flashing between past and present, a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it.” In this exclusive interview, Flanagan talks about creating a horror series on the foundation of a family drama, how to weave together complicated narratives, the twists and turns of the series, the necessity of rewatchability and Easter eggs, what’s next for the series in Season 2, and how he plans to approach 'Doctor Sleep,' which is Stephen King’s sequel to 'The Shining.' The print version of this interview is also available on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and if you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Iain Canning has an impressive resume. Currently, his films include ‘Hunger,’ ‘The King’s Speech,’ ‘Shame,’ ‘Slow West,’ ‘Life,’ ‘Macbeth,’ ‘Widows,’ and now, ‘Mary Magdalene.’ In the latest film, Rooney Mara stars as Mary Magdalene, with Joaquin Phoenix as Jesus. Directed by Garth Davis (Lion, Top of the Lake) and written by Helen Edmundson and Philippa Goslett, the movie showcases a different point of view on the classic, biblical tale. In this exclusive interview, Canning discusses his love for film, what he looks for in a project, the connection between journalism and true story films, time jumps in film, emotionally sensitive endings, the responsibility of filmmaking, and how to create an amazing team around you. If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

As an entertainment journalist, Felicia Pride wrote several books, including a YA novel and a collection of essays in The Message: 100 Life Lessons from Hip-Hop’s Greatest Songs. In addition to her written work, she taught freshman comp for a decade, opened and closed a consulting business, worked for a film distribution executive, and was selected as a Film Independent Screenwriting Fellow. Currently, her screenwriting credits include The End Again, Really Love, and an episode of Queen Sugar. In this interview, Pride discusses source material, black female directors, gaps in the market, writing for micro audiences, and how to have a business mind in a creative world. The print version of this article is available on Creative Screenwriting’s website. Plus, if you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Since 2001, Ayanna Floyd has been working on shows like 'Gideon’s Crossing,' 'Private Practice,' 'Hit the Floor,' 'Hannibal,' 'Empire,' and now she’s producing, writing and show running Showtime’s 'The Chi.' Originally created by Lena Waithe (Master of None), the new series is a character drama that follows the lives of four men in South Side Chicago after a fateful turn of events shocks their community. In this exclusive interview, Floyd discusses a character piece without a hook, finding your voice, advice from Vanessa Taylor (The Shape of Water), going beneath the surface with character, the state of the industry, and we briefly discuss her upcoming mini-series, 'The Cotton Club.' The print interview is also available on Creative Screenwriting Magazine’s website. And, if you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Daniel Farrands made friends by making movies. As a kid, he would write plays and shoot shorts with a Super 8. With horror movies somewhat banned from his household, he eventually gravitated to a love for slasher films like John Carpenter’s 'Halloween.' At age 24, Farrands got the opportunity to write 'Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers.' Since his debut, he’s worked in the genre on other films such as 'The Haunting in Connecticut,' 'The Amityville Murders,' and now, 'The Haunting of Sharon Tate.’ As the writer-director was intrigued by a different angle for the new film on Sharon Tate (Hilary Duff). According to the description, “Pregnant with director Roman Polanski's child and awaiting his return from Europe, 26-year-old Hollywood actress Sharon Tate becomes plagued by visions of her imminent death.” In the exclusive interview, Farrands talks about being invited to write for a franchise like 'Halloween,' the difference in studio and independent films, the rules of slasher films versus possession films, and the Hitchcock rules of suspense. Also, Farrands warns about SPOILERS around the 12-minute mark in this interview if you haven't seen the film. If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

John Fusco needs know introduction. Known for lonesome Westerners and wandering swordsman, Fusco’s credits include ‘Young Guns,’ ‘Young Guns II,’ ‘Thunderheart,’ ‘The Babe,’ ‘Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,’ ‘Hidalgo,’ ‘The Forbidden Kingdom,’ ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny,’ ‘Marco Polo,’ and the new Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson film, ’The Highwaymen.’ His latest film comes from director John Lee Hancock and has been in the works for sixteen years. In fact, the screenplay was originally meant to be a vehicle to complete the third film starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The Highwaymen uncovers the untold story of a pair of police offers who were brought out of retirement to catch the outlaws, Bonnie and Clyde. In this exclusive conversation, we discuss priceless lessons from Fusco’s mentors Waldo Salt (Midnight Cowboy) and Ring Lardner Jr. (MASH), similarities between Westerns and Kung Fu films, how he made a movie for Jackie Chan and Jet Li, his conversations with Redford and Newman, and the importance of virtuous characters in cinema. Look for the print version of this interview on Creative Screenwriting’s website. And, if you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

From an early age, Josh F. Huber knew he wanted to be involved with cinema. Inspired by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, he went on a path that eventually led him to film school. Amongst the novice directors, he realized most of his peers didn’t write their own scripts. Huber noticed writing is the one thing he could do on his own and improve each session. Eventually, he produced a film with his brother called ‘Smoke Filled Lungs.’ Then, he started the screenplay for an Indie film, which became ‘Making Babies.’ The new film stars television personalities Steve Howey (Shameless) and Eliza Coupe (Happy Endings). According to the description, “After years of manually trying to conceive, John and Katie Kelly put their bodies, wallet and marriage through the ringer of modern infertility treatments.” In this conversation, we discuss writing comedies for the Indie world, getting jokes “off the page,” choosing jobs out of necessity, how American comedies have changed, the truest form of cinematic vision and taste in Hollywood, and advice for novice filmmakers, including why you should write something “they’ll let you direct.” If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Since 2005, David Farr has been pursuing his passion as a screenwriter. As a staff writer on shows like ‘MI-5’ and ‘Outcasts,’ the English writer’s work has entered more of a solo career with the 2011 film version of ‘Hanna,’ which starred Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, with Joe Wright in the director’s chair. Since the theatrical version, Farr penned the series ‘The Night Manager,’ a movie called ‘The Man With the Iron Heart,’ and he has additional credits for ‘McMafia’ and ‘Troy: Fall of a City.’ Now, he’s working on the reboot, televised version of ‘Hanna’ for Amazon. This time, the 8-episode first season stars Esme Creed-Miles, Joel Kinnaman and Mireille Enos. Essentially, the plot for the film and televised version “follows the journey of an extraordinary young girl raised in the forest, as she evades the relentless pursuit of an off-book CIA agent and tries to unearth the truth behind who she is…” In this interview, Farr discusses his love for existential spies, journeys of identity within character, best practices for longevity in television, and why it’s important to always understand the essence of story as a storyteller. The print version of this conversation is also available online at Creative Screenwriting. And, if you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5

Scott Conroy got his start writing political journalism on the 2016 campaign trail, mainly in New Hampshire. Milking the experience, he eventually wrote two books, 'Sarah From Alaska: The Sudden Rise and Brutal Education of a New Conservative Superstar and 'Vote or Die: The New Hampshire Primary,' and then created a comedy series about his experience, called 'Embeds.' As for 'Blackout,' the original idea came from a TV pilot Conroy wrote years earlier. Thanks a friend in the business, he decided to consider turning the story into a podcast. The thriller stars Mr. Robot’s Rami Malek and is a “suspense story about a small-town radio DJ who must fight to protect his family and community from a coordinated attack that destroys the power grid and upends modern civilization.” In this interview, Conroy discusses working across various mediums as a storyteller, the differences in television and podcast stories, the pros and cons of an untapped market, writing sound rather than visual cues, grounding a large story with character, and how he regularly takes advantage of opportune moments when they arise. If you enjoyed this interview, join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5