Tales from the Script

Tales from the Script is a long series of short clips from interviews with successful screenwriters who reveal what most every artist already knew: if you want to be true to your vision, you must stick to noncollaborative art, and if you are looking to be paid for your art, you had better be ready to compromise.

Screenwriters are writers, but they can earn potentially much more money than solo writers. So the price they pay is having to deal with all of the people in the industry whose only reason for being there is to earn money. They also have to deal with the big egos of directors, producers, and actors. Judging by the anecdotes described in this film, screenwriters are a rather masochistic lot, who despite being psychologically abused by people who have no idea how to write, continue on because, on balance, they have decided that the alternative would be worse.

In addition to all of the interview excerpts with a wide range of screenwriters, short scenes from a variety of films which self-referentially treat the topic are also included. I had no idea that there were so many Hollywood movies with screenwriting as a theme!

After reading the book, Tales from the Script by Paul Herman and Peter Hanson, I watched the movie. It was very interesting and engaging. I particularly enjoyed the way they edited the interviews together to develop an overall understanding of screen writing and the film making process. Hearing the screenwriters discuss their journeys from page to screen was enlightening. I think Peter Hanson and Paul Herman did a great job of getting a diversity of screenwriters and putting together thoughtful interviews. Seeing the people who have written some of my favorite movies was interesting, and I ended up learning about some great movies I've never seen through reading the book and seeing the film. I would definitely recommend this movie and book to anyone who is interested in screen writing or just a general film geek.

Thought this was a great movie and by far the most comprehensive thing i've seen on the subject. For us struggling writers out here in LA, it gives us hope, but also shows us that its not that easy and reminds us that it takes a lot of work and a lot of rejection.

A great film for any of those out there with an interest in Hollywood, screen writing, the industry, or just people chasing a dream.

I really enjoyed the amount of personal accounts from so many of the screenwriters, just documenting how the process literally casts a shadow over the writer and gives them very little credit.

I'm sure it will at least be self-distributed, but I am going to guess that this will be picked up soon. What a gem!

I've been interested in screen writing for some time now. I've written a few short scripts and taking a screen writing class, and this film is sort of a combination of all the things you've always heard but non-stop in pace. This means that while none of this is all that new, it hits you full-motion and it kinda puts everything into a larger perspective. This is a tough business after all! It's fun seeing screenwriters of films you've seen talk about their experiences (especially Frank Darabont on the ending to The Mist, and John Carpenter). In a way, it's downbeat but also optimistic by the end. This is definitely recommended for pretty much anyone interested in screen writing

Filmmakers who neglect producing a good script rarely produce a good movie. Sure, film's a visual medium (but, then, so are comic books)- but all the beautiful imagery in the world is meaningless without a coherent background story. TALES FROM THE SCRIPT is a cautionary tale and, like the documentary THE HECK WITH Hollywood!, it offers some possible solutions for aspiring screenwriters. (Although the solution in THE HECK WITH Hollywood! is to go out and make your OWN movie, without regard to geography, which is probably the BEST advice: as mavericks like George Romero have shown, it IS possible to go out and do it yourself and be successful. With the kind of video technology that exists now, I'm frankly amazed that there aren't MORE independent filmmakers making waves out there...) Posting unproduced scripts online is one way to try to interest potential investors (I may do it myself). The options these days are many. Settling for Hollywood should no longer be the only option.