Perth Words… exploring possibilities.

Rambling on…

For THROWBACK THURSDAY I thought I’d post this piece, written way back in 2008.

A Trilogy of Creativity

Imagine a film culture that values and celebrates their writers – as well!

Where the film opens with  ‘A Film By A Brilliant Writer’  in HUGE letters….  

Wait… wait… I’m visualizing….   

Imagine if the writer was credited first – just as the script came first!   It should be standard in every contract.

Imagine if, in all the publicity, as many times as the producer/director are mentioned – so is the writer!

A trilogy of creativity! 

At the very least, equal status and consideration, even listed before the others! 

I know – I know… often the script is taken and the writer never consulted again while others input their talents.

That’s where writers get lost and forgotten – while everyone else is contributing. 

But in the end, imagine if the world remembered the root – how the tree grew from a tiny seed and who planted that seed in the beginning…

It’s not just a case of reminding those in the industry of the contribution a writer makes but also, informing the public – for them it would be a subliminal statement of value.

Once the mind-set of valuing the writer is established, everything else will follow:  

            the time (money) to develop scripts,

            the appreciation of the time true craft takes

            the education/practice required to deliver the skills of screenwriting.  

No-one expects a novel to be written in 3 months (rare).  Nor do we expect them to go straight from the writer to the printing press.

We know novels need to be edited and edited again and again, throughout which the author needs to be consulted and considered. 

And when the novel/book is finally printed, we revere and promote the author as creator – even send them on book tours, because we realize and fully acknowledge their involvement in the final product.  

The author is often what sells the book – once you’ve read one you want to read more of the same quality.

Imagine if we had the general public going to films by their favorite writer?

Imagine if screenwriters were feted in the promotion of the film on a level with its directors and producers? 

What a wondrous world for screen writers that would be.

A trilogy of creativity!

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2008

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #Screenwriting  #TrilogyOfCreativity

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