“Note to a Russian Screenwriter”
Don’t ever tell anyone that you believe American
screenwriters are more qualified than Russian screenwriters, even
if you believe it and grateful to them for your growth as a screenwriter.
Rather, make certain that all others believe you are the best Russian
screenwriter that ever lived. Believe and it shall be. Screenwriting
is subjective. What one likes, another does not. You like your
screenwriting, so it is the best screenwriting that anyone could ever
read. Believe it. Think it. Speak it. Parallel this belief with
arrogance. Be professional and nice, but be firm in your belief. Use
it as boxing gloves for all who challenge you.
A good, professional screenwriter must believe in themselves and in
their work, just like all professionals in any other field of work. A good,
professional screenwriter believes in who they are and the kind of
work they do.
It is always useful to keep one’s mind open to learning how one
can improve their writing. One way to accomplish that is to listen to
others and to read what others have written. Sort through this
information and only choose that which is useful to your
learning and growth as a screenwriter, then, discard the rest
of it, even if it comes from Steven Spielberg. He doesn’t know
anymore about your screenwriting than you do. So, it is
your job to teach people like him about your screenwriting so
that they can help you get your screenplay produced.
There is no room for lack of self-confidence in this game, else
one decides to go nowhere. A weak-minded screenwriter is
like a wildebeast with a broken leg. The lions will seek out
this wildebeast. They separate it from the entire wildebeast
herd that usually numbers in the hundreds. They will kill it.
They will eat it. The same applies to screenwriters and
producers. The screenwriter being the wildebeast with the
broken leg and the producer being the lion. The producer
will literally eat a weak screenwriter alive by taking every-
thing from the screenwriter and making it their own.
The screenwriter must believe they are the lion and producers
are wildebeasts with broken legs, or the screenwriter’s
bones will soon be bleaching in the sun.