Screenwriting : David Lynch on Ideas by Geoff Hall

Great advice. I've tried to force any idea in one direction, and it kept going in a different direction. I finally "went where the idea led," and the script turned out to be a lot better than I originally planned.

Geoff: Thanks for posting.

Maurice:

I finally "went where the idea led," and the script turned out to be a lot better than I originally planned.

That's the way to do it. I always go where my characters lead me.

Cool, Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal". When I go where the idea (or character or scene) leads me, I like to save the original idea to use in the future. I built a feature script off saved original ideas.

Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal" Uncle Phil. Thank you. I do love listening to David Lynch talk about filmmaking.

Maurice Vaughan that's good to hear, Maurice.

Geoff Hall I took his MasterClass not too long ago which was fantastic!

Leonardo Ramirez wow, Leonardo. That sounds amazing. Tell me more.

Geoff Hall What I did for the span of one year was to sign up and take as many as I can within that year. The funny thing is that every single director/filmmaker/actor class I took they all started with the same thing...learn as you go (don't go to film school). For whoever is reading this, I would never advise someone not to do what they feel they should - I'm just saying they all said that. Learn as you go. Another common theme - read, read, read. After this, 1). Be ready to throw it out on set. Speaking and reading language are different. Deliver the new line instantly. 2) Be candid (honest) 3) They don't need to love you. They need to love what they're doing. 4)Pursue the idea that won't go away. My takeaway...hold on loosely. And my personal favorite...people matter. Those came not just from Lynch from from Jodie Foster, Samuel L Jackson, Ron Howard, James Cameron, Helen Mirren and Bob Iger. I took Aaron Sorkin's but I honestly got more out of the others.

People matter thank you so much for sharing this Leonardo !

Stephanie Munch In our striving towards reaching a goal, we tend to forget that. So glad you appreciate that, Stephanie.

"Another common theme - read, read, read." I do that now, Leonardo Ramirez, but I didn't when I started screenwriting. "Read, read, read" is advice that every new screenwriter should hear. Reading scripts will help their careers enormously.

Leonardo Ramirez thank you, Leonardo. My takeaways beyond what people have already offered, is:

1). Be ready to throw it out on set. Speaking and reading language are different. Deliver the new line instantly.

3) They don't need to love you. They need to love what they're doing.

4)Pursue the idea that won't go away.

If we as the writer are on set - and that doesn't always happen - we need to have spontaneity, to respond well to what's not working and then provide them with an alternative.

And I love 4. Pursue the idea that won't go away. There are some ideas that are pretty persistent. Don't lose track of them.

Thanks for the share, Leonardo.

Love this - "If we as the writer are on set - and that doesn't always happen - we need to have spontaneity, to respond well to what's not working and then provide them with an alternative." Those that are in charge will welcome us on set depending on this. Spot on!

Leonardo Ramirez thanks, Leonardo!

Geoff:

I've had ideas pop up when I have fewer electronic distractions. For example, my first idea for something came to me while riding my bike on the beach. On another occasion, I was in a bookstore reading a story about the Bloody Benders, a family of serial killers based in Kansas in the 19th Century. They mysteriously disappeared, so I had the idea to transplant them in Tombstone about six months before the OK Corral shootout. The Bender family of four adults made wonderful protagonists, while Doc Holliday and entrepreneur and adventurer Nellie Cashman were excellent antagonists. I had several other famous and infamous Tombstone denizens populating the story. I've also sat at my computer spitballing ideas and writing a list of them. That's produced some good work, but I prefer stumbling onto something and wish it happened more often.

Geoff Hall You are very welcome! Have an awesome weekend!

George Micheal would ring his own answering machine and sing ideas to himself for later. Then I have heard another song writer (cannot remember who) when told this said “If it is a memorable idea, I will remember it”. I have taken this second approach with my writing. If I have an idea and it survives in my head. Then it will live in the minds of others.

Craig I like the George Michael story. I have a voice memo app, as I found using a notes app on my morning walk a real pain, so I moved to the VM and dictated ideas and a number of poems that with a few edits made it to publication.

Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal" Uncle Phil, I love the sound of the Benders. A great name and a wonderful twist adding them to a western format. That’s a great twist.

All my spitballing is done in my notebook or with a voice app. I save the computer for scripts and manuscripts my research for stories goes on the Evernote App, where I file it for different projects. Be it criminal science reports, news reports, events etc.

Oh and I now want to read more about the Benders. Thanks for the share.

Geoff:

You're welcome.