Over the past few days, I've been watching Youtube videos of screenwriting experts, consultants and filmmakers. Quentin Tarantino stated that Sergio Leone is the filmmaker he most admired and continually emulates. He even used Leone's music partner Ennio Morricone to score his recent western The Hateful Eight.
Though I've read his book, I've never watched an interview with Syd Field, author of Foundations of Screenwriting, until today. The video I viewed was taped shortly before he passed away. He spoke about his incredible opportunity to work with the legendary French Impressionist director Jean Renoir Grand Illuison and Rules Of The Game and the things he felt were essential in creative, artistic screenwriting and directing films.
Who has had the most profound effect on your screenwriting efforts? How has that played out in your work?
Learn whatever you can from wherever you find it.
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Billy Wilder for the balance between originality, feeling, irony and realism.
Sergio Leone for the epic tale.
Luis Buñuel for psychological and social analysis.
Frank Capra for hope.
Ernst Lubitsch for style.
Cesare Zavattini for realistic fantasy.
Ennio Flaiano for irony.
Luigi Comencini for his professional seriousness.
...and here you can find the story of my encounter-clash with Sergio Leone ...
http://bit.ly/SERGIO_LEONE__ :)
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Dennis Hopper and from Writer/Director Chris Nolan. From a writer POV there are many.
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Stylistically - Frank Darabont has had the greatest impact on me and my writing. In terms of visual storytelling, my old professor, Colonel Gentry, has had the greatest impact by getting me into poetry. Poetry is a visual art, at least to me. But there are many writers and directors that I admire. All have had some impact.
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The music is stellar in The Hateful Eight, but pretty everything that comes from Ennio is!
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Before I joined Stage 32, my four major influences were Reginald Rose, George Lucas, and George's "American Graffiti" collaborators- Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck.
But after coming aboard here on 32, I've tried to learn from every writer who's contributed scripts...and every writer who's offered advice. (Thanks in bunches!)
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I suspect my biggest influence has been Alma Reville, aka Mrs. Alfred Hitchcock, who took a writing credit on Shadow of a Doubt, Suspicion, The 39 Steps, and The Lady Vanishes, probably others, but legend has it she revised every script HItchcock ever filmed.