AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RON SUPPA
AUTHOR, SCREENWRITER AND TEACHER

Ron Suppa is a producer and a screenwriter.  He also teaches screenwriting at UCLA and is the author of one of my favorite books:

Real Screenwriting: Strategies and Stories from the Trenches.
Click here to read my full review.

What I loved about the book was that it went far beyond writing a screenplay.  It’s about the life a screenwriter leads and features tons of insight and personal stories from someone experienced with a lot of great advice to share.  With Real Screenwriting you get countless lessons from someone who has taught thousands of writers around the world as a teacher and author.  It’s a fantastic read.

“My classes strive to master the “rules” only so that we may creatively break them.”
Ron Suppa

I recently had the opportunity to interview the author about screenwriting, his experience writing the book and how he began teaching aspiring writers.  Here is a look behind the scenes of what inspired Real Screenwriting, what inspires him as well as some helpful advice for those looking to live the screenwriters life themselves. (Myself included)

When did you first become interested in screenwriting and film?

As a young entertainment lawyer for a large law firm the drafting of writer’s contracts was my first introduction to screenwriters and the film business.  After I made the career move to the other side of the desk as an independent film producer, reading countless scripts in search of the few pearls that I could carry to financiers and talent became the most critical and enjoyable part of my job.  Somewhere deep inside I knew that I always wanted to be a writer, and I had published short stories and poetry since college, but screenwriting never really entered my mind until a studio development executive waived a paycheck in front of me.  I believe he thought hiring me for a project that he was committed to develop but which I’m fairly certain he had some deep reservations about was the cheapest way to go.  I embraced the opportunity, learned that I really could do it, and saw my first draft screenplay go into production three years later.

What inspired you to begin teaching aspiring screenwriters?

I was having a lunch meeting with a director at a local deli and we were talking about a particular screenplay and how I hoped to develop it as a producer and the woman across the aisle from us happened to work at UCLA Extension and she leaned over and suggested that her screenwriting students could learn a lot eavesdropping on our conversation. She wanted to know if I would be interested, as a way of giving back to the industry, in developing a course on writing for independent production.  I was flattered and also excited about the possibility of working with new writers, fresh ideas and new voices, so I wrote a lesson plan, submitted it, and was in the classroom teaching it, and loving the teaching of it, within a few months.

What led to the creation of Real Screenwriting?  What challenges did you encounter when writing the book?

I had found in teaching screenwriting that there wasn’t enough time in the course to satisfactorily explore both the writing and the marketing of scripts, which I regarded as equally important.  So I wrote a book on This Business of Screenwriting to cover what to do after the screenplay was written and had it published.  Later another publisher approached me to expand the book into the full screenwriting course.  Of course this meant that all my best material could no longer be used in class since it was now in a book, but that only helped me bring new films and new writing and selling techniques to my courses at UCLA and other venues where I was fortunate enough to teach.

I loved the ‘stories from the trenches’.  Was it always the plan to include them?  How did that idea come about?

I had written a regular column on screenwriting for Creative Screenwriting magazine since its inception.  It was a very personal column from my unedited point of view and that sort of forced me to mine all my experiences as a writer, producer and director and even as an entertainment lawyer, in order to come up with material for nearly 15 years of columns.  I had maintained the copyright on all my work and so I was able to transfer and expand upon a lot of those experiences, wherever relevant, to Real Screenwriting.

Did you feel any pressure when writing something meant to instruct and inspire writers around the world?

In any creative endeavor there is always the responsibility to try and get it right, in this case to convey both the process and the experience of writing for film and television.  To do that, I met with other writers and producers, read the other books existent on the subject and then basically tossed it all out in order to write something from my perspective that was fresh, credible and useable by writers both new and advanced.

Was there a defining moment when you realized how much your book has helped writers?  A moment that inspired you?

There is no greater reward for a writer than to be read.  When someone tells you, in person or in an email or a note that your work has somehow enriched their life, that’s the icing on the cake. That’s also why I teach. My students’ progress mirrors my own and the satisfaction I receive from seeing that progress and seeing the joy and fulfillment that writing and the creative world can bring to someone’s life is priceless.

In your experience, what is the single greatest challenge a new screenwriter must face?

The blank page.

What is the most common mistake new screenwriter’s make?

Not granting themselves the freedom to fail.  There are too many half-baked, half-finished scripts lying in desk drawers all over town because the writers hit a wall and couldn’t get over it.  True writers don’t quit.

If you could give ONLY one piece of advice to an aspiring screenwriter what would it be and why?

“If the desire to write is not followed by actual writing, then the desire is not to write.”  That’s quoting myself from my book.  Writers write.  Stop the excuses; write every day for the rest of your life.  Or don’t.  The world needs more readers than it does writers anyway.

Are there any new books on the way? Screenplays? What’s next for you?

I’m actually writing novels and short stories as a way of re-energizing and reinventing myself for this new Hollywood tent-pole, pre-sold, pre-marketed environment we now face as screenwriters.  But there’s always a spec screenplay in some stage of development sitting in that far corner by the window, seeking the light.

Special thanks to Mr. Suppa for the interview.

Pick up his book Real Screenwriting: Strategies and Stories from the Trenches here.

For more interviews featuring screenwriters and filmmakers click here.

STRATEGIES AND STORIES FROM THE TRENCHES

What I loved about Real Screenwriting is author Ron Suppa’s honesty and sincerity. Here is a screenwriting book that doesn’t hold your hand while you attempt to write the next massive Hollywood hit.  What it does is shed light on the lives of those who have.  It’s a candid behind the scenes look at the business of Hollywood and the screenwriter’s place in it.  It’s not merely about how to create something great but rather what it takes to make sure it doesn’t collect dust once your done.   What makes this book fascinating is how it still manages to incorporate all the tips, strategies and tricks that aspiring screenwriters soak up.

It’s a fantastic read.

Every aspiring screenwriter needs to have a passion strong enough to live the lonely writer’s life but also the determination to succeed.  Before your pen starts scribbling or your fingers start tapping there is always a moment filled with a both fear and excitement.

It’s gut check time. Do you have what it takes?

In Real Screenwriting, you are given a welcoming glimpse into the inner workings of the professional screenwriter. Suppa gives amazingly detailed insights into the writing process and what it takes to develop and finish your masterpiece.

Beyond the usual suspects like plot, character, format and more, he also gives you numerous tales from the trenches. Entertaining stories about life in the industry that offer further glimpses into the screenwriting world.  It’s a portrait of life as a screenwriter beyond the creativity needed to create something wonderful and unique.

This is a no holds barred look at writing screenplays that doesn’t spare anyone’s feelings and tells it like it is.  I was developing a new feature screenplay while I read this book for the third time and it took longer than ever because I was constantly stopping to write notes.  I love books that get me thinking about movies and writing.

It’s a perfect addition to anyone’s screenwriting library.

XTRA: How NOT To Write A Screenplay REVIEW

I’ve been re-reading a lot of my old screenwriting books lately.

Currently, I’m reading Real Screenwriting: Strategies and Stories from the Trenches for the 3rd time.

The author, Ron Suppa does an incredible job of describing the day to day grind of the screenwriting trade while offering a phenomenal amount of advice to aspiring screenwriters.

Basically…  It’s an awesome book.

I’ve been developing a new feature script over the last month or so and just began building my characters and scene list.

In the book there is a check list I included below that came along at the perfect time.

Suppa lays out a list of questions that every screenwriter should ask themselves when they are creating new scenes.

I think it’s important to have check lists like this while you find your voice and overall writing style.

The trick is to evolve enough so that eventually, you ask these questions subconsciously.

It has to be second nature so you can focus on creating your masterpiece.

Regardless, it was a nice refresher as I haven’t begun a new feature script in a while. 

If you haven’t checked out the book yet I highly recommend you pick it up.

I’ll have a full review up once I’m done.

1. What is the purpose of this scene – what do I want to show or accomplish?
2. Is this the most visual and dramatic way of expressing this information?
3. Does this scene advance the story – i.e. do I need this scene?
4. Is there a natural cause and effect from the scene before and after?
5. What does this scene set up or pay off?
6. What is the subtext of this scene?
7. Is this a scene an actor will want to play?
8. What can be cut from this scene?
9. Does this go as far as it could go dramatically?
10. Is this still the movie I first set out to write?