At the 2007 Toronto Film Festival, “Lars and the Real Girl” received a standing ovation. Screenwriter Nancy Oliver was recently interviewed for the Los Angeles Times by Jeff Goldsmith, and expressed her perspectives on a number of challenges facing writers and other artists. Here is an excerpt: When Alan Ball offered you a staff writing [...]

Protecting your identity as an artist “The people who love their craft and see themselves as artists, and carry that identity through and study each day… are the people who thrive. … Successful people are able to sustain their identity as separate from their profession and what’s happening to them. That’s particularly important in the [...]

“I think I was pushed in a way to write this book (“The Hundred Secret Senses”) by certain spirits in my life. They’ve always been there.. to kick me in the ass to write…. “I know that this subject is fodder for ridicule…. But ultimately, I have to write what I have to write about, [...]

Television’s got feature films beat “Each year hundreds of screenplays become feature films. And each year thousands of teleplays become television episodes. “Opportunity-wise, television’s got feature films beat. TV’s got the heat. The magic. The glitz. All that’s missing is you. How do you change that? It’s about YOU first and your talent and ability [...]