Charlie Kaufman on Writing Your Own Screenplay

When you see that zany hair bob from side to side and a low-key, yet inspiring voice creep out from under those halfway adjusted glasses, you just might be in the room with Mr. Charlie Kaufman. His stories are the first baseman of any diamond, lanky and somewhat out of place; but that's what makes them worth viewing. He typically delves into the themes of relationships (real ones, no "Johnny meets Suzy and forever they live in Levittown love), human curiosity and death (see the entire movie of Synecdoche, New York). But how does he capture these themes of life so well? How is it uniquely depicted and verbalized? Well, because HE wrote HIS story.  

Kaufman gives the best advice that can ever be given to a writer, "write what you want to write." It sounds simple, but the story must be one the writer is passionate about – one the writer feels must be told or the world will lose a good story. Another point to always keep rattling around up in the noggin is we are all different, thus different types of stories will come from each of us. It's hard not to sit down and want to write something we have seen fully produced (I did this with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and it was a death trap). The key is to appreciate that work. Surround yourself with it. But understand your story will forever be organic to your brain. Embrace that notion. Don't reject it. 

Finally, draw from worldy experiences. Remember though, this encapsulates everything – big and small. Because a motivational event is minor does not mean it is "boring" or "uninvolving." Show it. Craft each action line in a way where it bleeds off the screen. 

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