Interview With Screenwriter Robert Pilkington

Robert Pilkington is a screenwriter and the author of www.HeroesAreBoring.com, a blog about writing for the big screen while no one's paying attention. He's worked in the Boston film industry for the past 4 years, doing everything from reading scripts to freelance commercial work. He's currently seeking representation.

You can follow him on Twitter @HeroesAreBoring 

Did you always want to be a screenwriter?

Well, I always wrote and at some point it just clicked that it should be for film. I always loved movies. I admired actors and directors... but man, that stuff is too hard. If I need my story to have a car plunging off a bridge while a couple realizes they really love each other as the chick goes into labor (and a unicorn saves them), I just want to write that down. I don't want to figure out how to actually physically make it happen.

What inspired you to become screenwriter?

Don't know if it could be narrowed down to a specific thing. It was the combination of always wanting to write, being encouraged to do it, and being involved with other stages of filmmaking. Have you ever been on set? It's pretty miserable. You're either waiting around to move something heavy, or in a panic trying to organize everything. At least for right now, the screenwriting/development stage is where I feel like I can do the most.

Who is is your favorite filmmaker?

Kubrick. The Coens. Hitchcock. Those sound stupid to say, though. It's like saying you like the Beatles. I have to say that if Martin McDonagh keeps it up, he's probably one glorious film away from making a distinct impression on me. Probably a gun-shaped impression, but an impression just the same.

I'd like to be able to cite some favorite indie filmmakers, but I feel like that's a difficult thing to define. If I'm seeing it in a theater, that means its distributed by a studio? Does that not make it "indie" anymore? Tarantino? Lucas? Lynch? Bueller? I just don't know. And honestly, who cares? Just watch the movie.

What do you like to do besides screenwriting?

I like to... be interviewed? IS THIS A TRICK QUESTION?!

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a screenwriter?

Ha. And after, too. I was a script reader for a bit and that was really fascinating. You learn a ton about writing when you're reading absolute garbage. Screenplays so bad that you imagine you'd need some kind of Clockwork Orange apparatus to get anyone else to read them. It was wonderful, recommended for all wannabe screenwriters.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

"American films". Sounds like sorta a naughty phrase. Miller's Crossing is one of my favorite films. Pollock. Raging Bull. This year I really enjoyed Hesher. I thought that was a hell of a script.

I have a few favorite foreign films. The Lives of Others is on my shelf. As is The Piano Teacher. And Olmi's Il Posto. And The Rules of the Game - fantastic film. I just saw Incendies, too, which I'm sure will make my year's top 10 list. And The Wire is my favorite television show... with Mad Men coming up a close second.

How would you describe your film education?

Formal education was at Boston University's Film and Television program, which was a blast for me, but the education is ongoing. If you're in a creative field and you're not continuing to learn stuff, then... what in God's name are you doing?

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Frustrating. There's a lot of interest to make indies in Boston, but little precedence or organization to do so. There are talented people here, but it always feels like a scramble. My attempts to work with local producers and directors have been derailed by creative differences and funding issues, things that should have been sorted before I ever put pen to paper. But people do make films here. It's all about finding the right project and collaborators - which, I imagine, is the same as anywhere else.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

"I suppose? It’s hard to think of something that social media hasn’t changed. Rocks, maybe? Rocks seem pretty much the same.

I believe in it. That's why I have Heroes are Boring. You hone a voice, throw it into the void, and see who smiles at it. It's really feeling your way through the dark, but I totally dig the power of Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and the like. It's no surprise that indie filmmakers wanting to reach a niche audience do too.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

I've seen it work, but don't know about a lot of the ins and outs. You're basically asking people for donations, right? Nine out of ten homeless people would probably agree that this is pretty effective. I bet there's a poor soul out there right now crowdfunding a sandwich. Doesn't mean the sandwich will be any good.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

Simply put: you can tell a greater variety of stories in indies. Mainstream films have the capability to cast a very wide net for ticket sales, so they want to make sure that whatever they're producing is inviting enough to fill that net. Indie filmmakers don't have such a big net, know there's gonna be a niche audience, and can do whatever they want with the story. There's no focus groups or test screenings for indie film. There's no "tracking" interest in an indie film. The ending can be sad. The hero can be a non-white guy. Animals can be killed. You can run the whole gamut of Hollywood no-nos.

And indie film is supposed to be more honest because of this, but I don't feel like that's not the case either. Hollywood and independents produce, at least by my count, identical percentages of empty films.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why?

Star Wars? So I could sabotage the production and "write it" myself (and nab the merchandising rights). Hmmm... time-traveling art pirates. You're welcome, Hollywood.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

Wow, impossible to answer. We'd be here all day if I go into this, there are just too many. Off the cuff though, I was recently reminded of a back and forth from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Festival Director: The shark an endangered species at most. What would be the scientific purpose of killing it?

Steve Zissou: ...Revenge.

Perfect line. Perfect delivery. And while it's so funny, it also reveals a bit of where Steve's head is at. Good writing is always doing several things at once.

What is your opinion on movie remakes?

They should probably decrease but I get why they they get made so often. The amount of money and effort that goes into a studio film is tremendous. If you can guarantee a large audience just based on the pre-existing brand a project already has, then it removes a lot of the risk. It's keeping a lot of mortgages paid (and that's fine), but not particularly helping the art form either.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

I always here a lot of people complaining about this and it baffles me.

America has been adapting stories for film pretty much since it's had film itself. "The Great Train Robbery" is an adaptation. "The Godfather" is one. "Apocalypse Now". "Gone with the Wind". "The Wizard of Oz". "2001". As someone who writes original material for the screen, sure, I want to see spec scripts get made (and they should get made), but I don't hear a lot of people bitching about those movies I just mentioned.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

No, but I'd like to subtract some stuff. Where's the question for that?

 

 

 

 

Thanks for doing the interview Robert. I'll spread the word about your blog www.HeroesAreBoring.com