WATCH, READ, WRITE.

Next year, I will have worked in the screen industry for 40 years, in various capacities, from movie critic to screen rights buyer to producer and writer. These days, I have been primarily consulting and lecturing privately and at a handful of film schools.

I routinely ask aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers, “What films or TV shows did you watch over the past week?” The answer I’m often getting lately, which irks me to no end, is:

“Nothing.”

Let me be blunt: if this is you, there is no future for you in this craft.

I get it. In my student days, movies were scarce, and it was exciting to see something new or have the opportunity to rewatch a favorite. Now, the selection is so overwhelming that people experience choice paralysis.

Some people solve this by making a list of films to watch and steadily working through it; many use Letterboxd.

Consider doing the same for movies, screenplays, and books.

If you want to write, you need to read. If you want to make screen drama, you need to have a broad range of film and TV references.

So, what have you watched recently, and what did you learn from it?

Karel FG Segers

Karel Segers wrote his first produced screenplay at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.

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