Succesful Screenwriter: An Interview with Janine Gilbert
Janine Gilbert wrote the screenplay for the successful LDS film, Charly. We interview her on the process of screenwriting, the challenges she has faced, and what it's like to be a Latter-day Saint within the film industry.
Reel Premiere: Where did you go to school and how did you get started/interested in screenwriting?
Gilbert: I went to school at BYU (B.A. Film, minor Philosophy) and Idaho State University (M.A. English). I always loved books and movies. When I was searching through the BYU catalog for a major, I ran across a screenwriting class and discovered you could actually major in film. That was it. I was hooked. I really enjoyed every aspect of the major—theory, production, and writing--but I naturally gravitated to writing.
RP: What are some challenges you have faced in screenwriting? Has being LDS been one of those challenges you faced as a screenwriter?
G: I don’t know that being LDS has presented any challenges. The adaptation I did for screen was for an LDS novel…I’ve never really worked in mainstream Hollywood, so I don’t know what that’s like, but in my limited experience, I haven’t seen any challenges associated with being LDS. The climate may be different now, but I think good writing will always find an audience. Other challenges—probably those most writers face—finding time and getting your work to the right people.
RP: How have your beliefs impacted your work?
G: I don’t know that you can separate who you are from your work. I try to write as truthfully as I can, but I honestly don’t think of my beliefs as something separate from myself—so I’m sure they’ve had an impact, but I don’t think it’s conscious.
RP: What do you enjoy most about the overall process of screenwriting? What do you like the least?
G: The answer to both questions is the same—the process. The actual writing. It’s both the most exhilarating and rewarding and the most frustrating and demanding. Working the story is so much fun, but it can drive you crazy, too.
RP: What was it like working on Charly ? Did you work with Jack Weyland?
G: I learned a great deal working on Charly. The script went through a lot of drafts, so, for me, it was a great opportunity to work with a lot of different people, to learn a lot about collaboration and working with a producer and director, and to see a project from beginning to end. Jack Weyland is one of the most generous and supportive writers I’ve met. He looked at drafts, but he was always supportive of any changes we made
RP: What was it like adapting a book into a screenplay?
G: We all wanted to protect the integrity of the story he had created, and I think that makes a big difference. We worked to stay true to that story. Adapting a book is an interesting process. You can’t translate the book to screen without making changes because novels often tell a great deal—we get into characters’ minds or narrators tell us what has happened or what we should think about what has happened. In film, everything has to be communicated visually. We have dialogue, yes, but if we use dialogue to tell the story, we’re likely to put the audience to sleep. So one of the first tasks is to ask yourself how you can show the story on screen—how you can bring those interior emotions, thoughts, and decisions to life on screen so that we can see them. And you need to do that without losing sight of the story’s spine. If you protect the spine of the story, you can make all sorts of changes—you can add characters and change situations—and readers will still feel you’ve been true to the story.
RP: Do you have any advice for people who want to write screenplays or get involved in film?
G: Do it. At BYU, they used to tell us that if we had any interest in doing anything else, we should do it. But I’ve always been grateful for the opportunity to study and work in film. It can be challenging, but if you have a desire, and you’re willing to put in the effort and discipline, I see no reason why you can’t succeed. If you want to write screenplays or anything else for that matter, the key is to write. Write and read. Pay attention. Be persistent. All of that wonderful advice we’ve heard over and over again that is often difficult to put into practice.
Gilbert: I went to school at BYU (B.A. Film, minor Philosophy) and Idaho State University (M.A. English). I always loved books and movies. When I was searching through the BYU catalog for a major, I ran across a screenwriting class and discovered you could actually major in film. That was it. I was hooked. I really enjoyed every aspect of the major—theory, production, and writing--but I naturally gravitated to writing.
RP: What are some challenges you have faced in screenwriting? Has being LDS been one of those challenges you faced as a screenwriter?
G: I don’t know that being LDS has presented any challenges. The adaptation I did for screen was for an LDS novel…I’ve never really worked in mainstream Hollywood, so I don’t know what that’s like, but in my limited experience, I haven’t seen any challenges associated with being LDS. The climate may be different now, but I think good writing will always find an audience. Other challenges—probably those most writers face—finding time and getting your work to the right people.
RP: How have your beliefs impacted your work?
G: I don’t know that you can separate who you are from your work. I try to write as truthfully as I can, but I honestly don’t think of my beliefs as something separate from myself—so I’m sure they’ve had an impact, but I don’t think it’s conscious.
RP: What do you enjoy most about the overall process of screenwriting? What do you like the least?
G: The answer to both questions is the same—the process. The actual writing. It’s both the most exhilarating and rewarding and the most frustrating and demanding. Working the story is so much fun, but it can drive you crazy, too.
RP: What was it like working on Charly ? Did you work with Jack Weyland?
G: I learned a great deal working on Charly. The script went through a lot of drafts, so, for me, it was a great opportunity to work with a lot of different people, to learn a lot about collaboration and working with a producer and director, and to see a project from beginning to end. Jack Weyland is one of the most generous and supportive writers I’ve met. He looked at drafts, but he was always supportive of any changes we made
RP: What was it like adapting a book into a screenplay?
G: We all wanted to protect the integrity of the story he had created, and I think that makes a big difference. We worked to stay true to that story. Adapting a book is an interesting process. You can’t translate the book to screen without making changes because novels often tell a great deal—we get into characters’ minds or narrators tell us what has happened or what we should think about what has happened. In film, everything has to be communicated visually. We have dialogue, yes, but if we use dialogue to tell the story, we’re likely to put the audience to sleep. So one of the first tasks is to ask yourself how you can show the story on screen—how you can bring those interior emotions, thoughts, and decisions to life on screen so that we can see them. And you need to do that without losing sight of the story’s spine. If you protect the spine of the story, you can make all sorts of changes—you can add characters and change situations—and readers will still feel you’ve been true to the story.
RP: Do you have any advice for people who want to write screenplays or get involved in film?
G: Do it. At BYU, they used to tell us that if we had any interest in doing anything else, we should do it. But I’ve always been grateful for the opportunity to study and work in film. It can be challenging, but if you have a desire, and you’re willing to put in the effort and discipline, I see no reason why you can’t succeed. If you want to write screenplays or anything else for that matter, the key is to write. Write and read. Pay attention. Be persistent. All of that wonderful advice we’ve heard over and over again that is often difficult to put into practice.
