2012 WGA “Beyond Words” panel

Per Variety:

Eight of the town’s top writers — all nommed for Writers Guild of America screenwriting awards — didn’t sugar-coat the agony of successful scripting at a panel Thursday night.

“I approach each script in a panic,” declared Steven Zaillian in describing the process for writing “Moneyball” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”). “I really think that things are easy are probably not very good.”

The annual “Beyond Words” panel discussion drew a capacity crowd to the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, three days before the WGA announces the award winners. Ron Bass moderated the 90-minute event, culminating with Aaron Sorkin (“Moneyball”) advising writers to write, re-write and then re-write some more.

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Stan Chervin labelled the “Moneyball” script a “dancing bear,” in the people were surprised that the movie even got made. “A lot of people thought you couldn’t make a movie based on a 300-page celebration of statistics,” he explained.

The “Beyond Words” event is a terrific one. You can go here for my notes on the 2009 session.

For more of the Variety article, go here.

UPDATE: TheWrap with their report of the event. Choice quote from Tate Taylor (The Help):

“Just be fearless,” he said. “Be willing to take a crap on your computer and go for it. Even from the worst stuff you’ll find a nugget of truth. Don’t overthink it.”

For more of the article, go here.