Interview: Will Simmons

Will Simmons made a splash when he wrote the 2012 Black List script “Murder City” which was subsequently acquired by Aldamisa Entertainment. He also has two other projects in the works: “Romeo,” a modern day re-imagining of Shakespeare’s play, and “Defenders,” a science fiction thriller pitch bought by Warner Bros in June 2013 based upon a Hugo Award-winning novel.

Here are inks to the six installments of the entire interview:

Part 1: “For me, The Usual Suspects is part of a holy-trinity of seminal films that every screenwriter should study. The other two are Blade Runner and Chinatown.”

Part 2: “A writer’s currency is a finished screenplay. And there’s no better way to master your craft than by buckling down and writing pages.”

Part 3: “I know everyone has their own process, but for me, pre-production is essential for effective storytelling. Characters and plot dynamics can evolve throughout the draft, but you need to have control over your narrative before you begin scripting.”

Part 4: “This fast-food style of storytelling is bad for movies. Catharsis comes in many forms and we don’t need a manufactured or formulaic third act for the conclusion to feel satisfying.”

Part 5: “If you’re about to spend months writing and developing a script, you want to be certain that the central concept is worthy of your time. So I look for ideas that haunt me and keep me up at night.”

Part 6: “Take risks. Your writing should be personal and dangerous. Reveal yourself on the page. Don’t hold back.

Will is repped by UTA and Energy Entertainment.

Twitter: @willsimmons_.

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