William Nicholson: Screenwriters' Lecture

20 December 11

On the 13 September at BAFTA HQ in London, William Nicholson delivered the first lecture in the 2011 BAFTA and BFI Screenwriters' Lecture Series.

Early in his career, Shadowlands earned Nicholson a BAFTA award and an Oscar nomination, exploding him on to the world stage. Subsequent work included the screenplay for Nell (with Mark Handley), directed by Michael Apted, and the Ridley Scott-directed Gladiator, for which he shared an Oscar nomination with John Logan and David Franzoni.

If all you've ever done is watch movies, the only movies you'll be able to write are those that recycle others.

In this video - available to watch now on BAFTA Guru - Nicholson describes how how he never starts writing without an ending in mind, and argues that the screenwriter must strive to make the viewer care about its characters. He also weighs up the value of life experience, and proposes that a screenwriter's greatness is equal to his or her 'greatness as a human being'.

Watch William Nicholson now on BAFTA Guru

_{BAFTA Guru is the Academy's online resource: inspiring minds in film, TV and games. Featuring the best in-depth video and podcasts from figures across the industries.}

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