William Nicholson, the Screenwriter behind iconic films like Gladiator, has shared insights from his career during 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. then came 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.”

Talking about the screenwriting process Nicholson says he never starts writing without an ending in mind. And he argues that the screenwriter must strive to make the viewer care about its characters.

He also took time to weigh up the value of life experience, and proposes that a screenwriter’s greatness is equal to his or her ‘greatness as a human being’.

Read his Screenwriters’ Lecture in full.

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