10 Screenwriting Tips from Paul Thomas Anderson - Interview on how he wrote There Will Be Blood

Paul Thomas Anderson Interview Advice on Writing Process and Directing we go Behind the Scenes and lessons from the screenplay of his movies There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Phantom Thread, The Master, Punch-Drunk Love, Inherent Vice and Hard Eight. His frequent collaborators are Tom Cruise, Daniel Day-Lewis, Joaquin Phoenix, Maya Rudolph, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Mark Wahlberg and John C. Reilly. He has 8 Oscar nominations. His new movie is set in 1970s San Fernando Valley and stars Bradley Cooper and Benny Safdie.
What is your favorite Paul Thomas Anderson film?
Which writer/director would you like to see next?
Let us know in the comments👇
0:00 - Intro
1:30 - 01 - If you work on a script for a certain actor try to work together with them, watch the same referential movies and research the story theme together.
3:32 - 02 - When you get your chance, create without fear. Every movie that gets made is a miracle. Don't fear authorities, their opinion is just different, not better.
4:55 - 03 - Try to go to film school by all means. But if you don't agree with their concepts it’s perfectly ok to drop out, because all the information is out there if you want it.
7:19 - 04 - Never start with a theme. Start with the characters that are the opposite and then just let the characters guide you. To spark inspiration again type out works from others.
9:33 - 05 - Write about what’s happening around you. Write about yourself and people close to you. Families can be endless juicy ammunition for great stories.
10:58 - 06 - Let your characters tell your truth. To write an outstanding scene it’s not just about “moving the story forward”, it’s also about suspense and character reveals.
11:55 - 07 - The actual writing can happen pretty fast when you’ve done enough RESEARCH to know enough about the period, the story and the characters.
12:44 - 08 - Never get yourself in a position where you just stare at a blank page. When you finish a project start writing the next one asap. Just start with a relationship or a dialogue that excites you.
14:53 - 09 - To get great performances, your first job is to be a really good writer for the actors. Don’t be overly descriptive, write their motivations through dialogue and actions.
15:40 - 10 - Constantly be writing and practising. Revisit your old ideas or short stories, then practise writing them as a documentary, then write them as a feature film.
17:00 - Outro
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[@vincentvega4034]

Watching these videos makes me want to stop procrastinating and finish my screenplay.

[@OutstandingScreenplays]

💯🙌

[@bddonovan7818]

Hey, you should stop procrastinating, someone is waiting to see your film.

[@Ruylopez778]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z523lJqJr8tjd7M

[@breakercassidy6946]

“You can do more with a finished piece of shit than an unfinished piece of shit.” - Frank Pierson

[@a_13speaks54]

Same

[@silent6648]

Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the only filmmakers that after watching Magnolia for the first time he has finally got me into actually writing my own scripts rather than just theorising, his approach to storytelling and directing are simply philosophical and honest.

[@OutstandingScreenplays]

Same here 💯🙌✅

[@travisbickle3835]

He is one of my favourite filmmakers ever

[@ruly8153]

You talking to me?

[@connorwideman7629]

An absolute godsend in filmmaking

[@yekik4993]

He is my favourite!

[@gabrielidusogie9189]

He is my fav director currently working. I have a copy of the Magnolia screenplay and I loved it. Can’t wait for his next picture. What I love about PTA is how humble he seems when he doesn’t have to be. PTA is a bit of a wunderkind\prodigy and yet he speaks as a man who is still learning how to make films and that’s encouraging

[@daleyfrancis]

Great writer. Great director. Seems like a good dude too, based on watching and listening to hours of interviews with him. His WTF episode with Marc Maron is incredible. Such a funny, humble guy.

[@Wa7edmenalnass]

The Master.

[@JacobPatrick1]

"Get rid of the fear."

[@JacobPatrick1]

I love his music videos more than I love his films.

[@NASkeywest]

All great writers have the same advice. The main thing is just sitting down and writing something. My head will be foggy and I’ll have no clue what to write. Then, once I sit down and start writing something, it will start coming out. Just sit down and write the first scene heading.

[@mothratemporalradio517]

Thank you for this. A few minutes in, i'm reminded that i'm very sad that Daniel Day-Lewis announced after he and Paul Thomas Anderson made Phantom Thread (which i've yet to watch) that he is giving up acting. So far, this compilation of PTA's thinking is excellent and it's rescuing my sanity from hours of awful karaoke being cranked right next door to me. It's all material. THANK YOU! I have the feeling PTA may not always be the easiest person to work with, but what he creates is true cinema in my view, the kind of stories that remain with you indefinitely. Cheers and all the best to everyone at the end of this insufferable year, may you find creative catharsis in 2021 📯🍀🐣

[@nickharte5035]

Why hasn't there been a book published of Anderson's interviews? More so than most directors, I find his advice incredibly practical and encouraging.

[@Jacksoncarnage888]

adam nayman has a book

[@nickharte5035]

@@Jacksoncarnage888 And a great book it is, though unfortunately not featuring any interviews with Anderson.

[@blaisetelfer8499]

The way we think of Apocalypse Now and Taxi Driver is the way my children's generation will think of There Will Be Blood. It truly is on that level.

[@weenyhutgaming3167]

You guys have seriously underrated content. Keep up the good work, these videos are amazing!

[@AllThingsFilm1]

Thanks for another fascinating exploration into the mind of a filmmaker. Hearing all these different approaches to making films is inspirational in itself. Each interview gives me new ways to explore my own process by shedding light on a point of view I hadn't considered before. These are priceless interviews. Thanks so much for making and sharing them with us.

[@ajjingunia]

Imagine being the professor giving David Mamet a C+

[@cheftfilms8212]

Amazing content, keep it up!

[@parikshitmore7412]

Your channel is My motivation to write♥️

[@borjamunoz4400]

all this videos have help me, in a personal way, i'm not kidding thank you

[@devanshvora3024]

This is a fabulous video!

[@tdoong_2375]

I hoping for this video. Thank you 😁👍

[@manners316]

Glad to have found this channel. Full of gold. Great work. Would love to see more PTA and Scorsese analysis!

[@OutstandingScreenplays]

Definitely more coming from PTA and Scorsese ✅💯

[@manners316]

@@OutstandingScreenplays music to my ears. I look forward to it...

[@mickeyaugrec7560]

Great excerpts, thanks!

[@danieladamico5485]

Thank you! PTA is amazing and one of my inspirations as a writer.

[@subhashnisarta3347]

Thomas Anderson has a good understanding to pick up the main dramatic it is very good to me People are always laughing but the genius person is always sincere giving the best example about it like that 'get out from the classes 'but the student is so sincere why it's for me within any reason of course I am ready to go out but what is my fault? same things happen to me again and again in my school life and college life I always seem like that and price myself I am not wrong at any costs that I wanted to represent in this 📽️🎥 film making people always say what are you doing? I have no answer but after preparing myself and giving the answers properly.#success history

[@HilushaHewagama]

This video is very good. helpful. Thank you 🙏😍❤️

[@exposfan94movies]

#2 is good advice for any job where creativity is involved.

[@davidmeneses712]

I love these videos.

[@burhaanuddin4263]

A true auteur.

[@hyenkgannon8929]

Would love a episode on billy wilder

[@factoreme7924]

Gracias por esto!

[@jayj6406]

Great stuff

[@FILMFRAT]

Wow really love your content this is awesome . What is your preferred camera you use for filmmaking, I'd love to have a conversation and maybe even collaborate on different methods in telling stories through video !

[@sandeepgoolla8848]

So more videos on directors trademarks and craft

[@Ruffahhhoruwork_part2]

I have to watch his films I watched the master I like to make films

[@gouthams3641]

❤️

[@SpearheadsOfGod]

What's people thought process in chosen music themes for a film?

[@BryanTorresdey]

"Terminator 2 is a pretty awesome movie", damn right it is!

[@harishkv79]

terminator 2 is one of the best👍💯

[@nico_lerov]

Where can I find the video which starts 7:19 ?

[@yashmanyu]

Yeah

[@hariharasudhan9427]

What's the short story that he's taking about? Any help? Thanks 😊

[@nightbringer99]

I think it's 'The Bucket of Blood', by John O'Hara.

[@hariharasudhan9427]

@@nightbringer99 Thank you.

[@thereccher8746]

If any film school told me T2 was a bad movie, I would ask for my money back.

[@EROHITHC]

AS IT MENTION IN THE THUMBNAIL, IT IS A TIPS FOR DIRECTORS AS MUCH AS SCREENWRITING....... THINK YALL GUYS ! :]

[@terryjose5439]

7.12??

[@jdarling5315]

A film school prof giving David Mamet a C...must be true what they say, those who can't do, teach

[@jqyhlmnp]

“…and it got a C+… now I know I’m right”

[@DmakProductionsTempe]

Wow you talk about a lot of important topics in the video production space! We like what you talk about, keep it up. Anytime you are in Phoenix let us know. If you want, direct message us @dmakproductions on Instagram and we can chat. We love what you do!

[@d.gowtham5326]

Do a video about denis villenue

[@ItsaKindOfMagic86]

You ask in the description "What is your favorite Paul Thomas Anderson film?" I say BOOGIE NIGHTS :)

[@cine3300]

fucking gorgeous, my idol

[@michaelfanning41]

Daphne Du-who?

[@bernardjharmsen304]

Daphne du Maurier

[@sttarch5150]

I was surprised to see that his movies don't make money, other than Blood and Boogie. Of course, the general public has pedestrian tastes.

[@Ak-wy7kp]

Magnolia and phantom thread are also commercially successful

[@MrGreen-ci2mm]

I'm not going to take tips from some director, who's movies flop all the time.

[@billycostiganscranberryjui8824]

Ok then dont lmao he doesnt give a shit whether you take his advice. Hes admired by critics and his peers alike, box office is no metric of quality

[@yashmanyu]

Yeah