WHAT ARE THE MAIN THINGS YOU LOOK FOR WHEN YOU READ A SCRIPT?
I like to see a fresh concept that hasn’t been done before – something that puts a new twist on a familiar genre, rather than being “just another cop thriller” or “just another romantic comedy.” I want to feel confident that the writer knows what he or she is doing – that every scene has a purpose, and that there are not so many elements afloat in the story that the writer (and the reader!) becomes overwhelmed. I am especially receptive to dialogue that feels alive and intelligent – I respond to characters who actually seem to be thinking and behaving in real time, rather than simply droning out exposition that is necessary to move the plot forward. To achieve this balance – creating a sense of living, vibrant characters while still adhering to a compact and purposeful structure – is what screenwriting mastery is all about, and it’s a wonderful thing to behold.

WHAT MAKES BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS?
The most important thing is that a character’s behavior be internally consistent. His or her actions should not be arbitrarily altered in order to suit the convenience of the plot. This doesn’t mean their attitudes and beliefs can’t change during the course of the story, but there should be logical reasons for it. Also, characters should have some nuance, whether they are heroes, villains, or anything else. No person is entirely good or entirely evil, and even “bad” people have some internal justification that motivates them.

WHAT’S THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE YOU SEE?
A lot of screenwriters tell us what is going on inside characters’ heads without visualizing or dramatizing these thoughts; or they place important exposition in the screen direction rather than someplace where it would be visible (or audible) in a completed film. Screenwriters always need to remember that they are writing not a novel, but a blueprint for a movie; the words on the page are meant to convey what we will see onscreen and what the characters will say, nothing more.

WHAT KIND OF SCRIPTS ARE YOU MORE LIKELY TO CONSIDER?
Scripts that fit clearly into an established, proven genre are always more likely to get a “consider” from me. That genre could be horror, action, romantic comedy, buddy movie, etc. – anything that has a decent track record not only at the box office but in the collective imaginations of moviegoers. Like it or not, Hollywood is a business and moviegoers are more likely to go see a movie if it belongs to a category that already exists in their minds. It is still possible to be creative and original within the loose confines of a pre-existing genre template, and in fact it is the business of the commercial screenwriter to find a way to do just that.

WHAT’S THE BEST SCRIPT YOU’VE EVER READ?
“Tripoli,” by William Monahan. A story of the Barbary Coast war of the early 19th century, it is a latter-day “Lawrence of Arabia” that could be a masterpiece in the hands of the right director and cast.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIEGOING EXPERIENCE?
At film school, my very first film class began with a screening of “2001: A Space Odyssey” at USC’s Norris theater. Seeing one of my favorite films projected majestically on the big screen, I felt confident that I had come to the right place. Another moviegoing experience I cherish is when I saw “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” at the Mann Chinese Theater on opening night in 1999. The film itself was a disappointment, but I will never forget the electricity of the crowd as they chanted slogans, waved toy light-sabers around, and screamed at all the trailers before settling down to a reverent hush as the movie itself began.