Sme great advice this week. Thanks, David!

Where the hell are all the commenters?! Anyway, second-time caller here! Thanks for the wonderful interview and if questions are still getting answered, I've got one more. I'm an introvert. I don't like telling jokes. I don't even like telling people about what happened during my day. And I hate pitching. I hate it, hate it, hate it. It scares me and the fear of the blank stare shakes my soul. That being said, I've been practicing. Forcing myself to explain stories to my friends and really KNOWING the story I'm telling. I'm getting a little better, slowly. I'm curious about your relationship to pitching either one-on-one, or to a room. Any techniques or things you do to psych yourself up? My beta-blocker and coffee speedballs are not the most healthy method. Thanks again!

David & Scott, thanks for doing this interview. I was wondering about David's process with regards to action set pieces. David, do you just write and let the action beats emerge naturally, or do you have heuristics like George Lucas/Lawrence Kasdan did with Indiana Jones where they knew upfront that they wanted to have action every 10 or so pages? How do you deal with the continuity and tension buildup of your action sequences and the pacing of your movies? many thanks.

Another fine interview from another fine writer. My thanks once again to you, Scott, and to you, David.

My pleasure!

Hey Zaike Airey, First off, good for you for facing the fear! Fact is: pitching isn't an easy thing to do and first few times, I definitely stumbled. You just gotta pretend like you just saw the best movie you ever saw and now you're telling your friends all about it. Bring that same enthusiasm to it and you'll see how infectious it becomes -- whether one-on-one or to a room. Hope this helps and good luck!

Thanks! I personally just let the action beats emerge naturally. They're born out of the story and the characters. But in an action movie the moments tend to happen every 15 pages or so anyway, so there's really no need to declare a plan. I think pacing is incredibly important -- especially in an action movie. You want it to move fast (but never at the expense of logic or character or emotion) and how I deal with the tension buildup, I think, depends on the actual type of action scene I'm dealing with (which I know doesn't totally answer the question, sorry).

Thanks!

David, many thanks for the reply. This was very helpful.

Thanks a million !! David and Scott. For such a detailed interview. People like you are true inspiration. One quick question though. While writing specs, who do you cater to in your mind? The reader or the audience ?

Thanks so much! I'm not sure I see a real difference between the two. Obviously one of the main differences between a spec and an assignment is with a spec the reader doesn't have to read it so you want to make sure that reading the script is as enjoyable an experience as watching it. Otherwise they put it down.

Hey David - thanks for doing the interview. Like you, I currently work and live in NYC. From your own experience, how important do you think it is to be in LA to break in? If you didn't have the benefit of your brothers already working in the biz, would you have needed to be in LA to get your scripts into the right hands? Also, would love to read the selling (not shooting) draft of Safe House. Is there anywhere online where we can download? Thanks man!! -Brian

wow, for some reason when i re-read my question it came across kind of jerkish. Totally didn't mean it to be!! :) If I may rephrase... Most industry insiders say that you really should be based in LA to break in. Can you please comment on your experience breaking into the business and being a working screenwriter being based in NY. Thanks again!!

Hey Brian, No worries. The truth is -- you don't have to live in NYC to break into the business. You can write specs from anywhere. However, once you do -- it is to your benefit to be out there to take meetings, etc. And if you wanna do TV, you definitely have to be there. I made a personal choice to stay in NYC because I love the city, but I'm sure there's a side to the business I'm missing out on -- but not enough that it makes me wanna move. However, if you have no problem living in LA, I would suggest you move there at some point -- just for access alone (I personally have to fly out every month or so).

Thanks for the reply!

Hey David, Great interview. Question, how long after you sold Safe House did you find it safe to quit your job and write full time? Also, are there any versions of your scripts online? I tried searching for them but I didn't have any luck