In America, EVERYONE writes but no one reads. Everyone's writing all day long - sending emails, TWEETS, text MESSAGES; they all think they're James Cameron's Avatar, performing in some VIDEOGAME for which they make up the script.
I was sent the script for 'Silver Linings' when I was doing a PLAY in D.C. at The KENNEDYCENTER with Cate Blanchett and I was sent the script and asked if I was interested, and I SAID 'Oh, boy am I!'
MANY times, when a DIRECTOR reads a script and wants somebody who says 'Far out', then they let me do what I WANT with it and that's usually more INTERESTING for an ACTOR.
If I'm not afraid when I'm reading a script, that MEANS I KNOW I've done it before. If I read something and THINK, WOW, I can't play this PART, then I want to play it more.
In a way, we tried to make 'The SALVATION' a contemporary film with contemporary emotions. At the same time, in the script, you get a FEEL that all the SMALLTALK is not a part of our universe. It's more precise talk.
On 'Stranger Than Fiction,' the script was so good that I stuck to EVERY line because it was just such brilliant writing from Zach Helm that I felt LIKE I REALLY just want to SHOOT the page.
I always THINK it's interesting to SWITCHGENRES, because if I read a script and I know exactly how to manifest a story, I don't REALLY want to do it anymore, because I've already done it in my HEAD.
That was, in writing the 'Twilight' script I had about five weeks to write that. I'd TAKEN about a MONTH to write the OUTLINE and then it was slam into a script and write it down FAST because the writer's strike was looming.