No Movies Without Writers
Showcase Interviews Jessica Niebel,
Exhibitions Curator of the New Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Part One
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences will realize its long-held dream when the Academy of Museum of Motion Pictures opens on Fairfax and Wilshire in Los Angeles. They will “offer visitors a look behind the screen into how movies evolved and are made, to explore the impact of cinema on our society and culture at large, and to ensure film’s legacy as the great art form of our time.” We spoke to exhibitions curator Jessica Niebel about this remarkable event.
Showcase: There has never been such a museum before. How is that possible?
Niebel: It’s extraordinary, isn’t it? The first public mention of a Museum from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences dates back to 1929, and it’s an honor to be part of making this 90-year dream a reality.
The Academy Museum will be unlike any other film museum. We will draw on the unique intellectual and material resources of the Academy to provide the public with unparalleled insight into the history and magic of film, as experienced both on and behind the screen. Visitors will be able to explore the powers of movies and moviemaking and get a sense of how film has changed culture and our lives.
Showcase: When will it open?
Niebel: We are excited to open our doors to film lovers from across the world in 2020.
Showcase: You will have absolutely everything, but let’s focus on writers. What role do writers play in the industry?
Niebel: An absolutely crucial one. Scripts are the foundation of films, and the quality of the writing is essential to the quality of the film. This may sound obvious, but is often overlooked. The quality and content of a script also influences which films are being made. At a time when the industry shifts towards a more inclusive film production, scripts have the power to change what audiences see on the screen. Films reflect our culture, but also impact and change our culture. Scripts are at the very core of this change and have the power to make a difference.
It’s also interesting to note that some filmmakers do not use a script. For example, Hayao Miyazaki, the subject of the Academy Museum’s first temporary exhibition, works from a storyboard instead.
Showcase: What can a novice learn from what you have?
Niebel: That scripts are an essential part of the filmmaking process but are subject to change in the collaborate process of filmmaking. While scripts lay the groundwork, the writer needs to consider that the film will be determined by many creatives. The director, the actors, the cinematographer, the art director, the editor, and all the other collaborators will contribute to the film. So while the screenwriter needs to understand the cinematic language, its different components and how they work together as an ensemble, they also need to accept that the film will not be determined by the script alone. However, the script as the basis of the film needs to convey more than just the plot and the dialogue; it is the beginning of and needs to entail a cinematic vision that will be developed and executed by others.
Read Part Two in the next edition of
socalwritersshowcase.com.
For more, visit academymuseum.org.