SEAN ELLIS

Success is the Only Option

We caught up with the screenwriter and director, Mr. Sean Ellis …

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

I’m a screenwriter, director and editor, who began making films at 11, while growing up in Australia and Hong Kong. I fell in love with movies and TV as a child, watching shows like “Lost in Space” and “Land of the Giants”, which frightened me, but also excited my imagination. So, science-fiction, fantasy and monsters made a big impression early on. But it was “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” that confirmed my desire to be a filmmaker, when I was about 9 years old. I was creative as a child and loved to draw, make models and write stories. My parents recognised my passion and gave me a Super 8 camera for Christmas, so I began making short films and teaching myself to edit. That was pretty much all I did throughout High School, and I was accepted into a film school in Melbourne when I was 19, the year we returned to Australia from Hong Kong. Since then, I’ve had some work in film production, but mostly I’ve been a freelance writer and director.

Where do you write?

I’ve lived in many places over the last twenty years, so I’ve had to be adaptable. I don’t always have a quiet place at home, so I’ve spent a lot of time writing in cafes, and also libraries. When I lived in Los Angeles for a few years, I did most of my writing in cafes, which was always enjoyable. Writing can be a very isolating, anti-social process, as it requires so much of your time and focus. So being in a cafe feels like you’re being social, not cooped up at home. In a city like LA, it’s completely normal to write in a cafe or restaurant, during the day or night. A cafe that’s not too crowded or noisy, with good coffee and food, is ideal.

When do you write?

I found many years ago that I have to schedule time to write. Once I established what was most distracting to me, I could organise my routine to eliminate those factors. Most screenwriters know the best time of day for them to write, and I gradually worked out my own. The important part is to have time in the first place. I’ve chosen part time jobs or flexible hours, so I have at least two or three days a week to write. Usually it’s from mid afternoon until 7pm, but I sometimes go to a cafe to write until late. Not all writing happens when you’re seated at the computer. I get my best ideas, or breakthroughs, when I’m just doing ordinary things, like taking a shower, going for a walk, or driving alone. So you have to allow time to do things by yourself, too. Just to think. It’s all part of the creative process.

What sort of stories excite you?

Many kinds of stories excite me, but I most enjoy stories about a character who is “out of their depth” and has to go through an ordeal to survive or to put things right. So the personal stakes are high. That can be the basis for a coming-of-age story, a relationship story, a heroic adventure, or a primal survival story. I’m also drawn to universal themes of redemption and justice, and stories with young adult characters. Having grown up watching stories set in fantastic worlds and featuring plenty of visual excitement, I love stories with a distinctive setting, and visual style. I also want the audience to relate to the story and not feel alienated by it, while seeing the world from a new perspective. Suspense is a key element in all stories, to draw the audience in, and keep them engaged. A great example is the film “WarGames”, which starts off very simply with a teenager who wants to play the latest video games (a relatable hero), and builds to an end-of-the-world scenario where the characters (and the audience) learn a lesson in the futility of nuclear war (high stakes and suspense, with valuable insight at the end).

What is the most important aspect of building a great character?

Making him or her relatable, but also making them want something very much, while not knowing what they really need. Also, matching the character to the scenario they’re in. The story has to be an echo of who they are or who they want to be. Characters need to represent a part of the theme. So, if you have a character first, you can then design the story around their want, or need. If you have a plot in mind first, then your characters will help reveal the underlying theme for the audience. It’s often a process of discovery.

What two writers have inspired you and why?

John Carpenter is an inspiration because of his sheer output of compelling, imaginative, and original screenplays, in a variety of genres. He is a master of making the fantastic believable - whether it’s aliens taking over the Earth and using Capitalism to enslave us in “They Live”, or escaping a nightmare prison version of New York in the near future, or a coastal town being invaded by murderous ghosts in “The Fog”. He creates minimalistic, primal characters who are thrown into survival situations, channeling our fears and offering us a cathartic release. His screenplays also make incisive, often humorous commentary about life in America, and champion the individual over authoritarian forces, like many classic westerns do.

George Lucas has been an inspiration since childhood, with his creation of the “Star Wars” universe and “Indiana Jones”. Influenced by Joseph Campbell’s theories about mythology and storytelling,

Lucas combined his love of pulp adventure serials like Flash Gordon and Japanese Samurai films, and gave us a modern mythology in “Star Wars”. Lucas’ passion for anthropology, sociology and history is evident in all his films, and I enjoy infusing realism and historical context in my own writing as well.

What two TV Shows have inspired you and why?

As I mentioned above, I grew up in the 1970s, and loved Sci-Fi shows and anything with lots of action. What drew me to a TV show was the concept and the characters. The other aspect was the atmosphere or setting. Two childhood favourites would be “The Six Million Dollar Man”- an exciting, futuristic concept with plenty of action and fantastic theme music (an important factor). The mini-series “V” made a huge impact as well, with its cinematic scale and the strong symbolism of the alien invaders, who are like a Fascist government enslaving the world. Later, I became a huge fan of the remade “Twilight Zone” series (1985 to 1989), and “Amazing Stories”. They combined my love of sci-fi, horror, mystery and also modern-day subtext.

Name some of films that have inspired you and why?

Although I first saw it on TV, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” was one of the early films which inspired me to become a filmmaker. The film is a product of its time - the paranoia of the 1970s, distrust of the government and the belief that the truth was being hidden from the public. But more than that, the film makes a strong case for greater cooperation between humans, through communication and understanding. It’s idealistic, but a timely message of peace, told as science-fiction. It was a spiritual film, and a very personal film for Spielberg, a way to deal with his own parents’ divorce. An ordinary man, who has never quite grown up, is given a cosmic mission to find answers, becoming an emissary for the human race, on a mission to the stars. And it relies on sound, music and imagery, more than dialogue, to communicate its message.

“E.T.” had a profound effect when I first saw it, at the same age as Elliott in the film. I could relate strongly to Elliott’s loneliness and shyness. A deeply moving, beautiful film. That film, “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” made it clear what I wanted to do. After moving to Hong Kong at age 14, “The Last Emperor” and “Empire of the Sun” made a strong impact, as I was experiencing Chinese culture every day. “Dances With Wolves” is a favourite, and fuelled my fascination with the American west and with Native American cultures. “JFK” fed a fascination with US politics and history, along with films like “The Pelican Brief” and “All the President’s Men”. These films are documentaries of a sort, investigating history and transporting me to that time and place. Films like “Saturday Night Fever”, “American Graffiti”, “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Swingers” are also favourites, as they capture the awkwardness and excitement of being a teen or young adult, the challenges of chasing your dreams, and feature great music and honest performances. I’ve written several screenplays with similar comingof-age themes.

What theater show has inspired you and why?

I studied Drama in High School and performed in “Hiawatha” which had a lasting impact. I loved the mythic qualities of the story and the Native American customs we learned about. I also love Musicals, on stage and screen. “West Side Story” is my favourite musical, and I’ve always been passionate about dancing, both on stage and on film.

Do you create an outline before you start writing?

Yes, always. I need to figure out the shape of the story, the act breaks and the turning points before I start. It’s also important to know a lot about the characters - their wants and needs - and the plot, before I start writing scenes.

What is one piece of advice for screenwriters just starting out?

Think carefully about the idea you have for a movie, and ask yourself if it is a movie idea, or something else, long before you write any scenes. Start with a brief outline of the story, and a summary of your main characters. Does it have a clear beginning, an inciting incident, escalating conflict in the middle, and a powerful, surprising climax? Does your protagonist change? What is the theme?

All of these are fundamental questions before you start writing. But even before that, be honest with yourself and accept that the first script you write will not be perfect. The first draft is meant to be rough, but the story should be there before you write a first draft. If not, it’s easy to get lost in the details of scene construction and lose sight of the goal - telling a good story.

What should the film/TV industry be doing for screenwriters that it’s not?

Difficult question to answer. It depends on the country you’re in. In Australia, the industry is extremely small and there is no studio system. That means the money from one successful film is not invested in other films. Screenplays only get made if they are endorsed by the state funding bodies, who decide if your project will receive government subsidies or tax incentives. So there’s a very small number of writers who get their screenplays produced in this system. I’ve always focused on the US market, because I don’t write “Australian stories”. I write stories I want to write, and don’t have a strong affinity with Australian culture. If anything, the industry needs to celebrate screenwriters, including those who haven’t had work produced. There are no easy ways to

get established in the industry, but I think produced screenwriters deserve a larger reward for their work, and more protection for their intellectual property. With the growth in production, a greater awareness of our work would be appreciated.

Was there a specific moment that made you start writing and if so, what was it?

When I saw “E.T.” at age 11 and asked for a book about Steven Spielberg. I began outlining ideas for movies, inspired by Indiana Jones or Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and wrote short stories while listening to film music. I received a Super 8 camera for Christmas and by then I was writing and storyboarding short movies, which I would make with friends on weekends. Spielberg was my main inspiration to get started.

What do you wish you’d known then, that you know now?

Because the film industry in Australia is so small, I would have focused my efforts on getting to the US to study film, as a way of gaining opportunities that don’t exist here. After film school, I had no idea what to do next, so I chose writing as a way to focus my creativity and not rely on others (I didn’t have a network where I lived). The biggest challenge is finding like-minded people to collaborate with, who are as driven as you, but don’t try to compete with you. There’s a lot of insecurity in the film industry and everyone is trying to get noticed, but at some point you need a support network. It took me ten years to realise I could not have the career I wanted in Australia, but I’m glad I invested that time in my writing when I did.

What is the most difficult thing about screenwriting?

For me, it is not being paid or making a living from writing. 25 years after film school, I’m still trying to break in, but I have also learned valuable lessons. Finding a mentor who understands and helps develop what you’re good at, is vital, but rare and hard to find. You need to be prepared to work alone, and to not make much or any money at all for years. You have to do other things for an income, and they may have no relation to what you love. But you have to make that sacrifice, or investment, in your creative process. The rewards are not guaranteed and you need to be obsessive about movies. There’s a fair amount of suffering for your art, but if you find others who love it like you do, you will be more content.

What is the most enjoyable thing about screenwriting?

It’s the creative process of constructing a story and giving it a shape, creating the characters and giving them believable problems to solve, and then seeing it inspire others, either as a screenplay, or as a film. I’ve only made my short screenplays into films, but making a feature film would be the most enjoyable part for me. That’s the real reason I began writing - to make movies and see them on the big screen.

Where do you see yourself (as a writer) in five years from now?

Hopefully, living and working in the US, still writing, but also having my work made and directing some of it too.

And finally – Tell us one surprising (non-writing related!) fact about you.

I’ve always been a film fan, and have occasionally visited films in production, which is always a thrill for me. While living in Hong Kong as a teenager, my family took a vacation in Borneo, at a large resort. It was 1987 and as it turned out, a movie was being filmed in the jungle nearby, and the crew were staying at the resort. The film was “Bat-21”, and it starred Gene Hackman and Danny Glover. The funny part was, Gene Hackman was staying in the room next door, and Danny Glover was across the corridor from our room! I approached Mr Glover and asked if I could watch the movie being filmed. Danny (as he insisted on being called) generously agreed to take me, and my brother and sister, to the set, on his day off. I had my movie camera with me, and questioned him all the way to the set, about working with Spielberg (on “The Color Purple”) and Richard Donner (on “Lethal Weapon”). His encouragement was a welcome boost to my confidence and an experience I’ll never forget.