LQT Talk #10: “Unpacking” the Screenwriting Profession

On the morning of June 7th, WSU-LQT BBUS students gained a fresh perspective on creativity in film production through a meeting and discussion with the team from Bột Creative Hub — a unit specializing in script production and development — during the LQT Talk #10 event.

Amid many common assumptions from outsiders about the screenwriting industry, the guests from Bột Creative offered WSU-LQT BBUS students insights that were both surprising yet familiar about the creative screenwriting field.

The Relationship Between Screenwriters and Producers

“We are Bột. ‘Bột’ as in ‘bột khởi,’ ‘bột phát,’ meaning to spark, to burst out, to illuminate, to originate. We are a creative company, selling ideas and intellectual property rights. At Bột, we are passionate about generating ideas and working on every creative insight, big or small.” — Introduction from Bột Creative.

At the beginning of the sharing session, Ms. Thái Minh Châu — CEO proudly spoke about the unlimited creativity spirit at Bột Creative. She stated that in an industry where the product or service results are “intangible,” Bột Creative always welcomes innovative ideas to bring the best results, as expected by their partners.

According to Ms. Châu, the relationship between screenwriters and producers can be seen through many different situational perspectives. Agreeing with this view, Mr. Nguyễn Thanh Bình — CCO shared that in most film projects, producers mainly work directly with directors rather than screenwriters. After receiving information and requirements and discussing with the producer, the director then communicates back and forth with the screenwriter. However, one can imagine the differing perspectives of these two roles: the screenwriter is imaginative and visionary, while the producer is pragmatic and logical.

Explaining this perspective, Mr. Bình said, for example, the line in the script “Traffic jam at Can Tho bridge” from the screenwriter’s point of view is simply their imagination to depict a certain situation. On the other hand, the producer will think about the financial and logistical factors needed to execute that scene. In this case, if there are any issues, the producer will need the screenwriter to clarify, and if the reasoning is convincing enough, it will be accepted and carried out.

Choose Unlimited Creativity or Creativity with a Deadline?

Ms. Châu shared that, as the leader and manager of a creative team, she always tries to follow the principle of “being patient in creativity.” To ensure KPIs and other contractual obligations, deadlines are necessary for the creative team. However, she also strives to create the freshest working environment for them and listens carefully to their desires, because she believes people are most creative when they work in a comfortable environment.

From a creative perspective, working with professional partners requires deadlines as an essential element. When the production schedule of a film is set, the screenwriter must complete their work on time.

She estimates the time needed for each task and is willing to make sacrifices for the team if extending the timeline can lead to the best final results. As a manager, in dealing with time pressure, she must always list and track the progress of the product to clearly understand the goals to be achieved for each client’s requirement.

Mr. Trần Khánh Tân, Head of Production, listed three common demands for screenwriters: working on existing scripts, localizing scripts, and most commonly, revising dialogues. He said that screenwriters need to transform ideas on paper into stories that are most relatable to real society. Mr. Nguyễn Thanh Bình, CCO, emphasized that the difficulty for screenwriters lies in their willingness to give up scripts they have written to make way for better new ideas the very next day.

Conclusion

Ms. Thái Minh Châu – CEO summarized that, given the nature of the creative industry, screenwriters are valued based on the products they create. Besides inherent creativity, screenwriters need to maintain persistence in their habits of learning and working to achieve success in their careers.