From the Page to the Screen

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Far from the highly stylized special effects, the core of a movie is always the story. The mission of the screenwriter is to write a story that can be visually represented. The interactions among characters, the introspective monologues, and even an actor's long pause all start on a blank page.

A good screenwriter has the ability to write catchy lines that people will remember for years to come. A great screenwriter understands that if he/she wants to connect with an audience, those words have to carry weight. Immigrant screenwriters prove that human emotions are universal. Many have captured all the world's emotions and demonstrate that in any language, any time-period, any geographic location, themes of love, loss, joy, and pain are experienced in similar ways. A great movie experience is one where the words and deeds haunt you long after you've left your theatre seat. The following quotes come from the hand of immigrant screenwriters who have achieved not only accolades for their work, but continuously remind us of our shared human experience.

Do you have any favorite movie lines? For each of the movie quotes, see if you can identify the following: (a) the screenwriter, (b) his/her place of birth, and (c) the movie.

Film quote #1


"My idea has always been that if we could bring the mothers of various nations 

together, then there would be no more war."


Film quote #2

"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know?

You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches

you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that 
 
touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something."


Film quote #3

A:"When we are married, will you dance with me? I find dancing very agreeable.
 
Why can you not say what is in your head?" 

B:"Why can you not stop saying what is in yours? Why must you lead, when I want to lead? 

If I want to dance, I will ask you to dance. If I want to speak, I will open my mouth and speak. 

Everyone is forever plaguing me to speak further. Why? What good is it to tell you, you are in my
 
every thought from the time I wake? What good can come from saying that I sometimes cannot 

think clearly or do my work properly? What gain can rise of my telling you the only time I feel

fear as others do is when I think of you in harm? That is why I am on this porch...I fear for your 

safety before all others. And yes, I will dance with you on our wedding night." 

 
Film quote #4

"I am big. It's the pictures that got small."





Send your answers, along with some biographical information about yourself 
(Are you an immigrant? If so, where are you from? Where do you live?  What is your
occupation? Special interests?), tell how you solved the quiz, how long you've been 
a subscriber to our newsletter and what you use our newsletter/website for, to: 




     jhernandez@shusterman.com

 The first person to e-mail the correct responses will receive a free consultation before the end of February 2010.