10 Screenwriting Tips from Robert Eggers on how he wrote the Lighthouse and The Northman

Robert Eggers is an American film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his acclaimed horror films The Witch (2015), The Lighthouse (2019) and his newest film The Northman (2022).

01. Embrace what is uniquely you.

02. Find a harmonious balance of opposites in your writing. Your writing needs both Dionysian and Apollonian aspects.

03. Avoid writer's block by doing research about things that interest you and research and write in tandem.

04. Don’t start writing with a message or an intention in mind other than staying true to the world in which you're trying to write in.

05. It’s absurd to think that how well you follow a traditional structure is what makes you a good storyteller.

06. Wherever and whenever your story is set, the conversations, the arguments and other universal elements need to feel similar and relatable to today.

07. Be extremely meticulous with your writing.

08. Historical accuracy is not important to filmmaking. You can make a great period story without it being accurate.

09. To get your first feature produced, make a proof-of-concept short film that includes some elements similar to the feature you are trying to produce.

10. When writing, don’t think about how you’re going to get it on camera. You have to be blind to the realities of shooting and figure it all out later. 


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