Feb 08 2010
Eric Roth Receives 2010 Scripter Literary Achievement Award
A break from my normal posts to share some real class with you. This is an opportunity to perform a public service by sharing the acceptance speech of Eric Roth.
Eric Roth received the 2010 Scripter Literary Achievement Award from screenwriter Steve Zaillian. The Oscar-winning screenwriter has earned critical acclaim for his adaptations of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Insider, Forrest Gump and Munich.
“The idea that words matter is what brings us all together here tonight,” said Roth, before recognizing the achievements of every finalist for this year’s Scripter Award. He spoke in particular about the inspiration he draws from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. “Not only is it the greatest novel in our language, but it’s a philosophy book, a book of sorrow…and a cinematic book, the movie inside Melville’s head. I discovered Moby Dick in the library, which was my home away from home when I was a pimply teen…Every day I discovered another treasure.”
Trailer from Forest Gump
Eric loves this old screen writing program that allows him to hear the sound of an old typewriter as he writes. Some may think it’s old fashioned, but if I thought it could make me write as well as Eric I would use it too. You can view Eric Roth’s Scripter speech at this link.
Mark Harmel
now that is class. Just to know that there are some of us left that like the sound of
the old typewriter is inspiring.
thanks much, Mark for posting this insightful piece.
Here’s to the original sound from the old, yes folks old, 35mm metal cameras and the
distinctive louder sound of the Hassleblad to which i use as an alarm clock wake me up.