Six Things I Learned as a screenwriter from Christopher McQuarrie

By Bob Schultz

For the last 20 years, Christopher McQuarrie has brought dynamic and innovative stories to the screen, building a resume that would be the envy of any writer anywhere. Here are the 6 lessons McQuarrie’s work has taught me as a writer:

1. “Different’s good. Where I come from, the highest compliment they can offer a person is to say that they’re down to earth, grounded. I hate it. It drives me nuts!” – Frank Taylor, from The Tourist by Christopher McQuarrieTaking chances in life can be as simple as ordering that weird mollusk from the menu or as terrifying as clinging to the side of an aircraft as it takes off. The important thing is to take those chances. Try to push my characters where they are afraid to go. In the parts of life that don’t involve putting words on the page, try to ask “Does this scare me?” And if the answer is yes, do that thing.

2. “I’ve never been with two girls at the same time before. But you can bet, when that day comes, I’ll make it work.” – Griff, from Edge Of Tomorrow by Christopher McQuarrieOpportunity is rare and fickle. Whatever form it takes, you’d better be ready when it comes a-knockin’. On The Page’s Pilar Alessandra offers the following simple advice: Always be writing. Write and write and write. Even if without a paying job (in fact it is MOST important to keep writing then). When a chance comes along to meet a producer, an actor, an agent who wants to read your stuff, you’d better have it ready. The chance to launch your career to new levels could come at any time. The chance to write is now

3. “Hunt is uniquely trained and highly motivated – a specialist without equal – immune to any countermeasures. There is no secret he cannot extract, no security he cannot breach, no person he cannot become. He has most likely anticipated this very conversation and is waiting to strike in whatever direction we move. Sir, Hunt is the living manifestation of destiny – and he has made you his mission.” – Alan Huntley, from Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol by Christopher McQuarrieSingleness of purpose is not a vice. Being a writer is a way of being, not something we do. If we are not writing our stories, we’re thinking about writing our stories. Or I’m reading, or watching movies/shows with great writing, or talking about writing, or planning ScriptFest (scriptfest.com), which helps writers and appreciates great writers. Being a screenwriter requires a relentless dedication to the preposterous, with equal measures of destiny and joy. Whether you’re telling an important story of the human condition or cloned dinosaurs on the rampage, the tools are the same. But behind it all is one dedicated power pushing it forward without apology or hesitation. That’s you, Fellow Writer. You alone have the ability to bring your story from nothing to something.
4. “It didn’t make sense that I’d be there. I mean, these guys were hard-core hijackers, but there I was. At that point I wasn’t scared, I knew I hadn’t done anything they could do me for. Besides, it was fun.” – Verbal Kint, from The Usual Suspects by Christopher McQuarrieBelieve it or not, you belong wherever you are. Face to face with heroes of yours, Oscar winners, writers and directors responsible for billions of dollars of box office, it doesn’t matter. You are a creator who has honed your craft to a sharp edge. If you are pitching at this year’s Great British PitchFest, your instinct might be to feel apologetic or somehow “less than” the exec on the other side of the table. Don’t succumb to that instinct. You are the company you keep, whether by choice or fate. And, of course, don’t forget to have fun in all things.
5. “It’s all about what part of the theme you use and why.” – A tweet by Christopher McQuarrie (@chrismcquarrie)Though this was in response to the judicious use of the iconic “Mission Impossible” theme music, it applies to writing as well. The theme of a screenplay needs to be a nuanced presence threaded throughout the story and structure. It is not meant to be a bludgeon, conveying a message with brutality. The theme is what you want to say, but the characters, story, and structure are how you say it. Utilizing theme effectively is the difference between a beautiful sunrise and the searing intensity of the sun.
6. “I was in prison in Siberia. I spent my first winter wearing a dead man’s coat. A hole in one pocket. I chewed these fingers off before the frostbite could turn to gangrene. These I gave up to avoid working in the sulfur mine. That is how I survived when so many others did not. A man this rare can always be of use. So show me. Show me you are rare. Show me you’ll do anything to survive.” The Zec, from Jack Reacher by Christopher McQuarrieWhatever I’m going through, somebody has it worse. Don’t get bogged down in self-pity.

You can meet Christopher McQuarrie at this year’s London Screenwriters’ Festival, in the following sessions:

LondonSWF Team( Team LondonSWF )

Posted by a member of the London Screenwriters’ Festival team.