Known for beginning his screenwriting career on Smack The Pony and Green Wing, this week we are very excited to talk to British comedy writer James Henry.
His newest work 'Piglets' is available on ITV Player now!
What film, TV show, podcast or book are you currently obsessed with?
I keep going back to Justified (currently on Disney+), because it's so well put together.
What’s the funniest and/or most unexpected thing that’s happened behind-the-scenes during a shoot or event?
A senior exec came into the writers room for one thing I was working on to see the producer, who said 'Hey, I don't think you've met any of the writers yet' and she said 'Ugh, I don't have time for THAT', which still makes me laugh.
If you had the chance to go back in time and work on any film or TV show, which one would you choose?
Silent films shoots must have been fun as you could presumably chat all the way through them.
What is one thing you have always wanted to try but haven't had the chance to yet?
I want to have a motion capture suit so I can act out all the parts in my scripts without anyone else having to get involved.
What first sparked your interest in the media industry?
Realising you could fill a blank page with a script much quicker than writing prose.
What was your first industry role?
Getting a commission to write scripts for Smack The Pony.
Do you think that new technologies are improving the industry?
I mean I SUPPOSE, although I try to keep away from technology as far as I possibly can.
What’s the best piece of equipment you use in terms of value for money?
My lovely Macbook, because I can also play games on it.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the industry right now?
Lawyers and finance guys who think no money is better than a slightly smaller amount of money than they'd been hoping for.
Is there any advice would you offer to someone just starting out in the media industry?
Be independently wealthy or quite posh or, ideally, both.
What one piece of equipment would you recommend for someone just starting out in the film industry?
A good pair of earphones for listening to podcasts on trains.
What qualities do you look for when selecting cast and crew for a project?
Exuding an air of quiet professionalism at all times is good.
If you've worked in the film industry internationally, have you encountered any cultural differences with regards to working practices?
Nowhere else in the world outside of the UK cares where you went to school, which is refreshing.
How do you approach balancing artistic vision with commercial success in your work?
I like every project to have moments that there not to advance the plot, or move anything on or raise the stakes, but because they're weird and interesting and funny, otherwise what's the point?
Has there been a particularly memorable project you've worked on (good or bad) and what did you learn from the experience?
I did a comedy thing years back that wasn't terrible, but didn't come out in any way like I'd hoped, and I learned that was when criticism really stung, when you knew in your heart of hearts that it hadn't really worked.
Anything else you want to let us know about?
Senior execs are rarely excited to meet scriptwriters at parties. They pull a special disappointed face, it's quite funny when you know to look out for it.
You can watch James Henry's most recent project 'Piglets' on ITV Player now!
Comments