Jesse Armstrong, the mastermind behind HBO's 'Succession,' shares his journey as a prolific screenwriter known for 'Peep Show' and 'The Thick of It.' He discusses the creative trials behind his projects that didn't take off and the importance of tone in storytelling. Armstrong reveals how rewrites drove Brian Cox mad and recounts his experiences with iconic collaborators like Armando Iannucci. Delve into the balance of creativity and technology and learn how disconnecting can spark fresh ideas.
Jesse Armstrong emphasizes that experiencing failures in screenwriting is essential for growth and resilience, shaping future creative endeavors.
Achieving and maintaining the right tone throughout a project is crucial, as it significantly influences the overall impact and cohesion of the narrative.
Deep dives
Learning from Failure
Experiencing failures is vital for growth in the screenwriting profession. The notion that writers learn more from their unsuccessful projects than from their successes resonates deeply, exemplifying the notion that early setbacks can fortify one's creative resilience. Jesse Armstrong shares personal experiences from his early career, emphasizing that laboriously creating a project, only to see it labeled as worthless, serves as a powerful lesson in humility and the business of screenwriting. Such moments can feel disheartening but are ultimately beneficial, shaping a writer's perspective and approach to future endeavors.
The Importance of Tone
Achieving the right tone in writing is crucial and often elusive; it serves as the backbone for any successful project. Armstrong highlights how tone can be established early in the writing process and how it needs to resonate throughout the work, creating a sense of cohesive narrative. He reflects on his experiences with different collaborators, from Armando Iannucci's minimalist direction to Chris Morris's more elaborate approach, demonstrating how varied methods can contribute to refining tone. Maintaining tonal consistency can pose challenges, especially when navigating complex narratives, but getting this right can significantly influence the overall impact of the piece.
The Solitary Nature of Screenwriting
Writing screenplays is often a solitary endeavor, despite the collaborative nature of the industry. Armstrong recounts how the writing process primarily occurs alone, offering a space for deep concentration and introspection. He describes the balance between engaging in collaborative discussions with partners and the necessity of isolating oneself to craft the dialogue and structure that makes a script sing. This solitary phase allows for creativity to flourish, creating a critical dynamic between collaboration and individual focus within the writing process.
Approaching New Projects
Starting new projects often involves grappling with uncertainty and the unknown, which is a significant part of a writer's journey. Armstrong illustrates this by detailing his current endeavors, including attempts at writing a novel and a screenplay, both filled with potential but also the weight of expectation. He discusses how a writer must cultivate resilience, accepting that projects might not meet personal aspirations while still striving for excellence. Along the way, the experience of writing must be viewed as an opportunity for experimentation, allowing for the exploration of ideas without a guarantee of success.
For this final episode of the sixth season of In Writing, I sat down with Jesse Armstrong, creator of Succession, and writer/co-writer of numerous other brilliant shows and movies including Peep Show, Fresh Meat, The Thick of It, In The Loop and Four Lions. At his London office he told me about some of his projects that didn't work out (and why); the importance of tone, and how you know when you've got it right; the Succession rewrites that drove Brian Cox mad; the experiences of working with Armando Iannucci, Sam Bain and Chris Morris, and lots more.
Jesse's 2016 novel is called Love, Sex and Other Foreign Policy Goals, and you can find that plus the complete scripts of Succession in the In Writing bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing
This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative – the renowned writing school run by the literary and talent agency. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off your first online writing course – eligible courses can be found here. Visit https://curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.
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