Thomas Fenton is an American screenwriter whose writing credits include SAW IV, I Spit On Your Grave 2, Slay Per View on CryptTv. Chain Letter (drft) and the Max Payne (drft). He is also the author of The Scream Writers Handbook: How to Write a Terrifying Screenplay in 10 Bloody Steps.


Thomas has worked with Paramount Pictures, DC, and Lionsgate (to name a few), and on top of an active writing and directing career, also takes the time to teach future screenwriters at workingscreenwriter.com


In this episode we go deep into:


Thomas’ first big break [09:08]
Quality over quantity [12:00]
Thomas ‘Thick Skin’ [13:58]
How he gets to the words and the work of a screenplay [19:20]
Communicating the core idea of a story [22:33]
The practice of creativity [27:01]
Common screenwriter mistakes [31:35]
Saw 4,. the Journey [35:51]
Robert Evans [52:27]
legacy [57:00]
Directing your own screenplay [59:09]

Find out more about Thomas Fenton:


workingscreenwriter.com


IG: @thomasfenton_insta


Links from the show:


‘The Scream Writers Handbook’


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scream-Writers-Handbook-Terrifying-Screenplay/dp/1729035329/ref=sr_1_1?crid=XOK242TF04LE&keywords=thomas+fenton+screenwriting&qid=1649763532&sprefix=thomas+fenton+screenwriting%2Caps%2C309&sr=8-1


‘Riding the Alligator’


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Riding-Alligator-Strategies-Screenplay-Writing/dp/193290784X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=R2VKYNDVV2LP&keywords=riding+the+alligator&qid=1649764652&sprefix=riding+the+aligator%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-2


Get more from Activated Authors!


https://activatedauthors.com/


Watch the show:


https://youtu.be/cy0Uqq-2PpI 


Find out more about Daniel Willcocks


https://www.danielwillcocks.com/


Special thanks to:


Show theme: Karl Hughes


Show editing: Sam Frost