Alexander Payne is one of America’s most well-known film directors and screenwriters. He’s best known for his critically-acclaimed films Sideways, and The Descendants. Here we will look at the research and inspiration that drove him to make films. We’ll also look at collaborative efforts that enhance Payne’s writing and directing processes.
The College Years
Payne first became interested in film-making during his time at Stanford. There, he wrote a few plays and acted in them with friends. After graduating from Stanford University, Payne attended UCLA’s film school. There, he wrote and directed several short films. Some of which evolved into his first feature-length films. The film virtuoso graduated in 1991 with an MFA degree.
Since then, Payne has written and directed several critically acclaimed films. They include Election (1999), About Schmidt (2002), Sideways (2004), and The Descendants (2011). He also wrote and directed Nebraska in 2013.
Alexander Payne’s Personal Approach
It’s no surprise that he can write and direct such memorable films. One of his biggest strengths as a director is his versatility. While his movies are thought-provoking dark comedies, each has an entirely different feel. Payne’s theater background keeps audiences coming back for more.
Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne
Jim and Alexander wrote screenplays together during their film school days at UCLA. Their creative process collaborates between Taylor’s dialogue-heavy style and Payne’s intricate plot development. Their first film together was Citizen Ruth, which only grossed about $1 million. But, the duo’s dynamic talent wouldn’t stay Hollywood’s best-kept secret. Their film, Sideways, took home the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2005. They’ve since produced several box office hits, grossing half a billion dollars worldwide.
The Creative Process
Many filmmakers pride themselves on doing single takes of their actors. They capture moments without cutting, but Payne doesn’t see much value in that approach. Instead, he shoots his scenes many times. Through the magic of editing, Payne splices together different takes until they’re perfect.
However, Payne doesn’t believe in having strict adherence to the original script. Instead, he’ll allow his actors to have free reign to improvise. This process helps him get a feel for who each character is and how they would react in certain situations.