Sully (2016) — with Todd Komarnicki

'Insightful Interview' episode with Todd Komarnicki: a writer, director and producer best known for writing ‘Elf’, ‘Sully’ and ‘The Professor and the Madman’. We talk about Todd’s path into becoming a writer, getting feedback, and screenwriting as a craft. The second half of our conversation focuses on the modern-day classic 'Sully', turning a real-life event into a compelling narrative, the responsibilities a writer has towards the real person who the story is based on, and the themes of everyday heroism, man versus bureaucracy and the impact that Clint Eastwood had on the film.

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Episode navigation:

Introduction - Todd's early life (1:54)

Sports and narrative (6:35)

Learning to write (8:05)

Screenwriting as a craft (13:57)

Advice to new writers (16:45)

Going beyond describing just sight and sound (18:55)

Brevity and limited page count (20:11)

Feedback and who to trust (22:23)

Rewrites and long-term career thinking (27:04)

How did 'Sully' come about? (33:22)

What stood out about Todd's pitch for 'Sully'? (38:48)

Theme of being treated as a hero when you don't feel you are one (41:03)

Sacred trust in portraying a real person (42:45)

Handing over your writing and trust (45:30)

What did Clint Eastwood contribute to the story? (48:27)

Influence of data-driven society on 'Sully' (52:04)

Legacy of 9/11 in 'Sully' (57:55)