Video: David Koepp in conversation with Lawrence Kasdan

The two notable screenwriters talk about the craft of writing, Hollywood, and Koepp’s novel Aurora.

Lawrence Kasdan and David Koepp have written some of the most successful movies during the last four decades:

• Kasdan: Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Body Heat, Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi, The Big Chill, he Bodyguard, and Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens.
• Koepp: Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, Panic Room, War of the Worlds, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and The Mummy.

Here is their conversation:

You have to both laugh and sigh at this comment by Kasdan talking about being a screenwriter in the film and television business: “Hollywood exists for one reason: to make you miserable.” As I tell my students, to survive a career as a screenwriter, you have to have an iron gut and steel spine.

For more LiveTalksLA videos, go here.

For 100s more interviews and conversations with screenwriters and filmmakers, go here.