If you’ve only just now heard of Matthew Robbins because of his upcoming Guillermo Del Toro directed film, Crimson Peak, than you may not have been paying attention to the screenwriting credits on some major Hollywood movies. A lifelong screenwriter, Robbins made his way with the “in” crowd of the 60’s, working with Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, among many others, and finally got his breakthrough assignment on Spielberg’s The Sugarland Express. From there, Robbins worked on so many others, from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Batteries Not Included, to the Del Toro film Mimic, and the 2010 film Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.
While in this podcast, we talk a lot about Crimson Peak – with a really interesting tidbit about the house they use for the central focus of the film – we talk even more about the writing process. And coming from a veteran screenwriter like Matthew, to say his advice is invaluable is a massive understatement. From telling stories of working on films with today’s icons, to looking at screenwriting as a true craft, Matthews interview should leave you inspired and even more ready to finish your next project. If you’re not feeling the flow and need a break, though, we suggest checking out Matthew’s Crimson Peak. Maybe it’ll scare you back into your writing chair.