Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
{{Short description|American screenwriting team}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
| image = Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Alexander (left) and Karaszewski (right) in 2014
| birth_name = Scott Alexander
{{birth date and age|1963|6|16}}
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Larry Karaszewski
{{birth date and age|1961|11|20}}
South Bend, Indiana, U.S.
| alma_mater = USC School of Cinematic Arts (both)
| occupation = Screenwriters
| years_active = 1990–present
| spouse = Larry: {{marriage|Emily Karaszewski|1991}}
Larry: 2
}}
Scott Alexander (born June 16, 1963) and Larry Karaszewski ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|ær|ə|ˈ|zj|uː|s|k|i}}; born November 20, 1961) are an American screenwriting duo, recognized for their unique approach to biopics. They introduced the term "anti-biopic" to describe their distinctive style of storytelling, which focuses on individuals who might not traditionally be considered worthy of a biographical film.{{cite book |last1=Bingham |first1=Dennis |title=Whose Lives Are They Anyway? |date=2010 |publisher=Rutgers University Press |location=New Jersey |isbn=978-0-8135-4658-2 |page=23}} Instead of highlighting conventional "great men," their work often centers on lesser-known figures within American pop culture.{{Cite magazine |last=Ressner |first=Jeffrey |date=December 26, 1999 |title=The Odd Fellows |language=en-US |magazine=Time |url=https://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,36500,00.html |access-date=May 20, 2023 |issn=0040-781X}} Their notable films in this genre include Ed Wood, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Man on the Moon, Big Eyes, Dolemite Is My Name, and the series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
Most of their biographical screenplays are available in book form; Ed Wood was published by Faber and Faber, The People vs. Larry Flynt and Man on the Moon were published by Newmarket Press, and Big Eyes was published by Random House.{{Cite web |title=Amazon.com : Larry Karaszewski |url=https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Larry+Karaszewski&rh=n:283155&dc&ds=v1:2t62KdwB1bjs9ImOaOiETy8+vMPrVqVDWDDP9UWs4MQ&crid=2C4ESCFIGTAEV&qid=1685038365&rnid=2941120011&sprefix=larry+karaszewski,aps,222&ref=sr_nr_n_1 |access-date=May 25, 2023 |website=www.amazon.com |language=en-us}}
Biography
Before they met, Alexander and Karaszewski were both teenage filmmakers. Alexander's Super 8 film work was later featured in a traveling theatrical release spotlighting young directors that also included J. J. Abrams.{{Cite web |last=Longwell |first=Todd |date=November 22, 2011 |title=Gerard Ravel and the Super 8 Festival that Launched J.J. Abrams {{!}} Filmmaker Magazine |url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/34904-gerard-ravel-and-the-super-8-festival-that-launched-j-j-abrams/ |access-date=April 26, 2022 |website=Filmmaker Magazine {{!}} Publication with a focus on independent film, offering articles, links, and resources. |language=en-US}} Karaszewski spent his youth as actor/writer/director on the award-winning student television program Beyond Our Control.{{Cite web |title=Beyond Our Control, Lou Pierce Article, 2001 |url=http://www.beyondourcontrol.org/boc2/pages/bitsandpiecespages/bitsandpieces2001/loupiercearticle.html |access-date=April 26, 2022 |website=www.beyondourcontrol.org}} They first met as freshman roommates at the University of Southern California, graduating from the School of Cinematic Arts in 1985.{{cite web|work=Cinema.usc.edu|title=An Evening with Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski|date=November 2, 2010|url=http://cinema.usc.edu/events/event.cfm?id=11412}}
The duo's first success was the popular, but critically derided, comedy Problem Child. They claimed that their original screenplay was a sophisticated black comedy, but that the studio replaced them and watered it down into an unrecognizable state.{{cite web|url=http://www.money-into-light.com/2012/06/larry-karaszewski-talks-to-paul.html|title=LARRY KARASZEWSKI TALKS TO PAUL ROWLANDS ABOUT 'ED WOOD' |publisher=Money-into-light.com|date=June 30, 2012|access-date=November 5, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 11, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141111122651/https://www.money-into-light.com/2012/06/larry-karaszewski-talks-to-paul.html }} The film proved to be Universal Pictures' most profitable film of 1990.{{Cite web |last=Gajewski |first=Ryan |date=July 26, 2015 |title='Problem Child' Turns 25: Director on John Ritter Ad-Libs, Test Audience Walkouts |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/problem-child-turns-25-director-811146/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} With the studio in a hurry to make a sequel, they returned to write Problem Child 2.{{cite web|title=Problem Child/Problem Child 2 |url=https://outlawvern.com/2021/07/20/problem-child-problem-child-2/ |website=Vern's Reviews On the Film of Cinema|date=July 20, 2021 }}
In 1992, dissatisfied with their careers, Alexander and Karaszewski decided to write a biopic about Edward D. Wood Jr. Rather than mocking him, they identified with the obscure filmmaker and his struggles.{{cite book |last1=Alexander |first1=Scott |title=Ed Wood |date=1995 |publisher=Faber and Faber |location=Great Britain |isbn=0-571-17568-6 |page=vi |edition=First}} Tim Burton loved their script Ed Wood and agreed to direct it. They wrote the screenplay in six weeks.[https://archive.today/20140615152202/http://news.yahoo.com/scott-alexander-larry-karaszewski-talk-making-ed-wood-161800007.html Yahoo.com] The film won two Academy Awards and was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.{{Citation |title=Ed Wood (1994) – Awards – IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109707/awards/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |language=en-US}} They did uncredited rewrites on Burton's next film Mars Attacks!, inventing the Martian language of "Ack Ack Ack".{{Citation |title=DP/30 Sneak Peek: Who Put The "Ack Ack Ack" in Mars Attacks!? | date=December 4, 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwWG5ux9p-U |access-date=2023-11-01 |language=en}}
Ed Wood's acclaim led to a succession of offbeat biopics. They wrote The People vs. Larry Flynt and Man on the Moon (about the short life of comedian Andy Kaufman), both films directed by Miloš Forman. Alexander and Karaszewski won the Best Screenplay Golden Globe for their work on Larry Flynt.{{Citation |title=The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) – Awards – IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117318/awards/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |language=en-US}} The film also won the top award at the 1997 Berlin International Film Festival.{{Cite web |title=Berlin International Film Festival (1997) |url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000091/1997/1/ |access-date=May 27, 2023 |website=IMDb}}
In 2000, they made their directorial debut with Screwed.{{Cite web |title=Larry Karaszewski |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0438989/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}} The hit Bollywood musical De Dana Dan is an unauthorized remake of Screwed.{{Cite web |title=The Norm MacDonald SCREWED Christmas Bollywood Remake Spectacular |url=https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/the-norm-macdonald-screwed-christmas-bollywood-remake-spectacular/ |access-date=May 12, 2023 |website=American Cinematheque |language=en-US}} In 2002, they served as producers on the Paul Schrader film Auto Focus, chronicling the downfall and subsequent murder of Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane.
The duo wrote and produced Tim Burton's 2014 film Big Eyes, a biopic about painter Margaret Keane. They were initially slated to direct, but later dropped out.{{Cite web |last=Seidman |first=Lila |date=December 2, 2014 |title=Want to Make a Biopic About an Iconic Weirdo? Call These Guys – LA Weekly |url=https://www.laweekly.com/want-to-make-a-biopic-about-an-iconic-weirdo-call-these-guys/ |access-date=May 20, 2023 |website=www.laweekly.com |language=en-US}} The film took them eleven years to get made.{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike |title=Hard Road to Oscar |url=https://deadline.com/2015/01/big-eyes-scott-alexander-larry-karaszewski-tim-burton-amy-adams-christoph-waltz-1201341984/ |website=Deadline|date=January 6, 2015 }}
In 2016, Alexander and Karaszewski created their first television series, American Crime Story, a true crime anthology drama. The first season is based on the O. J. Simpson trial.{{cite magazine|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2014/10/07/ryan-murphy-to-tackle-o-j-simpson-case-with-american-crime-story|title=Ryan Murphy to tackle O.J. Simpson case with 'American Crime Story'|first=Esther|last=Zuckerman|date=January 17, 2015}} The show won nine Primetime Emmys after it aired on FX in 2016, with Alexander and Karaszewski nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special. They won the Emmy, Golden Globe, Writers Guild Award, and Producers Guild Award for this miniseries. It was also a ratings juggernaut becoming cable television's most watched new show.{{Cite web |last=Kissell |first=Rick |date=2016-04-12 |title=Ratings: 'The People v. O.J. Simpson' Finishes as Cable's Most-Watched New Show of 2016 |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/ratings-the-people-v-o-j-simpson-cables-most-watched-new-show-1201750237/ |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
In 2019, they wrote the biopic Dolemite Is My Name, Eddie Murphy's return to the big screen, which has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.{{cite web |title="Dolemite Is My Name" |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dolemite_is_my_name |website=Rotten Tomatoes|date=October 4, 2019 }} The film was nominated for Best Picture and Best Actor at the 2020 Golden Globes.{{Citation |title=Dolemite Is My Name (2019) – Awards – IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8526872/awards/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |language=en-US}}
= Other ventures =
Unproduced screenplays include biopics on Howard Hughes (for Miloš Forman to direct),{{cite news|last=McDougal|first=Dennis|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/09/movies/a-movie-story-as-elusive-as-its-main-character.html|title=A Movie Story as Elusive as Its Main Character|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 9, 2005|access-date=September 20, 2023|quote=...yet another Howard Hughes emerged briefly in the person of Edward Norton, the actor, who was briefly teamed with the director Milos Forman and the screenwriting partners Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski ("The People vs. Larry Flynt," "Man on the Moon").}} the Marx Brothers,{{cite news|last=Welkos|first=Robert W.|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-dec-01-ca-39154-story.html|title=Duck Soup for Fans of Marx Brothers|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=December 1, 1999|access-date=June 30, 2023}} Robert Ripley (for Tim Burton to direct),{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/11/29/burton-carrey-may-believe|title=Burton, Carrey May Believe|website=IGN|date=November 29, 2005|access-date=June 30, 2024}} Patty Hearst (for James Mangold to direct){{cite news|last=Lang|first=Brent|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/james-mangold-patty-hearst-logan-1202632246/|title=James Mangold to Direct Patty Hearst Drama, Elle Fanning in Talks (EXCLUSIVE)|magazine=Variety|date=December 6, 2017|access-date=November 12, 2022}} and the Grateful Dead (for Martin Scorsese to direct).{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=November 18, 2021 |title=Jonah Hill To Play Jerry Garcia In Martin Scorsese-Directed Grateful Dead Pic For Apple |url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/jonah-hill-jerry-garcia-martin-scorsese-grateful-dead-pic-apple-1234875832/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} Additionally, they were the first writers of a planned 1996 live action film of the cartoon series The Jetsons, which was shut down during pre-production due to the budget.[https://twitter.com/Scottcantype/status/1418848345079091200]. They also wrote an unproduced draft of Hulk for Jonathan Hensleigh, were hired to write a screenplay based on the Monopoly game for Ridley Scott,{{cite web|url=https://movieweb.com/monopoly-brings-on-writers-scott-alexander-and-larry-karaszewski/|title=Monopoly Brings on Writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski|date=September 6, 2011}} and adapted Nike founder Phil Knight's autobiography Shoe Dog and King of the Jungle about tech maverick John McAfee.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/07/shoe-dog-movie-nike-founder-phil-knight-1202434313/|title=Netflix Options Nike Founder Phil Knight's Memoir 'Shoe Dog' For Movie Treatment|date=July 26, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/zac-efron-comedy-king-of-the-jungle-crazy-stupid-love-directors-madriver-1202777348/|title=Zac Efron To Star In Comedy 'King Of The Jungle' For 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' Directors, MadRiver – AFM|date=November 4, 2019}}
The duo are active cineastes in Los Angeles hosting screenings of classic films for the American Cinematheque.{{Cite web |title=Scott Alexander Presents HORSE FEATHERS & DUCK SOUP |url=https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/scott-alexander-presents-horse-feathers-duck-soup/ |access-date=March 15, 2022 |website=American Cinematheque |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Cinematheque |first=American |date=May 5, 2015 |title=MOVIES ON THE BIG SCREEN: Conversations at the Cinematheque: Mel Brooks for THE PRODUCERS, 3/7/15 |url=http://americancinematheque.blogspot.com/2015/05/conversations-at-cinematheque-mel.html |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=MOVIES ON THE BIG SCREEN}} They are also frequent guests on film related podcasts; among the shows they have appeared on are Maltin on Movies, Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast, The Movies That Made Me, The Pure Cinema Podcast, The Dana Gould Hour, The Marx Brothers Council Podcast, The Big Picture, The Treatment, The Film Scene with Illeana Douglas, The Adam Corolla Show, Post Mortem with Mick Garris, The Cannon with Amy Nicholson and The Empire Film Podcast.{{Cite web |title=Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast |url=http://www.gilbertpodcast.com/ |access-date=June 4, 2022 |website=www.gilbertpodcast.com |language=en-US}} Karaszewski's numerous film commentaries can be found on the website Trailers from Hell.{{Cite web |title=Larry Karaszewski Archives |url=https://trailersfromhell.com/gurus/karaszewski-larry/ |access-date=March 15, 2022 |website=Trailers From Hell |language=en-US}}
In 1999, they both served as advisors to the Sundance Screenwriting Labs.{{Cite web |last=Torres |first=Vanessa |date=May 4, 1999 |title=Pix in mix for Sundance Institute labs |url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/pix-in-mix-for-sundance-institute-labs-1117499974/ |access-date=June 4, 2022 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} Karaszewski served six years as a Governor for the Writers Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and was Vice President of History and Preservation for the academy.{{Cite web |date=September 1, 2014 |title=Board of Governors |url=https://www.oscars.org/about/board-of-governors |access-date=March 15, 2022 |website=Oscars.org {{!}} Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |language=en}} He served on the juries for the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2010,{{Cite web |last=Horowitz |first=Lisa |date=2010-06-17 |title=Charles Burnett, Larry Karaszewski Among LAFF Jurors |url=https://www.thewrap.com/charles-burnett-larry-karaszewski-among-laff-jurors-18480/ |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}} the Independent Spirit Awards in 2011,{{Cite web |title=2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations Announced |url=https://www.filmindependent.org/press-releases/2011-film-independent-spirit-awards-nominations-announced/ |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=Film Independent |language=en-US}} and the Indie Memphis Film Festival in 2022.{{Cite web |title=2022 Festival – Jury |url=https://www.indiememphis.org/imff22-jury |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=Indie Memphis |language=en-US}} He also co-chaired the Oscar's International Executive Committee from 2018 to 2020 and was instrumental in changing the name of the category from Best Foreign Language Film to Best International Feature.{{Cite web |last=Kay2019-11-18T13:00:00+00:00 |first=Jeremy |title=Oscar committee co-chairs explain the international category name change |url=https://www.screendaily.com/features/oscar-committee-co-chairs-explain-the-international-category-name-change/5144729.article |access-date=March 15, 2022 |website=Screen |language=en}} Currently, Karaszewski serves on the board of directors of the National Film Preservation Foundation.{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=April 19, 2021 |title=Netflix's Scott Stuber Joins Board of National Film Preservation Foundation (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/netflixs-scott-stuber-joins-board-of-national-film-preservation-foundation-exclusive-4168695/ |access-date=April 25, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} In 2023, Alexander was elected to his fourth term [https://www.wga.org/the-guild/about-us/officers-board-members on] the board of directors for the Writers Guild of America West.{{Cite web |title=Research Methods for Writers with Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski |url=https://www.wgfoundation.org/events/all/2019/11/14/research-methods-scott-alexander-larry-karaszewski |access-date=March 15, 2022 |website=The Writers Guild Foundation |date=November 14, 2019 |language=en-US}}
In 2007, they were both featured in the documentary Dreams on Spec, a film looking at the Hollywood creative process from the perspective of the writer. Karaszewski appeared on Turner Classic Movies as a guest host with Ben Mankiewicz for a series called Reframed, spotlighting films considered groundbreaking and controversial.{{Cite web |last=Bergeson |first=Samantha |date=2022-11-01 |title='Reframed' Season 2 Trailer: TCM Revisits Legacy of Groundbreaking Queer and Diverse Films |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/reframed-season-2-trailer-tcm-1234777740/ |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=IndieWire |language=en-US}}
= Accolades =
Several actors have won prestigious awards playing characters in films written by Alexander and Karaszewski. Martin Landau won the Oscar, Golden Globe, SAG, National Board of Review, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago Film Critics awards for Ed Wood.{{Citation |title=Ed Wood (1994) – Awards – IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109707/awards/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |language=en-US}} For The People vs. Larry Flynt, Woody Harrelson was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe. Courtney Love was also nominated for a Golden Globe and won the New York Film Critics Circle award{{Citation |title=The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) – Awards – IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117318/awards/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |language=en-US}} Jim Carrey won the Best Actor Golden Globe for Man on the Moon.{{Citation |title=Man on the Moon (1999) – Awards – IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0125664/awards/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |language=en-US}} Amy Adams won the Best Actress Golden Globe for her portrayal of Margaret Keane in Big Eyes.{{Citation |title=Big Eyes (2014) – Awards – IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1126590/awards/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |language=en-US}} Almost the entire cast of The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story won accolades: Sarah Paulson won the Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and Critics Choice awards. Both Sterling K. Brown and Courtney B. Vance won Emmys and Critic Choice awards.{{Citation |title=American Crime Story (TV Series 2016– ) – Awards – IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2788432/awards/ |access-date=May 11, 2023 |language=en-US}}
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles has spotlighted their career with several exhibits including a display of "scene cards" from the third act of The People vs. Larry Flynt and the original Kaypro computer that the team use to write Ed Wood.[https://twitter.com/karaszewski/status/1595552840390389760?s=61&t=S1b0KL60gWCWa2zSvTU9Mg][https://twitter.com/scottcantype/status/1443303027885051904?s=61&t=S1b0KL60gWCWa2zSvTU9Mg] A quote from Karaszewski serves as a motto for the museum: "The Future of Cinema is in your hands."{{Cite web |title=FUTURE OF CINEMA TOTE |url=https://academymuseumstore.org/products/future-of-cinema-tote |access-date=May 11, 2023 |website=Academy Museum Store}}
The WGA magazine "Written By" featured Alexander and Karaszewski on the cover of the January 2015 issue in a painting by artist Drew Friedman.{{Cite web |title=Written By JANUARY 2015 |url=https://bluetoad.com/publication/?i=239550&view=issueViewer&pp=1 |access-date=May 16, 2023 |website=bluetoad.com |language=en-US}} In 2022, they were inducted into the Final Draft Screenwriter Hall of Fame; others include Quentin Tarantino and Robert Towne.{{Cite web |title=Hall of Fame Awards |url=https://www.finaldraft.com/company/hall-fame-awards/ |access-date=March 15, 2022 |website=Final Draft® |language=en-US}} That same year, Film Forum screened a week long retrospective of their biographical films.[https://twitter.com/karaszewski/status/1564719328020246528?s=61&t=S1b0KL60gWCWa2zSvTU9Mg] In 2023, the duo received the Bill Wittliff Award for Screenwriting at the 30th annual Austin Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/05/scott-alexander-larry-karaszewski-to-receive-austin-film-festival-prize-1235382254/|title=Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski Set To Receive Austin Film Festival's Bill Wittliff Award For Screenwriting|date=May 30, 2023}}
Filmography
Film writers
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
Year
! Title ! Director ! Note |
---|
1990
| |
1991
| |
1994
| Ed Wood | Nominated–Saturn Award for Best Writing |
1996
| Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay |
1997
| |
1999
| Miloš Forman | |
2000
| Screwed | Themselves | |
2003
| |
2007
| 1408 | |
2014
| Big Eyes | Tim Burton | Also Producers |
2015
| Story only |
2019
| |
Producers
- Auto Focus (2002)
Television
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
Year
! Title ! Writers ! Executive ! Note |
---|
1993–94
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
2016–present
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Also creators |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0018735|name=Scott Alexander}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0438989|name=Larry Karaszewski}}
{{Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards for Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
| list =
{{GoldenGlobeBestScreenplayMotionPicture 1981–2000}}
{{Satellite Award Best Original Screenplay}}
{{USC Scripter Awards — Television}}
{{Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Long Form – Adapted}}
{{Paul Selvin Award}}
}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Scott, And Larry Karaszewski}}
Category:Film directors from Indiana
Category:Film directors from Los Angeles
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:American male television writers
Category:Television writers from California
Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners
Category:Golden Globe Award–winning producers
Category:Best Screenplay Golden Globe winners
Category:Screenwriters from Indiana
Category:USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni