4 C olumbia U niversity RECORD November 30, 2001 Acclaimed Screenwriter Nora Ephron Offers Insights to School of the Arts Students Her entry into the film world said. Ephron also shared that BY KRISTIN STERLING came as surprise to Ephron. Hanks has to have the last "The last thing in the world I word. "But he’s not an egoma- Nora Ephron’s introduction wanted to be was a screen- niac," she quickly clarified, to screenwriting came in the writer. I had no interest in the "he is unbelievably collabora- 1970s when she was dating movie business," the New tive." Carl Bernstein. Bernstein, Yorker told a crowded room in In addition to offering tips along with Washington Post Dodge Hall, joking that her and insights, Ephron talked colleague Bob Woodward, parents were screenwriters. "I about the role of women in the broke the Watergate story. always wanted to be a journal- industry. According to The two then served as the ist." Ephron, conditions are main characters of the film Her first job was with the improving, but are still not "All the President’s Men." New York Post in the 1960s. ideal. What drives the econo- Parts of William Goldman’s During that time she learned my of Hollywood is the third original screenplay caused one of the fundamental princi- world and young males. concern for the real life jour- ples of screenwriting—the "It is hard for people like me nalists, and Bernstein, along three-act structure—when the who make intellectual, word- with Ephron, "fiddled with it." beginning, middle and end driven films with strong Ephron recounted her role at should respectively start and female characters," said the typewriter, capturing their stop. After a few years, she Ephron. She feels that things changes and retyping the made the transition from are starting to change now that many sections that they newspaper to magazine, writ- women like Julia Roberts and retained. By the time they fin- ing a column for Esquire. Her Meg Ryan can open movies ished revising, Ephron had collections of columns were with big box office draws learned the skills behind the later converted into books. rivaling big male names. art of screenwriting. The film Ephron was open and frank Ephron explained that stu- went on to win several Acade- in her discussion. She did not dios are often reluctant to my Awards, including one for focus on the glamour of the make films about women, the best screenplay. film industry; instead she area of writing she enjoys the The roots of her career were shared her struggles. As with most. With "Silkwood," for one of the topics Nora Ephron, all screenwriters, several of example, the first movie that acclaimed screenwriter, pro- her pieces never saw produc- Screenwriter, producer and director Nora Ehpron Ephron produced, the studio ducer and director of hit tion, and one that she could was not originally interested movies such as "When Harry not sell as a movie was turned screenplay, are often "really the line]," said Ephron. in the film. According to Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seat- into a TV show that was so bad." Her advice? Don’t listen In her laid-back, conversa- Ephron, when Meryl Streep tle," "You’ve Got Mail," and bad, Ephron said she nearly to a note from someone who tional style, Ephron also took an interest in the film so "Michael," discussed with a passed-out when she saw it. doesn’t like your script—if he shared stories about the films, did the studio—fearing that if group of Columbia School of "Writing the script is only doesn’t get it, he can’t fix it. actors and directors that she they did not make it Streep the Arts students on Nov. 8. one facet of the process. Get- Although it is not easy to has been involved with over would go to a competitor to During the course of the ting a director and producer is arrange, Ephron recommends the years. One of the things make the movie and win an evening, the three-time Acad- a whole different act," said working with a director early she has discovered is that if Oscar. emy Award nominee also Ephron. In highlighting the in the process. you want to have really good With such an impressive offered tips on screenwriting challenges of writing for a stu- She also suggested getting actors in your movies, even for list of hit films under her belt, and directing and discussed dio rather than a director, she the director involved in the the small roles, every charac- what does the future hold for the role of women in Holly- explained that studio notes, rewriting process, as it is a ter should have "a little Ephron? Although she was wood. recommended changes to the way to increase his/her inter- moment," a good line. Doing not able to offer many details, est in the film. She cautioned, so, she said, improves the she told the group that she has however, that if the director main actors’ lines and helps written a play that is set to be Small, Graff Zivin Capture offers bad ideas that make the attract them to the role. produced, with Jack O’Brien script worse, "it puts you in an One of the people Ephron directing. She also has two Agricultural Economics Awards awful position, and leads you has learned from is Tom scripts pending with Colum- to think, why not direct?" Hanks, who taught her some bia Pictures, one about a New from access rights to biological Ephron also talked about basic "rules" of writing. For York journalist and the other BY JAMES DEVITT resources could support conser- working with and learning instance, if Hanks is in a is a bird-watching film, fea- vation efforts under certain sce- from actors. With a few scene, there better be a reason. turing the red-tail hawks that Arthur Small, of Colum- narios. notable exceptions, actors are "He’s the engine in the have been nesting in a build- bia’s School of International The AAEA also awarded not the enemy. "If they are scene. The audience wants ing on 74th Street and 5th and Public Affairs (SIPA) and Mailman School of Public having trouble with a line, that. If he’s the hero, make Avenue in Manhattan for the Earth Institute, received the Health Professor Joshua Graff there may be a problem [with him heroic in some way," she last several years. Quality of Research Discov- Zivin the prize for Outstanding ery award from the American Journal Article: American Jour- Agricultural Economics Asso- nal of Agricultural Economics. ciation (AAEA). His research, "Insect Population Dynamics, Pesticide Use and Service of Prayer and Remembrance Honors CU Farmworker Health," appeared in the American Journal of Graduates and Friends Lost in Sept. 11 Attacks Agricultural Economics. It was The campus community Poetry and Song Emsemble, co-authored with David Sund- commemorate today." honored 107 victims of the Columbia Drum Jammers, ing of the University of Califor- Following his talk, Rupp terrorist attacks – 41 alumni the University Gospel Choir, nia, Berkeley. read the names of each of as well as relatives and Jubilation!, a choir, and oth- the 107 victims as those in friends of current faculty, ers. attendance were asked to staff, students and alumni – Many relatives, friends stand in tribute. in a service of prayer and and professors of the 41 Chaplain Jewelnel Davis, remembrance held on Nov. alumni lost in the attacks in the closing benediction, 15. attended the service, which said: “Our cherished memo- Seeking to comfort those was organized by the Office ries are sacred and will be a Arthur Small grieving the loss of loved of the University Chaplain present and eternal source of His award was for an article ones and to honor the contri- through the Office of the comfort; an unshakeable in the Journal of Political Econ- butions of those who were President. foundation of strength. omy, "Valuing Research Leads: lost, the service reflected President George Rupp Nothing can separate us Bioprospecting and the Conser- both secular and religious reminded the gathering that from the love and friend- vation of Genetic Resources," traditions. one of Columbia’s strengths ships that have blessed our co-authored with University of Held at noon in the Roone is the diversity of a commu- lives.” California, Berkeley professor Joshua Graff Zivin Arledge Auditorium of nity "from every ethnic and Davis continued, “The Gordon Rausser. Alfred Lerner Hall, the bells religious tradition and from ties that bind our hearts and of St. Paul’s Chapel were nations around the globe." Small and Rausser’s research Graff Zivin and Sunding ana- our souls will always abide. tolled as the service began. "We must therefore con- shows circumstances in which lyzed the impact of regulations There is immorality for Prayers and readings were tinue to reach out across market-based financial incen- designed to reduce pesticide those that we have loved. offered by a variety of repre- lines that mark unbridgeable tives encourage the conserva- poisoning of farmers and farm They will always enliven, sentatives from campus cler- divisions in much of the tion of biodiversity. Studying laborers. The researchers con- always encourage and gy and student religious world," Rupp stated. "Only the process of biodiversity cluded these controls, which always empower our lives." groups, along with perfor- by reaching out to each other prospecting—the search for impose a time interval between mances by the Columbia can we honor those whom we —Suzanne Trimel valuable compounds from wild pesticide application and har- organisms—Small and Rausser vest, achieved their aims under demonstrate that the financing only certain conditions.