Andrew Lanham

Who: L.A.-transplant born in Maine; wrote the award-winning screenplay The Jumper of Maine (2010); co-wrote Destin Daniel Cretton’s upcoming The Glass Castle based on Jeannette Walls’ memoir

How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?

My career definitely started in my acceptance to the wonderful graduate program in the RTF department at the University of Texas at Austin. In their program I was given the space and freedom to develop as a writer. I firmly believe the rest of my successes would not have happened without this.

What would be your advice to aspiring screenwriters?

Never stop writing. Never stop revising. Never forget that you’re only writing in order to revise. Always be open and receptive to all notes, no matter what they are (especially the ones that hurt the most).

What’s the hardest scene or project you’ve ever had to write?

Every project comes with its own unique set of challenges—that’s half the fun. There’s a point in the development process of every script where it feels like it is the hardest project I’ve ever worked on. I just have to push myself to keep working until I’ve broken through the wall I think I’ve hit.

What are you working on right now?

Adaptations of The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen. Also an original Western called The Kid.

Directory:

1. Annie Silverstein 2. Jared Frieder 3. Mike Covino and Sam Kretchmar 4.Troy Anthony Miller 5. Kieran Fitzgerald 6. Ya’ke Smith 7. Brian Klugman 8. Nina Ljeti 9. Kevin Hamedani 10. Eric Haywood 11. Andrew Lanham 12. Julie Howe 13. Tess Morris 14. Matt Cook 15. Monica Zanetti 16. VJ Boyd 17. Edward Ricourt 18. David Broyles 19. Sasha Gordon 20. Eric Hueber 21. Faraday Okoro 22. Arturo Ruiz Serrano 23. Maya Perez 24. Max Taxe 25. Negin Farsad