What's it like to pen a screenplay for one of the greatest directors of modern times from one of the most loved books of recent years? Very carefully, says screenwriter David Magee about his experience crafting the screenplay for
Life of Pi.
The story, an epic in itself, is based on the book of the same name by Yann Martel. It's told from the prospective of an older man who chronicles his life of being shipwrecked in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger.
"I first read Life of Pi back on the set of Finding Neverland," says Magee. "And I went to the director and said, 'Hey, there's a great book I just read, you aught to give it a try, and he said, 'Is it a film?' and I said, "No, I don't think so. It's too hard to do."
Little did Magee know he'd be the one writing said film with famed director Ang Lee at the helm. Lee made his mark with the 1995 period film Sense and Sensibility. It received seven Academy Award nominations. He followed with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Brokeback Mountain, among others.
He is without a doubt an A-list director. So, what's it like to work with him?
ScreenwritingU sat down with Magee to hear about this extraordinary experience.
Hear Magee's thoughts on working with Ang Lee here.
