Ex-Disney executive’s book bridges cultural gap

Collaborative Screenwriting and Story Development: A Global Guide for Writers, Story Teams, and Creative Executives, rises above dozens of more run-of-the-mill screenwriting guides by teaching existing and aspiring filmmakers how to bridge cultural divides, most notably between the narrative traditions of China and Hollywood.

“In a world that lurches from one war to another, where nuclear arsenals are being rebuilt and the destruction of humanity is a contingency plan, stories and films are among the few things that can bring us back to sanity,” Handler says.

Handler explains that they do that in the humblest way “by reminding us that we are all human and that life is precious … Our differences are small, and our common humanity is infinite”.

In his book, he imparts invaluable insights into the collaborative nature of modern storytelling. He articulates a vision of global cooperation, stating, “The world needs international cooperation.”

He says: “We need to learn from each other, understand each other, and develop effective ways to work together.”

When author and screenwriter Handler first embarked on this book, he was an executive producer at Disney, China, where he spearheaded international co-productions and facilitated learning exchanges to bring Chinese media professionals to Disney in Los Angeles to learn from the top filmmakers in the entertainment industry.

Broadening perspectives

“As the Chinese groups learned from their American counterparts, they adapted the things they did like to their own style. This broadened their perspectives and gave them new tools to work with on their stories,” Handler recounts.

That gave participating Chinese writers, filmmakers and entertainment executives “the best of both worlds,” he says.

“I realized that we Americans could learn from that approach too; in fact, all the international writing groups could learn from each other. Imagine new cultural ideas pinging in all directions, inspiring us, and making our writing more daring and inventive,” he enthuses.

Handler says he appreciates the mutual learning between Chinese and US groups, emphasizing that such exchanges “broadened their perspectives and gave them new tools to work with on their stories.”

Throughout the book, Handler meticulously dismantles the Hollywood-centric view of screenwriting, presenting a more inclusive perspective that values stories and storytelling techniques from diverse cultures. This approach not only broadens the writer’s toolkit but also fosters a deeper appreciation for unique cultural differences and storytellers from around the world.