Writer and Star: Hard Candy

I recently had the unusual chance to “talk to the stars� of Hard Candy: screenwriter Brian Nelson and Ellen Page, a brilliant young actress.

I first found that there is much thought that goes into the writing of a screenplay. Nelson talked about the themes of the movie, the backstory, the history and the future of his characters as though they actually existed. And in one sense they do, in his mind. That is not a slam on his work or his mental state.

A well-developed story is crucial when you write a screenplay, as screen time is limited. The scope of the story is correspondingly limited; the dialogue and plot must say a lot in a compressed timeline. So a lot must be known before you can write the first line. Nelson explained these things to me in the way only a master storyteller can tell them. I was mesmerized. I gleaned these tidbits of insight from a formidable yet humble man who was patient with my greenhorn questions.

I asked: “You’ve written stage plays, teleplays for episodic television, and several screenplays; what makes the writing of a screenplay different, if it is?� (See how green I am?)

“I’ve written a handful of plays,� Nelson replied, “but my formal training is as a director of theatre. Some stories shouldn’t be written as a play. Some ideas should be political cartoons. It’s important to know what should and shouldn’t be a movie. This story needed what director David Slade did so brilliantly: In your face immediacy of film.�

Nelson defers any praise for this movie to Slade. Issues of color, scale, and shot placement are not always the writer’s input. Slade wanted color to be a character in this film. It was.

I also asked, “What is it like to put your work out there and have people like us get it? It must be gratifying. We understand this is what you do, but it must feel good to hit a home run, so to speak.�

“This is a very satisfying time right now,� admitted Nelson. “I’ve been, as a writer, as fortunate as you can be. A project like this can often go awry. But the director, the music and everything about this film came together so well. The right people came into play. I want my work as a writer to be so much more than just my work. That’s why I work in a collaborative field. The final product is greater than the sum of its parts.�

This is a truly humble attitude that I was surprised to hear. I commend Nelson for his graciousness and unselfish promotion of those with whom he collaborates. TV preachers could learn a lot from this sort of self-deprecation. Actually, if Christians would be more willing to give credit where it is due—to Jesus—the world would be a much better place.

I commented to Ellen Page that I’ve always been fascinated about the motivation of the artists in a show. Artists don’t necessarily do a story for the money, I assume. Page agreed. I asked what drew her to this role. “The story astounded me,� she said. “It blew my mind and was unbelievably engrossing. It was completely and utterly refreshing to read a role for a teenager that had such passion and intelligence and honesty. That seldom comes along in a career. I’m grateful that I got to be the one to do it.�

Ellen Page is an extremely intelligent and talented actress. She is the exact opposite of what you may picture as a 16-year-old aspiring actress. Though she admits to having gotten a “career� role in Hard Candy, how many young actors could perform with the passion and energy that Page exhibited as Haylie? But she is not pretentious; she is not a giddy, silly young girl with dreams of stardom. She has the grace and maturity of someone many years older than she is.

Page mentions the support of her parents for her acting career and it is obvious to me as a veteran parent (I now have grandkids) that they have done an excellent job of raising their daughter. When I asked her what she did with herself after this demanding role, she replied that she took some vacation time, finished high school and went back to being teenager. A wise move in this day and age. It’s important to take a break occasionally. Even when you are young, you can begin the burnout process, which soon affects your work and your psyche. She is thoughtfully considering what she will do next.

I may sound like a sycophant, but I’m not. Both Ellen Page and Brian Nelson displayed to me grace, acceptance and tremendous appreciation for the lives they’ve been given. I found that I care about them. But they were equally interested in me. They talked about their work with passion but also with familiarity. They like themselves. What they do is who they are. They are comfortable in their skin. They don’t need to promote themselves. Granted, I have nothing to offer them. But I learned a good lesson. I may never achieve the level of success or professional completion these two will no doubt reach. But all of us are important to God, regardless of our status. Be yourself. You do fit in.