The Playwright as Screenwriter

Upon first glance writing for the stage and writing for the screen can seem very similar. The author of the work is writing characters, having them express emotion and putting them into situations of conflict.

On a stage, characters can be more verbose, carrying on long monologues and soliloquies. In a film, the performances are more understated. A movie tells a story visually through a use of montage and mise en scene.

Some writers have made the transition from theatre (with the R-E) to the theater that contains the big screen. Some have gone from writing plays to screenplays (and vise versa), maybe directing film...