Any good "how to make a documentary" guidebook would tell you to hire a qualified DP and sound mixer to get the best quality picture and sound. But we didn't have money—we just had each other.

Knowing that even A-list authors have “my dog ate my homework” moments can be reassuring, and ironically that reassurance can help the rest of us unleash our creativity.

"I'm not interested in people’s pain; I'm interested in their salvation. I'm not interested in their isolation; I'm interested in their catharsis." - Stephen Chbosky

"... the country right now is so fucking political and divided that the only safety you have is if you feel that the art is regurgitating your own opinions and political beliefs back at you. I find that incredibly boring."

I think all artists are inherently invisible problem solvers. We see an empty space in the world and want to fill it with our ideas, our images, and our stories.

As indie creators, we have neither the past notoriety, the platform, or the money to rely on classic marketing styles, so we have to get more creative.

When the lights go down in the theater, I’m always hopeful that a sequel will rise to the challenge of making more out of its task than just being a quick money-grab.

Other people told me my script was good, so you should like it, too.” This is honestly one of the most naïve notions I’ve ever heard.

I have always sought to understand as many points of view as possible. I want to make these worlds accessible through empathy. To make them entertaining by surprising audiences and subverting expectations.

I’ll say it again because it’s worth repeating—put as many lightning rods in the ground as you can.

I was so focused on selling and too green to know myself that I ended up losing myself in the process.

A professor told me there is a reason why we call this a screenplay, because you are supposed to play on the screen. As a screenwriter we are supposed to play on the page.

There’s an energy to riffing off other writers and navigating a narrative together that has the potential to produce something great.

The only way I've found happiness in this crazy business is to build a solid friend circle of people who genuinely want to see me succeed and vice versa.

John Bucher continues the discussion on story’s past, present, and future with Robert McKee.