A Storyteller's Journey: Terry Rossio

Profession: Writer/Producer

Credits: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Déjà Vu, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, The Legend of Zorro, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Treasure Planet, Shrek, The Road to El Dorado, The Mask of Zorro, Small Soldiers, Godzilla, Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair, The Puppet Masters, Aladdin, Little Monsters

Bio: Terry Rossio, working with his partner, Ted Elliott, co-wrote the number one film of the year for 1992, the animated feature Aladdin. They followed up with hits in both live action and animation with the films Mask of Zorro and Shrek. The pair co-wrote the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, with the second installment, Dead Man's Chest holding the spot of number one film for 2006.

1) What were you doing before you "made it"?

Before we had success in the film business, I was doing pretty much what I'm doing now -- worried about having success in the film business. As for employment, I worked as a machined parts inspector and a producer making corporate image videos.

2) What was your "big break" and how did you get it?

Producer Michael Engelberg, working at Disney, plucked our Little Monsters screenplay out of a slushpile and hired us to do a rewrite on the project Princess of Mars. The studio liked that screenplay, which led to an overall deal, and that led to us having the chance to pitch for the Aladdin job.

3) How does your career today stand up to your previous expectations?

I was hoping to some day, one day, see my name on the bottom of just one movie poster. As of today, I think we've worked on perhaps twenty films that have been produced.

4) What do you find most rewarding about your profession?

Every film starts off in a little room with just a few people. Whether they're hits or they're misses, it's always the same, just a few people are at the center of what can turn out to be a giant stone splashing into the middle of pop culture, with ripples headed out all over the world. That's pretty fun, to see something go from 2 people to, say, 3 billion.

5) What are the pitfalls of your profession and how do you deal with them?

The screenwriter cannot control the content of a movie from the screenplay, not even by providing, and then arguing for, the best ideas. There will always be willful mistakes included in every movie. The only way to deal with it is to have the courage to walk away if so many mistakes being made, the movie becomes doomed.

6) What is your personal philosophy, method, or style toward your profession?

In screenwriting, it is easier to bore the audience than to challenge them, which makes complexity a benefit. For some reason this is not well understood in our industry. A complex story, as long as it makes sense, is interesting, and rare, and compelling, and nearly always successful.

7) What advice would you give to someone trying to "break in" to your profession?

Don't wait for permission to make a film. Figure out a way to give yourself permission.

About "A Storyteller's Journey" Series

There are many trails you can choose when you're determined to scale a mountain, but as long as you keep climbing, they will all reach the top.

"A Storyteller's Journey" maps the paths others have taken before you. Writers and filmmakers tell you in their own words what they were doing before their ascent, the obstacles they faced along the way, and what they discovered at the summit of their ambitions.

I hope their insights and experiences will educate, motivate, and inspire you with your own goals. Whether you follow their footsteps or forge your own way, just remember that no rules for success will work if you don't.