Stephen H. Mazur & Paul Guay
Interviewed by Robert J. Elisberg

 

Screenwriters Stephen H. Mazur (left) and Paul Guay have co-written the screenplays for such comedies as "Liar, Liar" and "The Little Rascals."

Were there any movies, TV shows or books that first got you interested in writing?

SHM: As a typical fat kid in America, I was addicted to TV: "Saturday Night Live;" "SCTV;" "Your Show of Shows;" "Sgt. Bilko;" "Get Smart." I also got hooked on improv comedy, which I think is a great tool for writers.

PG: Too many to list. Let me begin with some fantasy writers: L. Frank Baum (the Oz books), Eleanor Cameron (the Mushroom Planet books), Edward Eager, C.S. Lewis (especially the Chronicles of Narnia) and E. Nesbit.

Let me continue with some science-fiction writers: Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Harlan Ellison, Robert A. Heinlein, Spider Robinson, Rod Serling and John Wyndham.

Not to mention some non-fantasy, non-science-fiction writers: Edward Albee, Woody Allen, William Goldman, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Stephen King, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Ayn Rand and Paul Simon.

Some other heroes who populated my childhood and adolescence and opened up the world of imagination to me: Kwai Chang Caine from "Kung Fu," Harold Chasen and Countess Mathilda Chardin from "Harold and Maude," the Frankenstein Monster from Mary Shelley and Boris Karloff and James Whale and Jack P. Pierce and four or so screenwriters and a great costumer, Hercules, professional wrestlers Rocky Johnson and Peter Maivia and Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens, actor Boris Karloff (again), Mr. Spock from "Star Trek," Superman and the Three Stooges.

And I haven't even mentioned the greatest film I've ever seen, "2001: A Space Odyssey." ("Harold and Maude" and "The Wizard of Oz" are second and third, of course, with "Phantom of the Paradise" coming in fourth.)

When you write, how do you generally work?

PG: I find putting one word after another useful, though, as Monty Python pointed out, it also helps to get them in the proper order.

SHM: I always write with a partner (hereinafter "The Talented One"), which has forced me to be disciplined and business-like.

Do you have any specific kind of music playing or prefer silence?

SHM: Music is always on -- to drown out the horrifying silence.

PG: Used to think I could write only to the sounds of silence. Now I listen to all my CDs and albums (in separate rotations, in alphabetical order by artist, of course, limit one artist per day; if you're gonna be anal, do it right). This means a lot of Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Rolling Stones, Elton John, and 'Seasons in the Sun.'

Are you a good procrastinator?

PG: I hate to brag, but there aren't many better. One of the benefits of having a partner is that it removes the temptation to procrastinate.

What sort of characters and stories interest you?

SHM: Whether by chance or subconscious design, almost everything we work on is about common men in extraordinary circumstances, forced to overcome fear to pursue their dreams (how's that for Hollywood-drivel?).

PG: Castable ones. Is that commercial enough for you?

I don't know. Normal characters in extreme circumstances, I guess, followed perhaps by extreme characters in normal circumstances. That's as a writer; as a viewer, I couldn't ask for anything more than Cameron Crowe gave us with "Jerry Maguire." Those closely observed small moments of behavior were priceless. I'd love to bring them to my screenplays. I'd love them to survive once I brought them there.

To a large extent, "What if?" stories interest me. I've always loved horror, fantasy and science fiction, so asking "What if...?" leads to stories I find fun to write.

How do you work through parts of a script where you hit a roadblock in the story?

PG: I turn to my partner and scream "Help!"

Writing for me is elation and depression. Part of the depression comes when I think there's no way to solve a particular problem. Part of the elation comes when I hit upon a solution. More of the depression comes when I see it doesn't work.

SHM: Our goal is to always move forward; if we come to a difficult scene or sequence, we just slog through (rather than wait for divine intervention). At a minimum, it gives you something on paper that you can wave at your agent to prove you're working.

What is your best experience as a writer?

SHM: "Liar, Liar" was great because we had a good relationship with the producers and it was always advancing. Although we sold it on a pitch, there was never a time I felt it might stall-out. "The Little Rascals" was also great; the work was fast and fun.

PG: As a poet, writing a poem that my high-school creative-writing teacher thought was publishable was a real high. Subsequently getting a poem published (a different one) was another. Rewriting a poem until I think it's actually good is a third. A couple of times, I've felt that I've written beyond my abilities, which is wonderful.

As a lyricist, hearing one of my lyrics (one that I'm particularly proud of) set to music and sung was a great experience.

As a short-story writer, I think my best experience lies in the future.

As a writer of comedy sketches, the writing itself is intensely pleasurable to me. So is showing the sketches to Marcus Cootsona and Craig Lachman, my writing/performing partners in 'Moose,' and making them laugh. So is performing them on tape. Occasionally, so is hearing them.

As a playwright, I've had a number of positive experiences: writing "The Battle of the Monsters" when I was nine, directing it, producing it, playing the lead role. Writing "End of the Line for Frankenstein" when I was 20, producing it, playing the lead role. Writing two particular one-acts, as yet unproduced, that I think are probably the best things I've written in any medium and that I hope will make powerful theatre.

As a radio playwright, hearing my play "Grandma" for the first time when it was broadcast on KSPC-FM.

As a writer of teleplays, co-writing a good spec for "The Wonder Years" and, if I do say so myself, a hilarious spec for "Married... With Children."

As a screenwriter, completing my first solo screenplay, 'Central Park'; writing 'The Last Laugh,' a sketch comedy, with Marcus Cootsona and Craig Lachman; writing 'Take Two,' my first screenplay with Stephen Mazur and still the best thing we've ever done; hearing the kids auditioning for 'The Little Rascals' read lines I'd co-written; seeing a meant-to-be-moving moment in an early version of 'The Little Rascals' and actually being moved by it (it was subsequently cut from the film); and most recently, writing 'First Thirst,' a horror comedy, with Marcus Cootsona.

Was there any particular writer who acted as a sort of mentor to you?

PG: Not per se. My first creative-writing teacher, Robert W.F. Jones, was immensely helpful because he took me seriously enough to read everything I wrote. Much later, Danny Simon taught me that comedy isn't just jokes -- that it has all the requirements that drama has, plus it has to be funny. Brent Maddock and Steve Wilson took Steve Mazur and me under their wing(s?) near the beginning of our career, which was cool. To whatever small extent I'm not a complete coward every time a suit tries to "improve" my work, the example of Harlan Ellison deserves the blame. Probably the best warning I've encountered was William Goldman's -- if you're just a screenwriter, it can kill your soul. He wrote great novels "on the side"; I write mostly unpublished poems.

SHM: Brent Maddock and Steve Wilson (Short Circuit; Tremors) have helped us the most; they taught us a great deal about rewriting and the practical side of the business. Also, a long time ago, Evans and Gideon (Stand By Me; Jungle 2 Jungle) gave us some positive feedback at a time we really needed it.

Why do you write?

SHM: I hate to admit this, and I realize I'm probably violating some kind of WGA bylaw, but I actually like the process. Sorry.

PG: Because all of the great stories and all of the wonderful heroes I encountered as a child and as a teenager were created by writers. I loved writers for what they had given me; I wanted to be one; and I wanted to create things, to bring joy, as they had. Also, I think most people waste their lives; good writers, it seems to me, don't waste theirs. What they do matters, and sometimes even lasts.

Robert J. Elisberg is a screenwriter, songwriter and has co-authored a book on world travel. He has also written for such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles magazine, and the Los Angeles Daily News, as well as many articles about computers for C|NET, CD-ROM Today, Yahoo! Internet Life, E! Online and others. As a film publicist, his credits have included such movies as "Naked Gun 2-1/2," "The Naked Gun 33-1/3," "Salvador" and "Pet Semetary," and he's written advertising and marketing material for "The Talented Mr. Ripley," "Runaway Bride," "The Truman Show," "In and Out" and many others. A member of the Writers Guild of America, he is a contributing editor of the WGA Website editorial board.

Copyright 1999-2000, Robert J. Elisberg. All rights reserved. 

To read Robert's other E-mail Interviews, click to: Craft of Writing.

This interview originally appeared at the WGA website.  Reprinted with permission.

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