[CINEMORE ACADEMY Vol.2] Screenplay How to make the movie “The Brightest Roof in the Universe”

The key to ``to-gaki'' is to have an image come to mind.

Q: I read the script for ``The Brightest Roof in the Universe,'' and it includes descriptions such as ``There's ◯◯ right in front of you,'' ``A relatively new wood-style living room,'' and ``Steam is rising from the coffee.'' It gives a very detailed impression. I get the feeling that this is something that Fujii-san is very particular about, but is he conscious of writing well (text other than dialogue that explains the situation or the character's actions)?

Fujii: That's exactly right. For example, I recently ran into a scriptwriter who wrote "a certain park" on the board, and I bombarded him with questions, asking where "a certain park" was and what kind of park it was ( lol).

Many people, including the staff, rely on words to visualize the world, so it's important to write in as much detail as possible. Some screenwriters say, ``I don't have any particular image in mind, so I'll just write the lines.'' When I write my own scripts, I try to write as much as possible so that the images come to mind.

I personally don't draw any storyboards, so that's why I try to write down everything that remains in writing in detail so that I can share it with the staff as much as possible. I think people who can draw storyboards should do so, but when I draw it, it always ends up being a bird's-eye view.

When I draw a picture and say, ``This is what I want it to look like,'' that becomes my goal. When I'm working on a commercial, I have to draw a storyboard, but when I do, it ends up being a bird's-eye view, and I end up saying, ``This has nothing to do with the storyboard at all'' (lol). If that's the case, I don't have to write it.

Part of the script for “The Brightest Roof in the Universe”

Q: (laughs). It's the perfect style to take advantage of Fujii's creativity. I'd like to ask you about situations where the scriptwriter and director are different, but I've always wondered what you do when you're on set and say, ``I want to fix it, I want to change it.''

Fujii: It really depends on the scriptwriter, and some people say you can't change every word. However, I believe that the workplace is all about collective strength. Actors say things like, ``Director, I don't think this line is right. I can't say this here,'' and things like that often come up on set. At that time, I thought it was a little different to say, ``I can't change it because the scriptwriter says so.''

What the screenwriter writes is a ``white book,'' which serves as the base. After that, for example, I went on location hunting and the location changed, or the setting changed a bit, or I came up with ideas for costume matching, and I want to include them... In most cases, I have to take requests from staff and other staff members and add them to the white paper.

Q: I wonder if there aren't that many screenwriters on set? That's what I thought, so the explanation you just gave made sense.

Fujii: This time, having Hiroko in the position of co-screenwriter was also a big help. I write quite rhythmically, so there are some odd endings and expressions, but I correct them by writing each letter in red. Only once did I become hysterical, saying, "Stop being in the red...!" (laughs)

Maeda: No, but I did the same thing with director Shunji Iwai, Quentin Tarantino, and Wong Kar-wai (lol). Writing is hard work after all, and I respect it, so I think this is clearly different. I used red text to say things like this, and blue text to say "Maybe this is better."

However, Mr. Fujii is very adaptable, and he has a tendency to make a difference when he hits, and he is also very quick to return with surprising results. I had an image of Michito Fujii as a ``naughty boy,'' but he was surprisingly feminine, and it was interesting to discover him. That exchange was very interesting to me.

Speaking of red, up until now I was using Word to add red, but Mr. Fujii told me, ``There's a software specifically for writing screenplays.'' So when I wrote it, my motivation was completely different.

Fujii: The scriptwriting software O's Editor is easy to write, and I've been using it since my university days.

Maeda: But I realized later that this software doesn't allow you to enter red numbers (lol). ``I told you to keep me from putting in the red...'' I thought he was a convinced criminal.

Fujii: (laughs).

Maeda: However, once I started writing with that software, it definitely progressed. I thought it was amazing that he knew how to use various tools. There were many things that I could learn from you.

Also, Mr. Fujii keeps to his deadlines. No other director has ever done this before. In fact, it may seem obvious, but it's still amazing. He sends it out about a day before the due date, so he's a very thorough person.

Fujii: Because it's work. Lately I've become a little more tolerant, but I still really dislike people who are late or who miss their deadlines. If someone says, "I want you to come at this time," and I have to wait patiently, I get impatient and say, "What are you waiting for?"

Maeda: I'm never late. That's also rare. There are a lot of people I've worked with where it's normal for them to be late, and I wonder how they would have a social life if they weren't the director.

Fujii: One of the reasons I think directors shouldn't be late is because I think they have the right to speak. You don't want people to think, ``Honestly, I don't want to hear what the person who is late has to say.'' After all, it's difficult to direct if you're behind the scenes from the beginning. That's why, while strictly adhering to the rules, I am conscious of ``taking the obvious for granted.''

The happy relationship with the original author that supported the adaptation