Savannah Film Festival

Writer Jim Taylor onstage at 'Downsizing' Q&A during 20th Anniversary SCAD Savannah Film Festival on November 2, 2017 in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for SCAD)

Oscar Winning writer/producer Jim Taylor attended the 20^th annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival. Taylor has written scripts such as 'Election' (1999), 'About Schmidt' (2002), 'Sideways' (2004), for which he won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, and most recently 'Downsizing' (2017). He has produced such films as 'Cedar Rapids' (2011) and 'The Descendants' (2011).

Taylor's latest film 'Downsizing' is an original work that tackles the titular social issue in a satirical way. The film recently screened at the 20^th annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival.

In a brief interview with Jim, here is what he had to say:

You've written multiple scripts for film auteur Alexander Payne. Can you speak about your latest project with him, 'Downsizing'?

JIM: It's been a very long gestation, this particular movie, because my brother had an idea when he was thinking about Downsizing and he talked to me about it because he was obsessed with it. I thought it would make an interesting movie so I spoke with Alexander and that was about twelve years ago. We started writing but the story would go in a million different directions. It's also an expensive movie with a lot of visual effects which Alexander hadn't done before. So it took a long time to come together. In the meantime, I had a kid and Alexander made a couple of other movies and finally we got this done.

You've written a number of Alexander's scripts like 'Sideways' and 'About Schmidt'. What has been your best experience working with Alexander?

JIM: He makes really good pasta. No, I mean it's nice. I think it's a vague answer but the fact that it's been such a long relationship and friendship and developed into the depth that it is.

Do you find it easier to adapt scripts from books or to write original scripts?

JIM: Much easier to adapt from a novel. Even if you're throwing everything out at least you have something you're pushing against and you're going, “I don't like that it should be this way.” If it's original, it's organic and grows. When it's original it's a much tougher time.  

Interview by Vanessa McMahon