The brothers have written, directed and produced at least 30 films together from the 1980s to the present day. The Coen Brothers are another widely successful filmmaking team. When asked for his advice for aspiring screenwriters, Tarantino said – “don’t write what you think people want to read, find your own voice and write what’s in your heart”. Only when he has the characters fleshed out does he focus on the main story. Tarantino begins a new project by writing hundreds of pages by hand. As a result, many of his films are entirely quotable, gaining him a cult following. What makes him original is how he writes film dialogue. Quentin Tarantino is known as one of the best screenwriters of all time. Because of this, the cinema audience would always know when they were watching an Ephron film. What stands out about Ephron is that she had a very distinctive voice. As a result, many of Ephron’s films feature her real-life experiences.Įphron was a master of her genre and would direct many of her later films. She started her career as a journalist before becoming a screenwriter. Nora Ephron is known for her romantic comedy screenplays in the 1980s-1990s.

When asked for this advice for aspiring screenwriters, Wilder famously said to – “grab the audience by the throat and never let them go”. What makes Wilder unique is that his scripts have a huge range from comedy to film noir. During this time, Wilder won five Oscars and three for best screenwriter. As a result, he has inspired some of the greatest film directors in modern filmmaking.īilly Wilder was one of the best screenwriters of all time, with a career lasting five decades from the 1930s to the 1980s. The BBC at the time called him – the greatest filmmaker who ever lived.īurgman is known for exploring unique themes in his films and taking risks. He worked throughout the 1940s-1980s and wrote over 60 films, 170 plays and 100 books. Ingmar Burgman was a highly successful Swedish screenwriter and director.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943).

They are also known for playing a big part in defining British 20th-century cinema. During their career, the team won a total of five academy awards. Powell and Pressburger made some of the highest praised films of the 20th century.

In addition, all of their screenplays were original, making them one of the best screenwriters of all time. Also known as The Archers, they worked on 24 films sharing writer, director and producer credits. Powell and Pressburger was a filmmaking team in the 1930s-1970s. Interestingly, Brackett’s last screenplay was the first draft of George Lucas’s Star Wars Sequel. She described screenwriting as a team effort and often worked with writer’s groups. Together they worked on the screenplay for The Big Sleep (1946).īrackett would go on to have a successful career in Hollywood. Known as the Queen of Space Opera, director Howard Hawks introduced her to screenwriting after reading her novels. Leigh Brackett was a science fiction writer and screenwriter from the 1940s to the 1980s. Whilst there, she helped define the screenwriting format and the role of a Hollywood screenwriter. Marion spent the majority of her career working for MGM. Notably, in the 1920s, Marion worked closely with actor Mary Pickford as her exclusive screenwriter. From 1915 to the 1930s, she wrote over 300 films and helped create Hollywood’s Golden Age. Frances Marionįrances Marion was one of the most influential screenwriters of the 20th century. Without further ado, here is our list of best screenwriters of all time! 1. Either way, they have all left their mark on cinema. Some screenwriters are known for writing original stories, others for their way with words. These are all famous screenwriters who have helped develop and create some of the cinema’s most loved movies. Although it is hard to list who is the best in any art, you will find some great screenwriters below. So, who are the best screenwriters of all time? If you want to be a screenwriter, it makes sense to study the work of the best in showbusiness.

Famous screenwriter