Line Langebek spoke with Rory Gleeson, assistant professor in creative writing at Northeastern University in London, to offer some pointers to students on how to make it in the film industry.
LONDON — Northeastern students hoping to break into the film industry need to “watch stuff,” according to Line Langebek, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter who shared her tips during an appearance on the university’s London campus.
In an interview with Rory Gleeson, an assistant professor in creative writing, Langebek urged aspiring scriptwriters to immerse themselves in the world of film and television, both past and present, to get a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t work.
The co-writer of “The Girl With The Needle” highlighted that her conversations with top people in the industry often center around the latest movie or episode they have watched, so those wanting to impress directors and producers need to have a solid grounding in the artform.
“It is about getting up to speed in the same way that if you are an author, you will want to read books — I think the same thing goes for film,” she said.
“You can’t go into meetings [with directors] thinking you can survive on a flip. Watch stuff and learn from it. Watch bad stuff, watch great stuff. Watch stuff everyone says is great but that you hate and think about why you hate it. You will begin to figure that stuff out,” she added.
“The Girl With the Needle” was put forward as Denmark’s submission to the 97th Academy Awards and made the five-movie shortlist in the “International Feature Film” category. Langebek, who is based in the U.K., will find out whether she is an Oscar winner at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday.
The Dane co-wrote the critically acclaimed film about a clandestine adoption agency disguised as a candy shop in Copenhagen with director Magnus von Horn. While the film, which has English subtitles, is told in almost a fairytale form, the storyline is loosely based on true events from 1919.
In her discussion with Gleeson, Langebek, who was nominated for the European screenwriter of the year prize at the European Film Awards in 2024, shared the story behind how the idea for the film was formed and the process for getting it made.
The screenwriter and scriptwriting consultant also imparted some advice for those enrolled in the university’s online master’s program in Contemporary Creative Writing, which is taught by academics on the London campus and has students hailing from the U.K., U.S., Japan and parts of Europe, on how to make it in the film industry.
As well as highlighting the importance of emerging writers immersing themselves in the history of film and television, she also stressed how vital networking can be.
Attending film festivals and getting to know people at industry events can be key to fashioning a career breakthrough, Langebek told Gleeson. And she had a word of advice for those who find it daunting to step into a busy room of people all looking to make themselves known.
“For me, what makes it less terrifying,” she said, “is to think when you go to these things that even if you just end up talking to one person, but you have a great conversation and you connect with them, that’s fine.”
Langebek said taking a long-term perspective when it comes to working with people is central to a fulfilling career, explaining that it took seven years for “The Girl With The Needle” to go from an idea to the screen.
“With people you get on with, you can think, ‘OK maybe we’ll find a project to work on in 10 years time, possibly two years time or even straight away,’” she continued. “These are long journeys. If you’re spending seven or eight years of your life working on something, ideally you want to do it with people that you’re not having a horrible time with.”
In the wide-ranging interview, Gleeson and Langebek, who has worked with the Writers Guild of Great Britain, also touched upon why writers should know their rights, the pros and cons of taking on an agent and why a contract should always be drawn up before agreeing to work.
Gleeson, who first met Langebek at a writing residence in Scotland, said it was good for students to have exposure to someone who is working at the “top of their game.”
“It is amazing to have somebody who has actually done something sitting in front of you and to see that you can do well and you can get things made,” said Gleeson, an author and scriptwriter.
“It is necessary to hear that it takes resilience and it takes a genuine desire to make it. But the fact is, there are writers out there who are making these movies. And so, why not you?
“But it is not something that happens by magic. You can’t make it just by being a good writer. You have to learn the industry in order to make it work.”
He added that he felt it was useful for students to hear Langebek describe how her career had been “slow starting” and that successful screenwriters can make “false steps” before beginning to gain recognition. Langebek said she had flirted with the idea of writing for television soap operas before deciding it was not for her.
Abigail Persaud Cheddie, a Northeastern student pursuing a master’s degree, said she took heart from Langebek’s advice about focusing on projects that offer satisfaction.
“I felt encouraged not to force myself to write things that I don’t feel comfortable with or compelled to write, simply as a means of survival,” Cheddie said. “As Line says, ‘if you want to do this, it’s for life.’ So there’s no point in working on projects that make me miserable.”
Fellow student Kayla White said it reminded her of the importance of watching films and shows with a critical eye in order to develop her own writing. “A thing I appreciated was to watch things,” she said. “I want to do this more — and less in a leisurely way, but in a more study-focused way.”
It was Langebek’s comments about networking that resonated the most with Kelsey Down, another student. “’I liked what Line had to say about viewing each new connection you make as a ‘long journey,’” she said.
“It can be tempting to go into networking and industry events with a really specific agenda — wanting to pitch your story, get your screenplay made, score an agent, etc.
“But, as both Line and Rory pointed out, that one-track-mind approach may actually be detrimental. People can usually tell when they are being used. In the long run, I imagine it’s more fruitful to cultivate a genuine relationship, rather than treating every new contact like just another rung on a ladder.”