'Let’s just say I’m scouting in Ireland' - Ten Things I Hate About You screenwriter considers setting next film here

Kirstin Smith who wrote Legally Blonde, Ella Enchanted and Ten Things I Hate About You, also praised the Irish film scene which she said is causing a stir in Hollywood.

Kirstin, who is in Ireland for the Galway Film Fleadh, has spent a number of days touring some of the country’s most scenic spots.

“A couple of years ago started to say to people I really want to go to Ireland. Something of the place connected with me and was calling to me. Then I got the email inviting me to Fleadh and it seemed like a lightning bolt of fate,” she said.

She revealed she was considering setting an upcoming project in Ireland.

“Most of my work has been set in the States but now that I’m here in Ireland, I might change my tune. For our female driven comedy in a certain budget range it’s usually about keeping it close to home and keeping it in budget but there is a lot of production and post production in Ireland now.

“I hope to be travelling more in the coming years. Let’s just say I’m scouting. Yesterday I went to the Cliffs of Moher and I’m about to go to the Aran Islands,” she added.

Speaking about the growing Irish movie industry, Kirstin said she would advise any young scriptwriter to stay close to home.

“I think so much of Hollywood production is now travelling to you. I met a young script supervisor here who started telling me his credits, Ripper Street, Game of Thrones and The Lobster and these are movies and shows that are conversation points in Hollywood all the time.

“He didn’t even have to leave home in order to get those credits on his resume so my sense is you’re doing really well to stay at home and build a list of great work. It’s all available, all you have to do is get a job on Game on Thrones and then you’re pretty much set,” she said.

Kirstin, who gave a masterclass on script writing at the Galway Film Fleadh advised would-be screenwriters to read over 100 scripts before or during writing a screenplay and also warned they should avoid getting bogged down in one project.

“I would also say to write a screenplay and then another and then another. Sometimes people get stuck. They write their first screenplay for four or five years and then they keep rewriting it and they just kind of stay in that one story. I think it’s important to generate ideas and prove that you can execute them by writing from start to finish,” she said.