Alas, poor Yorick was left on the cutting room floor, which is kind of sad, but not so bad in this case because it made the film better.

Howdy, I'm Jeff Goldsmith, and this is the Q&A. My agenda is simple. Each week I plan to bring you in-depth insight into the creative process of storytelling.

And folks, man, do I love this episode. I am very pleased to have with me today the writer of today's

film William Shakespeare. Actually, no, sorry, Michael Leslie, which is just as good because he did a

fantastic adaptation of Mr. Shakespeare's work. And look, if you know anything about me, I am a total

Shakespeare geek. I don't put this out there lightly. This is a fantastic adaptation of Hamlet.

It is totally filmic. It has its own life while still is true to the play itself. And it is

definitely still in theaters. So you are a donkey if you do not go see it, sir or madame. And I

hope you see it soon because you never know how long

these things are going to stay in theaters. If for some reason you miss it while it's in theaters,

look for it on streaming. This is worth a rental. So yes, I knew that actor Riz Ahmed was going to

absolutely kill it as Hamlet. I love the setup of setting it into Britain's Indian community. And really, Michael Leslie and the whole team just made a fantastic film. And there's just so much to talk about, so much to geek out on, because this is a classic lesson in adaptation. Here we have a play that everyone knows. Here we have a play that some people think as a task to read or see. So how do

you inject life into it hundreds of years after it was first produced? The good news is, I am

pleased to report the scripts, the thing, and they really figured it out. So folks, there is a lot

to learn from and a lot to enjoy about this episode, and screenwriter

Michael Leslie was very forthcoming about his process and what it took to get this adaptation

just right, so I know you'll dig this episode. And before we get into it, I want to give a shout

out to Final Draft and the Big Break screenwriting contest, which is now open for entries, which means

that you can enter the contest that has been launching careers for over 20 years. Previous winners

and finalists have signed with agents and managers, sold and option screenplays, and been staffed

in TV writers' rooms. There are 12 categories to enter, including film, TV, and short film.

And you could also choose to get feedback on your script as part of your entry.

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