Big films have responsibility of making more money: Alexander Dinelaris Jr

Alexander Dinelaris, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Birdman", believes indie films and the big budget tentpoles are two pillars of Hollywood, but he says the onus lies on the "big ones" to sustain the industry.

The 50-year-old scribe, who came into limelight after co-penning the screenplay of Alejandro G. Inarritu's 2014 black comedy, is here for the launch of actor Boman Irani's production banner Irani MovieTone.

Citing the examples of "Roma", director Alfonso Cuaron's Spanish-language feature, and Warner Bros' superhero film "Aquaman, which recently crossed the USD 1 billion mark at the global box office Dinelaris said in America there is a dedicated audience for both the kind of films and no one is less worth.

"It is about their taste, money and time. For the makers, if you are making independent film, it is a different paradigm. We have to spend two to five million dollars and if we make 20-30 million dollar that is a success and you can afford to make another one. However, the big ones have responsibility of making much more money," Dinelaris told PTI.

"There are two Hollywoods. One with artwork, who does something visionary, small and interesting and they normally get lot of awards. And then there is commercial that keep theatres open and generate money that keep the industry open. Both are fine, he added.

He said he grew up following the works of American filmmaker Robert Benton, best known for Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep-starrer "Kramer vs Kramer".

"We have to be able to appreciate different things. Similarly, I don't think independent films in India are going to kill Bollywood, the tradition is going to last forever."
Calling Inarritu a "brave and bold" filmmaker, Dinelaris said, "I joined him for Birdman' with Nicolas Giacobone and Armando Bo to come together to try and make something impossible into a screenplay, something really bold."
"I think human stories are same, the moments that affect you is same. Just the packaging is different. I feel the colour crafting and production design is different but it is fabulous. Now we have to do more to get the young audience (to theatre). They demand change and it is a natural cycle."
"The demand is so high and that if you are good at your craft, you are going to work. You have to make sure your guild is covering you (in terms of remuneration). But writers are not respected as much as I think they should be as compared to director and producer."