“Quick Q&A” with Zak Penn

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Q&A Sandwich: Two soft questions on the outside with something more substantial in the middle.

Do you have a go-to snack you typically keep at arm’s reach while you’re writing?

I try not to eat while writing, unless I'm in a writer's room in which case I eat all the wrong shit that you shouldn't eat.  I sometimes indulge in a protein shake.

Change and concern are on the minds of a lot of storytellers. You’ve had a 30+ year career as a storyteller and in that time our industry has experienced a lot of evolution, positive and otherwise. As you approach the next 30 years of your career, are there evolutions that you anticipate with a sense of enthusiasm, as opposed to concern?

The ability of quickly advancing technology allowing to take ideas from written-visual with minimal effort.  The general, pervasive and seemingly insatiable human desire to hear a good story well told.  

Do you have any favorite experiences where you got to see an audience react firsthand to something you’ve written in a way that felt particularly rewarding for you?

Many.  The advance screening of PCU at Comicon.  Opening night of X-Men 3 at Mann's.  The Premiere of Ready Player One at SXSW has to be the best, for a variety of reasons.