Screenwriter David Koepp had only six motion picture screenplay credits to his name when he was tapped to help best-selling author Michael Crichton adapt one of his novels for the silver screen. Even as a novel, “Jurassic Park” was ahead of its time – using futuristic DNA cloning techniques to return dinosaurs to the planet they once roamed 65-million years later.
UC Santa Barbara Pollock Theater Director Matt Ryan sits down with Koepp to discuss how he wrote the screenplay for the blockbuster film “Jurassic Park.” Koepp breaks down his process of adapting the novel and how he worked with director Steven Spielberg to bring the film to life. He describes working from Spielberg’s storyboards to draft key sequences such as the entrance of the T-Rex. He shares stories from the set of Jurassic Park, including how Jeff Goldblum reacted to filming special effects sequences and how the ending of the movie changed during filming. He also discusses writing the sequel “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” and other films, including “Spider-Man” and “Panic Room.”