Ep233 - Steve Blackman, Screenwriter ‘Umbrella Academy,’ ‘Legion,’ & ‘Fargo’

Steve Blackman was working as an attorney when he decided to use his experience and turn the environment into a spec script. When he sold the script, he quit his job that day to pursue his dream of becoming a professional screenwriter. Over the past two decades, Blackman has written for shows like Wild Card, Bones, Las Vegas, Private Practice, Fargo, Legion, and Altered Carbon. He’s also the creator behind Netflix’s Umbrella Academy. The latest series comes from a graphic novel by the same name, which reveals a family of former child heroes who have grown apart but are forced back together when new dangers enter our world. In this interview, Blackman discusses his love for dysfunctional and broken characters, how to balance a heightened reality with grounded drama, his love for subverting expectations in genre, how to subliminally present character, and why each script ends with a “tone pass.” If you enjoyed this interview, look for the print version on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and join millions of viewers for the new YouTube video essay series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5