Introduce Yourself : Hi, I'm Paul Shiller, aka The Movie Chemist by Paul Shiller

Paul Shiller

Hi, I'm Paul Shiller, aka The Movie Chemist

I am happy to be part of this introduction weekend. As a technical advisor, I want to advance my screenwriting craft and bring more science to the process.

The Movie Chemist strives to prevent science from taking the audience out of the story, ensure actors are well-prepared, and address "what if" questions. I work with actors, agents, production companies, and writers to ensure that scientific ideas are presented in a way that enhances the stories. I am also a screenwriter who combines elements of science and engineering into feature film scripts.

Maurice Vaughan

Hi, Paul Shiller. It's great to meet you. Do you work with screenwriters on Sci-Fi scripts or just scripts that have real science?

Jayme Norrie

Paul - Maurice, above, is an incredible partner to members - especially newbies like me. I'd love to connect as I am working on a novel that explores the sub-industries of the healthcare eco-system - pharma/bio, med device, hospitals, clinicians, etc, etc.. It's always nice to know people who can speak this language. Welcome!

Nick Phillips

Hi Paul Shiller! What a great service to provide to writers and creatives. Accuracy and verisimilitude can be a huge part of storytelling, especially if you're writing something that requires scientific accuracy. Very cool!

MIster Erock

Hi Paul. As a perspective audience member who understands basic science but isn’t a scientist, I appreciate what you do!

Jack Binder

Science! Great to see your perspective here Paul. Bravo!

Geoffroy Faugerolas

Paul Shiller welcome! What is your biggest challenge as a technical advisor and what is one advise you could share with writers crafting STEM-centric stories?

Paul Shiller

Hi Maurice, thanks. It's good to meet you. I try to work with everyone. I like to work on Sci-Fi scripts (I have one in rewrite now) because physical rules are less binding on science, so I get to think about the "what ifs" of science.

Paul Shiller

Hi Jayme, I would love to connect and learn more about your novel.

Paul Shiller

Hi Nick, Thank you. I enjoy blending science with storytelling.

Paul Shiller

Hi Mister Erock, Thank you.

Paul Shiller

Hi Jack, Thank you.

Paul Shiller

Hi Geoffroy, thank you. The biggest challenge is showing how a technical advisor can help with science-based stories. The one advice I would give to STEM-centric writers is to consider the science as a character. Is it the main character or a background character? Is it the antagonist? You wouldn't want a background character to outshine the main character in a scene; it's the same with science.

Geoffroy Faugerolas

Paul Shiller I love that. Thinking of science as a character is a great way to look at it. Forces the writer to think about how the "character" is introduce, what their arc is and how the audience is supposed to feel about "it."

Khuku Sereneveil

Hi Paul,

I’m truly excited to be part of this community and see how your approach blends science with storytelling. Your focus on making science an integral, yet seamless, part of the narrative is something I deeply admire. As a fellow screenwriter, I believe that science and engineering can add incredible depth to a story, and it’s inspiring to see how you balance accuracy with creativity.

Looking forward to learning more from your experience and expertise!

Best regards,

Khuku

Chiara Torrisi

Hi Paul Shiller, your job as a technical advisor is amazing! It's incredibly helpful to a wide range of writers, from sci-fi to action (sometimes action scenes challenge the physics rules).

Do you also have knowledge about the history of science? As a historical consultant, I struggle to check details about science in the past, and having the chance to ask a professional like you would be great.

Sam Rivera

Hi Paul Shiller It's great to meet you! Thank you for sharing your story with us! Are you working on anything new?

Tally Moreno

Hi Paul Shiller, great to meet you!!

Brenda Mohammed

Happy to meet you.

Paul Shiller

Hi Chiara Torrisi it's great to meet you. I do look into the history of science at times. For journal articles I try and find the initial source for the ideas which often takes me on an historical journey. There is also academictree.org that traces your academic lineage. Mine goes through Mulliken, Kekule (1860s), and farther back, very interesting. I would be happy to talk science history.

Paul Shiller

Hi Sam Rivera everything I'm working on is new :-) I have a short script that's in the third rewrite and two feature scripts in rewrite. One feature script involves the ghost of George Romero, who needs to help a young filmmaker succeed in order to get into heaven.

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Paul Shiller. Ok, great. I'll keep you in mind for a Sci-Fi script I'll be developing. I bookmarked your profile.

Ashley Renee Smith

Hi Paul Shiller, I’m Ashley Renee Smith, Head of Community here at Stage 32. Welcome and thank you for the fantastic introduction!

That intersection of story and science opens up so many creative and compelling possibilities.

If you haven’t already, I’d recommend joining in on conversations in the Screenwriting Lounge: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting. It’s a great place to share insights, swap feedback, and find collaborators who might benefit from your technical expertise.

If you’re ever looking for personalized advice or support about the best producers, reps, or executives to connect with here on Stage 32, our team is always here for you at Success@Stage32.com.

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