James Bond writer visits BU

Feirstein. Bruce Feirstein.

In the midst of his career – which includes the scrips of three James Bond film – 1975 College of Communication graduate spoke to about 100 people Monday night about his ventures in the communication field.

COM Alumni Officer Rob Grimes said having Feirstein come and speak was an obvious choice.

“He’s an accomplished alumnus, having written for the silver screen, the small screen,” he said. “He’s an award-winning journalist and he embodies the mission of COM and is more than happy to come and speak to students and share his experience and give advice.”

Feirstein co-wrote the screenplays for the Bond films Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough.

Grimes said that Feirstein’s topic, which related technology to the movie industry, was of critical importance to the media.

“In a technological world, where everything is becoming increasingly automated and electronically enhanced, basic storytelling, whether it’s public relations or journalism, is vital to the success of your business and career in that world,” he said.

Feirstein spoke about not only screenwriting in the modern, technology-driven world, but also screenwriting in general, the art of storytelling and the future of entertainment as video games become a more all-encompassing experience.

Feirstein said his gratitude to the university, along with friendships with COM faculty members, drew him to speak in the lecture series.

“Charles Merzbacher, the head of the film department, and Dean [John] Schulz had been after me for a while to just come and talk,” he said. “So this schedule has worked, and I a huge debt of gratitude to the university.”

Feirstein said the current state of the communication field is at a new place.

“We are at a fascinating point right now in time,” he said after his speech. “We are at a point with digital technology and with different delivery platforms. We could well be seeing the end of the theatrical motion picture experience – movies only being seen in theaters.”

Feirstein attributed the lack of box office sales to a number of factors.

“When dealing with a primarily 18-to-24 year-old audience that grew up multi-tasking, doing instant messaging, they’re online, they’re watching TV and somehow the idea of sitting in a movie doesn’t have the appeal,” he said. “So [this] generation would rather watch movies at home where they could talk back to the screen.”

Despite these predictions, Feirstein went on to speak about the art of storytelling, noting that “you’re still going to need stories.”

“Hollywood is a meritocracy,” he said. “Hollywood wants the next new idea. Hollywood exists on the fact that I am too old to write your college movie. And this is good, and this is how it should be. This is the way that is has always traditionally been.”

Ultimately, however, Feirstein told his audience to “write what you know” and issued them a challenge “to find some new thing to express, to find some story that hasn’t been told before. It is your real-life experiences that things will come from, and that works in romantic comedies, it works in horror films, it works in every genre. It’s some new way that you have found to look at something that sparks you forward.”