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The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

SF State cinema professor publishes book for student screenwriters

SF+State+cinema+professor+publishes+book+for+student+screenwriters

Hoxter explained that it is difficult for students to write well and to write about what they know while they are still finding out about themselves and figuring out what they would like to do as a career.

“One of the most difficult things – particularly for young people, particularly for people coming to terms with their own identity, their own creative goals – is to tackle their own, even a short script, well,” Hoxter said.

This year is the first time he has taught screenwriting for longer feature films.

“It really allowed me to focus on how students struggle with that as a problem,” Hoxter said.

The teaching process has helped him write the book, not only through his lectures, but also working with students on projects. Hoxter was also given the ability to use his wit and sarcasm from lectures in his book, giving it a tone that strays from other manuals that can sound more academic.

“First thing that will come up when asked to describe Julian is obviously his humor,” said Alex Fu, 25, an SF State cinema graduate who had Hoxter as his professor. “It’s quick, insightful, self-deprecating, and sometimes harsh at your expense if deserved.”

But Hoxter considers himself a teacher before an author.

“I’m more of a teacher who writes than a writer who teaches,” he said. “Teaching has always been an equal first love if not my first love…It doesn’t feel like I’m coming away from what I should be doing. This is what I should be doing, both.”

Although this is Hoxter’s first book, he has two other manuals that he is working on, and wants to have them published within the next few years.

“And when the inspiration strikes, there’s always scripts and screenplays,” Hoxter said.

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SF State cinema professor publishes book for student screenwriters