A great screening of "Babel" tonight for a packed WGA audience at the DGA (yes - FOR the WGA, AT the DGA - it can get confusing sometimes).

Moderating the Q&A with the gentle, unassuming and inspiring Guillermo Arriaga afterward was a real treat. And the audience reaction in the form of detailed, thoughtful questions was encouraging for the film as well. But Arriaga weathered brief queries about the collaboration with Alejandro Inarritu (their recent creative split being far too publicized as of late) and questions about artistic intent with the greatest of ease and the lightest of appropriate humor.

Listening to him describe his process of writing is like auditing a class on alternative script method. Arriaga seems to have the mind of an editor rather than a writer, taking an extremely organic approach to his material. Most interesting of all is the notion that he doesn't bother to create the final destination for his characters prior to sitting down and hammering out a screenplay. He lets his characters speak to him and take him where they may. When he manifests a character, he has no idea what will happen to him or her by the end of the story, and that's a special sort of creative bravery that I'm glad has found a place of consistency for Arriaga.

A good night all around. And boy was he swamped with admirers afterwards! Here's hoping we can get together for lunch before he leaves town this weekend. I'd certainly cherish another auditing session myself.