LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- British filmmaker , screenwriter and playwright , Mike Leigh has been in the movie business for over 35 years . Leigh on screenwriting : `` I do n't make a conventional screenplay ... it 's a whole organic process . '' In that time , he has been nominated for five Oscars , as well as winning the Best Director award at Cannes Film Festival for `` Naked '' in 1993 , the Palme d'Or there for `` Secrets & Lies '' in 1996 and the Leono d'Oro at Venice Film Festival in 2004 for `` Vera Drake . '' Famous for his fierce independence ( read refusal to work in Hollywood ) , Leigh 's work is known for gritty realism and a focus on underprivileged sections of British society . Another of Leigh 's calling cards is an unconventional approach to screenwriting . `` The Screening Room '' caught up with the veteran director at the International Screenwriters ' Festival in the UK earlier this year to ask him more about his approach to making films . The Screening Room : Why is this festival so important to you ? Mike Leigh : I am a filmmaker who is both a writer and director and I have this way of making films where the writing and the actors and the shooting is all combined together . I do n't make a conventional screenplay ... it 's a whole organic process . TSR : What do you think other scriptwriters can learn from you ? ML : I think screenwriters who , because of the politics and economics of the film industry , are forced to work in a much more conventional way , are always fascinated to discuss with me how I work . TSR : There is this romantic idea that screenwriting has to be a painful , solitary experience . That 's not what you experience , though . ML : No , I do n't sit in a room writing a script solo . My films are highly structured . Everything you see in my films is very precisely written , very thoroughly researched , but actually it is done through rehearsal , it 's done through improvisation and research . I work for six months with the actors before we shoot anything , then the shooting of the film is in itself then an operation of making the film as I go along in a way , although it 's very structured . It 's a very sophisticated thing . TSR : How did you first discover that this way the way you wanted to make your films ? ML : I trained as an actor , I did a lot of theatre work and , of course , the convention of actually rehearsing is much more prevalent in the theater , although actually what I do is n't really theater practice , it 's very film orientated in its nature but it came out of all of those kind of explorations and experiences in the 1960s . TSR : How important is the audition process for you ? ML : For me , casting is probably more important than it is for most people . If someone has written a conventional script then a range of actors could do that role . I find actors with whom I can collaborate to create characters , so I have to have actors that are brilliant , who are very intelligent and not all actors are very intelligent , who are versatile , who are character actors and not all actors are , that have a sense of humor , that have a sense of society and commitment , who are n't just narcissistic which a lot of actors are , and people who are patient and courageous . Working with me on these things is dangerous . TSR : When you work with actors do you give them over to the idea that they are shaping the story , or do you always know exactly what you want ? ML : I do n't always have a structure , and certainly there is no illusion involved . Also , I say to each actor when asking him or her to take part , you will only ever know what your character knows , so they never have an overview of the film . Their actual contribution is as an individual with a responsibility to their character , but my job is to tell the story . It 's a very healthy and harmonious division of labor , but certainly , there would be no point in doing it if I did n't set up conditions in which they can really explore and the thing can go in fantastically unpredictable directions . TSR : When you take a script to a producer , how much should you compromise to get the film made ? ML : I am the least qualified person in the world to answer that because I do n't do that in the first place . I mean , I go to backers with my producers and we say , `` I ca n't tell you anything about it . I have n't got the script . Give us the money and we will go away and make it . '' And they either say 'yes , ' which happens just occasionally , or they say 'no ' which happens most of the time . So , I never have a situation where anybody interferes or where I have to compromise . But just in passing I would say that I have a rule about what one should do in the film business which is never compromise .
British filmmaker Mike Leigh shares his scripting style and secrets . Mike Leigh has been in the movie business for over 35 years . Leigh 's work is known for gritty realism and focus on underprivileged societies . He is also renowned for his unconventional approach to screenwriting .