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Film students at Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts tune in closely to hear from acclaimed screenwriter Guinevere Turner each week in her course, FIL 228: Film Scriptwriting. Students learn directly from Turner about the craft behind her extensive filmography.

“She’s been my favorite professor I’ve had at Syracuse so far,” Annaliese Pillitteri, a junior in Turner’s class, said. “She is such an inspiration. She really cares about her students.”

Turner’s most known for her work co-writing the film “American Psycho” with director Mary Harron, which passed its 25th anniversary Monday. The film, based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, is a satirical horror piece that tells the story of New York City investment banker Patrick Bateman and his double life as a serial killer.

Turner’s also an author and actor. Her 2023 memoir, “When The World Didn’t End,” details her childhood growing up in the Lyman Family cult. She’s been featured in TV shows and films including “The L Word” and “The Watermelon Woman.” Turner currently works as a professor of practice in the Department of Film and Media Arts in VPA.

Turner first explored writing as a young girl with her diary. She said she was always drawn to words and used them as an outlet during her childhood. Turner resonated with Jo March from “Little Women,” inspired by her passion for language and literature.

“To me, (Jo) was always the hero of that story, that’s who I wanted to be,” Turner said.

“Go Fish,” Turner’s first film, debuted in 1994 when she was 26 years old. While studying fiction writing at Sarah Lawrence College, Turner didn’t think it would lead her to become a screenwriter. But when she was approached about “Go Fish,” she took on the job anyway, despite not knowing much about screenwriting.

Turner, who identifies as a lesbian, and the film’s director Rose Troche both recognized a lack of representation for LGBTQ+ women and their stories in cinema. When writing, Turner sought to change this and expand representation of her community.

Turner aims to reframe culture with her screenwriting. She hopes to change the perceptions people have and assumptions they make about the LGBTQ+ community, she said.

Turner often writes about characters with deviant and abnormal mindsets, particularly those who are charismatic and nefarious, said Molle DeBartolo, a professor of practice at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications who works with Turner.

“American Psycho” was the cornerstone of Turner’s career. Though the film is now considered a “cult classic,” Turner said it wasn’t always this way. After its 2000 premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, the film wasn’t well received by critics and audiences. The initial response left Turner and Harron questioning why people didn’t understand their vision.

It wasn’t until years later that the film gained immense popularity and following. Turner said that when toxic masculinity became a cultural talking point, people began to understand the film’s true message.

Thanks to generational changes and attitudes, “American Psycho” took off into the massive hit it is today. Audiences aged and gained a better sense of irony, Turner said. She also believes the internet and meme culture helped skyrocket the film’s success.

“I have made many films. I have acted in many films. I have written many films, but ‘American Psycho’ is a cultural touchstone that makes everyone pay attention to me,” Turner said.

Outside of her work as a screenwriter, Turner has worked as an adjunct professor at Columbia University, New York University, Sarah Lawrence College, University of California, Los Angeles and University of Georgia. Turner’s passion for teaching stems from her interest in young people and what they’re writing and thinking about, she said. She enjoys the stability of teaching outside the hustle and bustle of the Los Angeles lifestyle.

As both a professor and industry professional, Turner provides her students with a real life look at how things work in the industry, DeBartolo said. She brings a one-of-a-kind insight and perspective to the classroom.

Pillitteri said Turner brings the best out of each student from their complex ideas and thoughts. She encourages her students to think outside the box when it comes to their filmmaking. From animation to horror, she guides her students with confidence and leadership, Pilliteri said.

“She cares so much about you as an individual and what you want to do and she really leans into it,” Pillitteri said. “Whatever you want to end up doing, you can do.”

By blocking out time to write and giving encouraging messages, Turner hopes her students dedicate themselves to their craft, she said. She hopes her young students won’t wait for a muse to come, but rather find and create the muse for their writing.

Turner sees herself as two people: herself and her writer self. She feeds her writer side by carving time out of her busy day to just write, she said, because it’s crucial that writing encompasses everything she does.

“If this is what you are and want to be, design your life around it,” Turner said.

Published on April 15, 2025 at 7:04 pm
Contact Sydney: sabrocki@syr.edu