screenwriter
A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based.
...
, actor and producer.
In August 1974, Paterson's best friend, eight-year-old Lisa Hill, was struck by
lightning
Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electric charge, electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the land, ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous ...
and killed. His mother, author
Katherine Paterson
Katherine Womelsdorf Paterson (born October 31, 1932) is an American writer best known for children's novels, including '' Bridge to Terabithia''. For four different books published 1975-1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Aw ...
, used this real-life experience as the basis for her children's novel '' Bridge to Terabithia''. David Paterson produced and co-wrote the screenplay for the
film adaptation
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...
of the novel released in 2007.
He graduated from
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private university, private Catholic church, Roman Catholic research university in Washington, D.C. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution ...
in 1989 with a BA. Paterson held a special advance screening of ''Bridge to Terabithia'' on February 1, 2007, for members of the CUA community at the AFI Silver Theatre in
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially unincorporated, in practice it is an edge city, with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 censu ...
.
As a playwright Paterson has published over one dozen titles with
Samuel French, Inc.
Samuel French, Inc. is an American company, founded by Samuel French and Thomas Hailes Lacy, who formed a partnership to combine their existing interests in London and New York City. It publishes plays, represents authors, and sells scripts fro ...
He holds the record for being the only playwright ever to have three plays premiere on New York stages within one month.
In December 2012, Paterson ran a write-in campaign for Park District Commissioner of Manhasset, and won against the Incumbent.
In the Fall of 2016, his feature film, ''
The Great Gilly Hopkins
''The Great Gilly Hopkins'' is a realistic children's novel by Katherine Paterson. It was published by Crowell in 1978 and it won the U.S. National Book Award next year.Kathy Bates, Bill Cobbs, and Sophie Nélisse.