Writers

Actors bring a story alive, but the story must be there in the first place. Writers must do their part before anyone else can get involved. If there is no idea or creation then there can be nothing to follow. Both require an audience, though a writer can write for him/herself: an audience of one!

Screenwriters and authors are generally overlooked or their importance downplayed in films to the 'playing up' of the actor.

That's wrong.