Matias Caruso: Proof that Nice Writers Sometimes Finish First!

Interviewed byAnthony Cawood

You know how articles and interviews always make note of when someone in the “business” (be it actor, director or more) is genuine, nice and down to earth?

Well, that’s to be expected – because sitting down for a chat with “good peoples” is ALWAYS a breath of fresh air.

Which is why we are thrilled to be able to give you an *exclusive* interview today with writer Matias Caruso – Grand Prize Winner of 2014 Page. Born in Argentina – and a homegrown veteran of Simplyscripts – Matias has always been a joy to read and chat with, and a gentleman master of his craft.

Recently, things have gotten really exciting for Matias. Now signed to CAA, he’s got tons in the works – including a high concept thriller entitled Mayhem… starring Steven Yeun of The Walking Dead!

And yet we STILL managed to corral Matias long enough to have him sit down with Anthony Cawood (interviewer extraordinaire.)

So pour your strongest coffee and settle in for one terrific read. ‘Cause with anything regarding Matias Caruso (affectionately known by SS’ers as “Mr. Z”) – that’s never close to a surprise! ☺

Q: Could you give me a little bit of background on how you got into screenwriting?

A: I discovered my love for movies when I was a kid. Birthday party entertainers used to project movie clips and I was amazed when I first saw Indiana Jones trying to outrun the giant boulder, or Luke Skywalker using his light saber. I remember the feeling of being transported to new, exciting worlds… But when I grew up, my world turned out to be a sterile cubicle maze where I was trapped full-time working as a lawyer; a world that generated all the stress of trying to outrun the giant boulder… but without the excitement.

I could have stayed there forever, but things started to change when one day I wrote a short story. Showed it to a few lawyer friends and they dug it (allegedly). One of them is an entertainment attorney, so he works with production companies in my country and reads lots of scripts. He told me I had a very visual style and that maybe I should try writing a script.

So I said “Cool, what’s a script?” because, like most people in Argentina, I believed that the actors and the director were the ones who came up with all the cool stuff on set. But when my friend gave me a script to read, I soon discovered that movies were actually written first by people who, to quote Spielberg, “dream for a living”. And I was hooked.

Q: I’m assuming English is not your first language? What sort of challenges has this presented?

A: Right, it’s not. When I started writing 11 years ago, my English was very rusty; I could spend a full hour trying to figure out how to word a descriptive paragraph. It really slowed me down. But many scripts and years later, I got the hang of it and now it isn’t a problem. Every now and then I have to check online dictionaries/translators to check on a particular word or phrase, but not as much as before.

Q: For other writers facing this challenge, any tips or suggestions to get to your level where it isn’t evident at all?

A: English courses are key I think (I attended a bilingual school). I’d also advice reading in English (scripts, novels, comics, blogs, whatever) and writing in English every day in order to practice. Watching movies with subtitles in English or no subtitles at all also helps.

Q: I think you first appeared on SimplyScripts back in 2005, was this when you first started writing?

A: That sounds about right. And yes, that’s when I started writing.

Q: Your first credit, at least according to IMDB, is the 2008 short, Forgotten, did that get optioned and made?

A: I sold it to an indy filmmaker in Alaska I met online. And yes, he shot it.

Q: Did you learn anything from that experience and subsequent shorts?

A: You always hear that scripts are just a blueprint for the movie, but that really sinks in once you see for yourself how much scripts can change during production.

Q: Obviously you’ve written a lot of shorts, many of which have been on SimplyScripts, did you start out with shorts and then move to features?

A: I started with both at the same time more or less, but at first my English wasn’t polished enough to give a feature a try, so my first few features were written in Spanish and nobody at SS saw them.

Q: Of the filmed shorts which is your favourite and why?

A: “Numbers”, because of its great production value.

Q: And of those not filmed, which is your favourite?

A: Probably “The Tower of Wishes”. I love fantasy.

Q: Any other shorts in pre-production we should be looking out for?

A: An Irish filmmaker is trying to find financing for a supernatural thriller titled “The Touch”.

Q: Would you advocate writing short films, why do you think they are useful?

A: While I think features should be the main focus of those who aspire to write professionally, writing shorts on the side can definitely be useful. They can be completed in just a few days, which means the writer can get feedback from peers shortly after typing “fade out”. Objective feedback is key to identify sticking points and hone the craft, so it’s helpful to workshop short scripts on the side during the long months in which the writer works in isolation to finish a feature.

Also, if the short does well at film festivals and/or becomes viral, it can lead to working and networking opportunities.

Q: When it comes to Feature scripts, how do you approach structure in your scripts? Do you follow any particular method?

A: Yes, I follow a method which has been slowly evolving throughout the years. It’s a mix of advice I picked from books/articles about the craft, advice I got from working writers, tips I gathered from reading hot scripts, and a bit of my own half-baked theories about what works best.

The subject is too big for the scope of an interview but here are a few basics guidelines that help my process: The first act is roughly 25% of the script and sets up the conflict, the second act (50%) escalates the conflict, and the third act (25%) resolves the conflict. And conflict in my stories usually come from a character (protagonist) who must achieve something (goal) facing big resistance (obstacles/antagonist) or else something very bad will happen to him or someone he cares about (stakes).

Q: Same question for characters, yours are always vivid on the page, how do you go about these creations?

A: I do separate worksheets for the main characters where I write their bios, and defining traits. I also see if they fit any well known archetypes which I then research. I re-read these character worksheets a few times during the writing process, not to lose track of what makes them tick.

Q: What are your thoughts on structure models like Save the Cat and the like?

I’ve read lots of how-to books. Some were useful, some weren’t, but overall I think it’s a good habit to be an avid student of the craft.

Save the Cat is my favorite. While I don’t take everything Blake Snyder wrote as gospel (nor any other guru for that matter) he used to be a working writer so his advice comes from experience, and that’s a plus. Also, I write genre/popcorn movies so his method and my creative instincts align. A writer who, for example, likes European independent cinema might find Snyder’s method to be too formulaic and “hollywoody”. And that’s okay. It’s about finding what best works for you.

Q: What was the first feature you wrote and how did you get it out there? Did you query Producers, enter competitions, use Inktip, etc?

A: The first thing I ever wrote was a short story and my first feature was an adaptation/expansion of that story. It sucked big time so I didn’t shop it around. It was a learning experience, not an earning experience, but I’m okay with that.

Q: You are one of, if not the most, successful writers to use and contribute to SimplyScripts, how has the site helped you develop?

A: I think Pia has more produced credits than me, but thanks 🙂

SS and Moviepoet helped me a great deal. It’s hard for me to be objective about my own work, so getting objective feedback from peers has always been key in my learning process. Even more so when I was just starting out, and that’s when I discovered the site, which allowed me to get my work read and reap the benefits of joining a writers community.

Also, each time good news come my way, Don gives me a shout out on the site and that’s been helpful as well to make my work known (Thanks, Don!)

Q: There are a ton of people out there who offer coverage services, position themselves as guru’s etc, what your view on such services?

A: Nowadays these services are so many and varied that it’s hard to have one single view about all of them collectively. I’d say it’s a case by case basis and it depends of what’s being offered, at what price, and what are the credentials/experience of the guru. Based on that, I believe that some are helpful and some not.

Q: What are your thoughts on the business side of screenwriting, getting your scripts ‘out there’ and networking to make connections?

A: The most common pitfall (in which I fell into myself) is worrying about the business side of things prematurely. Networking and making connections becomes relevant only once the writer’s craft is polished enough to get industry people interested in his work. It usually takes many years and many scripts to reach that level, so until that happens, any time spent at networking events or sending out query letters is time better spent writing. There’s not much use in connecting with industry people, only to have them pass on the material because it’s not ready.

Once the writer can write at a professional level (or close), then I subscribe to the common view that he must be proactive in getting his scripts out there.

Q: If you’ve used services/sites like Inktip, SimplyScripts, The Blacklist, what’s your view on this type of model for screenwriters to get their scripts seen, and hopefully picked up?

A: I used Inktip and Simplyscripts for shorts and both sites helped me connect with filmmakers that responded to my work. So they’re definitely worth it. Never used them for features, though. And I’ve never used The Blacklist.

Q: Carnival ended up on the annual Blacklist as well, any interest since then/options etc?

A: The script was actually optioned before the Blacklist placement. By the time the list was published, there were already two producers on board collaborating with major agencies to try to find directors/financing. And I had already travelled to LA for a round of general meetings with industry people that had read the script. So the interest was already high and there wasn’t much room for the project to become hotter. Maybe the placement sped up some pending reads, but that’s hard go gauge. A couple of indy filmmakers did contact me to discuss potential projects, though.

Q: What are your thoughts on screenwriting competitions, obviously you’ve had a massive win with Page in 2014, but thoughts in general? Any other successes?

A: I think the contest route is a legitimate way in. I placed in Page and Trackingb and both helped my career in very meaningful ways. Some contests are solid and some don’t have industry relevance. A quick look at the success stories listed in a contest’s website, can let you know if their winners/finalists get traction with relevant industry players or not. I would advice entering only those that do, like Page and Trackingb. The Nicholl Fellowship is another one that’s definitely legit.

Q: Aside from the monetary prize from Page, what else has happened since?

A: Just in case, to avoid confusion, the Page script and the Blacklist script are one and the same (used to be titled “Three of Swords” but now is titled “Carnival”). Thanks to Page I met the producer who optioned the script. He had some interesting notes and I did like 10 drafts; the development process was very intense but also very rewarding because we ended up with a much stronger version. He then started sending out the script, another producer came on board and I had representation offers from 5 agencies.

Q: I believe that you were signed by CAA after winning Page, how has this been for you?

A: It’s been great. My agents circulated the script among production companies/studios and the script has gathered fans. I travelled to LA for a round of general meetings in which I got to know some wonderful people, and was offered the opportunity to pitch for writing assignments.

Q: I’ve always wondered, when you get asked to come to LA and do general meetings… who asks? And who pays for you to travel?

A: It’s usually the manager and/or the agent who tells the writer his work has had enough positive responses to warrant a trip and sets up the meetings. For a round of generals, it’s usually the writer who pays for the trip (that was my case). I heard of writers who were flown to LA by studios/production companies, but those were cases in which they had already been hired to write a specific project.

Q: So you have agents in CAA, do you have a manager as well and what’s the difference in your experience?

A: Yes, I have a manager as well.The manager gives general career advice, reads scripts and gives development notes, acting in general like a writing coach. The agent is more like a salesman; his job is to sell the writer’s material (not developing it) or put the writer in rooms where he can get hired for writing assignments. Also, managers can attach themselves as producers in their clients’ projects, while agents legally can’t.

Q: News broke in March that your script, Mayhem, is going into production. How did this script come about? Is it another spec or were you commissioned to write it?

A: It’s a spec I wrote back in 2010 which used to be titled “Rage”. Thanks to a contest placement back then, I signed with a couple of managers who then circulated the script to producers. It’s been a rollercoaster of good news/bad news ever since, and I had to do countless drafts to address notes from producers, director, actor, etc. But finally, everything came together recently and it’s happening.

Q: So what is Mayhem about and any idea when it’s likely to film?

A: It’s about a corporate law office that’s quarantined because of a virus that makes people act out their wildest impulses. Follows the story of a lawyer who is wrongfully fired on that day and must savagely fight for his job and his life.

It’s been shooting in Serbia for two weeks already. The director is posting cool updates on twitter (@TheJoeLynch) and instagram (thejoelynch).

Q: I think there’s a saying that you need to write something like seven feature scripts before one will be good enough to get sold, what was your golden number and do you agree with the sentiment?

A: Experience is a good indicator of skill, and the number of scripts written is a good indicator of experience. But I’d say it’s impossible to come up with a magic number because there are many other variables to factor in (like talent) which can’t be measured so easily. “Seven” doesn’t sound like a bad estimate, but in my case it was definitely more than “ten” (not sure about the exact number).

Q: What projects are you working on now and when can next expect to see your name on the credits?

A: I’ve recently completed a sci-fi/thriller script for director Marcel Sarmiento who’s working with producers to secure financing. Also working on an action/fantasy pitch with a production company and starting to outline my next spec. Don’t know if any of these will get to the screen one day, but let’s hope 🙂

Q: What’s the best and worse screenwriting advice you’ve been given?

A: The best: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint”.

The worst: “Hollywood is too big and far away for you, focus on your country’s film industry instead”.

Now for a few ‘getting to know Matias’ questions

Q: What’s your favourite film? And favourite script, if they’re different.

A: Ha, it’s impossible to name just one. Can I cheat a little? “Avatar”, “The Matrix”, “The Dark Knight”.

Some unproduced scripts I really liked: “Medieval” and “Goliath”

Q: Favourite author and book?

A: I think Stephen King is the author I read the most and liked most consistently.

Best book I’ve read in a while is “Ready Player One”.

Q: Beer or Wine (or something else)? And which variety?

A: Red Bull + Vodka 🙂

Q: Favourite food?

A: Burgers!

Q: Football team? Favourite player?

A: Not a football fan nowadays, but my favorite player is Messi. He’s a wizard.

Q: Any other interests and passions?

A: I used to play the electric guitar back in the day, maybe someday I’ll have time to get back to it. I like jogging/doing exercise, reading, videogames, and going out with friends.

Q: Born in Argentina, still living there? Any thoughts about moving to LA?

A: Yep, born and still living here. I think the next step for me is to start travelling to LA more often for meetings. Depending on how my career continues to evolve, I’ll decide about moving permanently.

Q: Any final thoughts for the screenwriters of SimplyScripts?

A: I still remember that day many years ago when I submitted my first script to the site. It was a short script written in broken English and everyone could tell right away I wasn’t a native speaker. Yet everyone was so helpful and encouraging, which helped me take the first step in a very long journey. So thanks SS friends, you’re good people (Except you, Bert. You’re pure evil).

About reviewer Anthony Cawood: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

Occasionally on STS, we take a break from showcasing scripts, and focus on the masterminds behind the words. Because there’s nothing better than hearing from successful members of “the craft”, and absorbing the sage words they have to tell.

Today, we are happy to publish an interview between STS’s own Anthony Cawood, and Ashley Scott Meyers – a working and produced screenwriter, podcaster and the owner of www.sellingyourscreenplay.com, which offers a range of services to writers trying to break in. In this interview, Ashley discusses his scripts and the movies made from them – plus what he has discovered along the way relating to marketing scripts and getting those all important connections.

Thanks to Ashley for taking the time to share the insights he’s gleaned from doing exactly what many of us are trying to do too – get our beloved features made.

Q: Could you give me a little bit of background on how you got into screenwriting?

I loved movies as a kid and always thought it would be cool to be a screenwriter. I’m not sure why screenwriting appealed to me more than other positions in the film industry, but it did. So after college, without many job prospects, I simply packed up and moved to LA. I grew up in Maryland and did not know anyone in the industry, so when I first got to LA I knew nobody. I worked low level jobs and went back to school where I got an MA in communications with a screenwriting emphasis. I wrote lots of scripts and marketed them as best I could and eventually I sold my first script. I wish I could say I was “off to the races” after that first sale, but it didn’t quite happen like that.

Q: Your first credit, at least according to IMDB, is Dish Dogs, how many screenplays had you written before this?

Dish Dogs was my first professional credit. I think it was the sixth screenplay that I wrote.

Q: Dish Dogs has a fantastic cast, were you on set for the filming?

I was on set a few days during the filming of Dish Dogs. It was a fun experience and I learned a lot.

Q: Was Dish Dogs profitable?

With Dish Dogs, my writing partner and I simply sold the screenplay to the producers, so I honestly don’t know if it was profitable or not. They did get lucky casting Shannon Elizabeth in it, as she was cast before her big break in American Pie. The film did get pretty wide distribution, so it very well might have turned a profit. Things have changed since then, however, so I’m not sure anyone is making movies like that anymore.

Q: Did this first experience fuel your writing passion?

Yes and no. The experience was bittersweet. They did massive changes to the screenplay, so my writing partner and I never felt like they shot our script and we did not like the finished movie. However, it was a first professional credit and we did get paid, so it was exciting, but it little disappointing to.

Q: Your subsequent scripts are all in different genres, what’s your favorite writing genre?

Yes, I have written in a variety of different genres. At the end of the day I think comedy is my favorite genre to write in. It is the most fun.

Q: Your most recent film is Ninja Apocalypse, a martial arts film, how do you go about scripting something so action/fight scene heavy?

With Ninja Apocalypse, I did a lot of research reading other scripts that were heavy on the hand to hand fighting scenes, so I had a good idea how to write them.

Q: Which of your films are you proudest of, and why?

I am probably most proud of Man Overboard. With that film, me and my writing partner were heavily involved in raising the money, so we got to keep a lot of the creative control with it. At the end of the day, I’m not sure it’s any better than Dish Dogs, but it is closer to our vision. So it was a great experience for me and I’m proud of the movie that came from it.

Q: And if I ask the same question, but about your unfilmed scripts, does the answer change?

Yes, there are a couple scripts that have never sold which I probably like better than any of the scripts that have sold. For instance, my baseball comedy is dear to my heart. It’s about a guy with no real talent for baseball but he loves it and he has a lot of heart and is persistent as hell and does eventually have some success in the industry.

Q: You advocate writing and making short films, why do you think they are useful?

Short films can help screenwriters in a variety of ways. You can see your material filmed, which is an incredibly educational experience. You can also meet up-and-coming filmmakers, the director, producer, the actors, and the other crew. This can only help you as your career (and theirs develops). It is also a great way to get some credits on IMDb, and then you can use those credits when you pitch your feature material. Also, in many cases the short films will go to film festivals, and if you can win some awards there, then you are an award-winning filmmaker. Again, this can help you when you pitch your other material. Shorts are so easy to make these days, there really is no excuse not to make them.

Q: How do you approach structure in your scripts? Do you follow any particular method?

I do a lot of outlining with my screenplays. I am a big fan of Blake Snyder and his Save the Cat books. He has a beat sheet that is easy to understand and follow, so I will typically do a Blake Snyder Beat Sheet before I start writing any actual screenplay pages.

Q: Do you have a manager/agent? What are your thoughts on them and how to get them?

I do not currently have an agent or a manager. I have a lawyer that I work with to help with negotiating contracts. I think in general writers, especially new writers, spend too much time trying to get an agent and manager. I have always found that it’s easier to get a producer to read your script than a good agent or manager. And if the producer likes it, he might just make the film, which will get you a professional credit and then if the film is good, agents and managers will be coming to you. I have had agents and managers over the course of my career, however every single sale and option has been a direct result of my own screenplay marketing efforts. So keep that in mind, you can sell your scripts without an agent or a manager.

Q: What’s your favorite film? And script, if they’re different.

I think Star Wars (Episode IV) is my favorite film. It had a huge impact on me as a kid and I am now re-watching it with my own children, and to me it holds up incredibly well. I still love it.

Q: What’s the best and worse screenwriting advice you’ve been given?

Probably the best screenwriting advice I was ever given was something like “don’t write a play, right plays.” I think this might be a Tennessee Williams quote. But a lot of screenwriters I run into get too fixated on one project. I think writers need to write a lot and get a lot of material ready and sent out. It’s never going to be perfect so make it the best you can and send it out.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring screenwriters on SimplyScripts?

I think my biggest piece of advice to aspiring screenwriters is to spend more time marketing your screenplays. I often hear from screenwriters who finish a script and send it to one or two contests and when that doesn’t work out, they are demoralized. You have to market a screenplay very, very aggressively to find that one person who believes in it and can make it. So spend as much time marketing your scripts as writing them.

Q: I first came across you due to your podcast, what inspired you to produce this for screenwriters?

I started listening to podcasts a couple of years before I started my own podcast. I still listen to a lot of podcasts now. I think it is a great medium, so I wanted to start one myself. It’s fairly easy to do and it can really impact a lot of people.

Q: And what have been the highlights for you of the shows so far?

I think the highlights from my 100+ shows so far is just hearing all the stories of how people broke into the industry. In many cases it was just a matter of persistence and determination. I hope also, that hearing people talk about their films will make it seem more real to the people who live far from Hollywood and this inspires them to write and market their screenplays. The folks who come on my podcasts are just normal folks like the rest of us. If it happened for them it can happen for you, too.

Q: The Podcasts link to your site www.sellingyourscreenplay.com, what services do you offer?

Selling your screenplay offers a variety of services for screenwriters. We have an email and fax blast service that sends your query letter to thousands of producers, agents and managers. We also have a script analysis service where one of our professional readers will read your script and give you notes on it. We also offer paid screenwriting leads through SYS Select. This is a monthly fee and you get paid screenwriting leads emailed to you several times per week.

Q: I know some of the services are paid for, but you also offer some free email guides and the like, why do you provide so much free content?

We do also offer a lot of free content. We have a free guide, “How to Sell Your Screenplay in Five Weeks,” that you can find at selling sellingyourscreenplay.com/guide. Also the podcast is free. The reason I provide so much free content is really two fold. First, it does give back to the screenwriting community. But also it is a way of marketing our paid services. It is called content marketing. I think this is a great way to market screenwriting services. It is a win – win. Aspiring screenwriters get high quality free content and we get to advertise our paid services. Then, if a screenwriter is ever in the market for our services, hopefully they will consider us.

Q: There are a ton of people out there who offer coverage services, position themselves as guru’s etc, what sets your services apart?

You are correct, there are a ton of other screenwriting services out there. The main thing that sets SYS apart from other services is that it is run by me. I am a working screenwriter. I am optioning and selling screenplays and getting paid writing assignments on a regular basis. So a lot of what I talk about is my experiences. I don’t know of a single other screenwriting service where the person running it is an actual screenwriter with actual screenwriting credits. Hopefully my own experiences can help other people, too.

Q: You provide an email/fax blast to producers, how does this work and have writers who’ve used the service had any success?

The email and fax blast to producers is pretty straightforward. You simply write up a query letter and then we blast it out to the 5000 producers who are on our email and fax blast list. There have been numerous successes from this. I have interviewed some of the folks on the podcast and have had success with it myself. Go to sellingyourscreenplay.com/success to see some first-hand accounts.

Q: You’ve used services yourself like Inktip and The Blacklist. What is your view on this type of model for screenwriters to get their scripts seen, and hopefully picked up?

Correct, I have used InkTip and The Blacklist to market my own screenplays. I think screenwriters should do everything and anything to market their scripts, so InkTip and The Blacklist are great channels to do just that. I have optioned one script through InkTip so I know it can work.

Q: You moved to LA early in your career. What’s your advice to writers contemplating the move and do you think it’s useful?

This is a common question: “do I have to be in Los Angeles to make it as a screenwriter?” The answer is “no,” you do not have to be here. However it makes it a whole lot easier. I interviewed Chris Sparling on the podcast. He wrote the movie Buried starring Ryan Reynolds. He has a successful screenwriting career living far from Los Angeles. So it can be done. But if you live in Los Angeles, there are so many small little benefits it’s hard to even write them all down. You will meet other people in the industry on a regular basis who you can network with. You will be around like-minded people who will push you to get better. Some of your friends will have success right in front of your own eyes, which will inspire you to do better. Living in LA makes a nearly impossible thing just a little easier. And for most of us, we need every little advantage we can get.

Q: You’re very self effacing, you often say things like ‘I write low budget’ and ‘I’m not trying to break in higher’… this seems a very pragmatic approach, is it based on experiences?

Yes, I have pretty much given up on trying to become a big studio level screenwriter. It is a lot of work and while there is a huge upside, in all likelihood you will end up spinning your wheels and wasting your time trying to accomplish this. So I am spending my time writing lower budget genre films, because I know I can get those scripts sold. Ultimately, I do believe that if one of these low-budget genre films is a breakout hit, it would propel me to the next level. So I am trying to minimize my downside as much as possible while still maintaining the potentially huge upside.

Q: Any advice for writers who think they have the next $200 million hit script if they could just get an agent?

Well if you have a larger budgeted screenplay, I think places like The Blacklist and screenplay contests are your best options. The thing about those big studio scripts, despite what people think, they must be really good. And if they are not really good, there is nothing that can be done with them – so you’ve wasted your time writing it. However, if you write something that can be shot on a low budget, even if it’s not really good, you still have a shot at getting it made because at this level, things like budget and cast are bigger considerations than the screenplay.

Q: What projects are you working on now and when can we next expect to see your name on the credits?

I am currently working on a micro budget feature film called The Pinch. I did a kick starter campaign last month and raised a little over $12,000. I have also raised another $15,000, which is basically me putting in money and an actor friend also putting in money. So I am going to shoot the film in July. That will probably be my next credit. Although I did have a few writing assignments last year and optioned some spec scripts, so perhaps one of those will make it into production before The Pinch.

Q: Any final thoughts for the screenwriters of SimplyScripts?

Just keep writing as much as you possibly can. And once you have a few scripts under your belt start trying to market them aggressively.

About the Interviewer, Anthony: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

Michael Kospiah is a screenwriter and playwright based out of NYC. To date, he has two produced off Broadway plays, a Feature (The Suicide Theory) and a Short (The Dead Guy in the Trunk), made thus far.

Now available on Netflix – and highly recommended as an indie gem – The Suicide Theory was made with director Dru Brown and Seven8 Media. So far, it’s won the Grand Jury Award in The Dances With Films Festival. The Dead Guy in the Trunk? Made by Scheffilm Productions in Australia.

Michael is a fellow Simplyscripter and – needless to say – a great example for fellow screenwriters. So we were thrilled when Michael agreed to sit down for a chat. Here’s what was discussed… all details any aspiring scriptwriter should know.

Q: Could you give me a little bit of background on yourself and how you got into screenwriting?

A: Ever since I was a kid, I was huge into movies. Every time I’d go to see a film, it was like an event for me. I actually remember every film I’ve seen in theaters dating back to childhood (I’m pretty sure). But I was into action films mostly; Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Van Damme. Eastwood. A lot of Kung Fu films. Mostly rated “R” movies. Only my mother and my father allowed me to watch rated “R” movies. I still remember my mom taking me to see Lethal Weapon in theaters when I was five or six years old (and it was awesome). However, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. And they were timid about allowing me to see PG-13 films. In fact, they only really allowed me to watch films they watched. Most of them I HATED. But my grandmother in particular was a HUGE Hitchcock fan and allowed me to watch all of his films as well as his TV shows (The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Alfred Hitchcock Presents). She also let me stay up and watch old Twilight Zone episodes. And I thought they were awesome. It introduced me to a whole different genre of film/entertainment that I liked – and it didn’t depend on explosions and hand-to-hand combat. And then I saw “Psycho” when I was 12. And it changed my life. It was so unique. And the twists and psychology of the characters intrigued me. Once I found out that films were written first, I was all about it. It was what I always wanted to do. Soon, I started watching film-films like “Taxi Driver”, “Pulp Fiction”. And those films made a strong impression on me as a young teen, further fostering my desire to write movies. From that point on, I made it a point to watch as many films as I can. I remember writing my first “script” when I was 14. It was a corny creature feature called “Attack of the Killer Groundhogs” that I wanted to film myself with a camcorder my grandmother gave me for my birthday. I remember my mother finding the 20-or-so-page script written on yellow-lined paper and saying something to me about all the profanity… LOL. I wanted to get my friends involved as actors, but at that age, everyone was starting to smoke pot, party, chase girls, etc. In other words, everyone I was friends with was “too cool” for making cheesy films. So, it was a while before I actually started reading actual screenplays and making an effort to learn the craft. Not until I started college.

Q: And how many features, shorts, etc have you written now?

A: Hmmm… I lost count around 25 feature screenplays, and that was a few years ago. I’ve written a few screenplays as a ghostwriter as well that ended up never seeing the light of day (not worth the shitty pay). I’d say about 30 or so feature length scripts and probably around 20 or so shorts. Roughly.

Q: Did you undertake any formal training, courses etc, or just jump in?

A: I did take a screenwriting class in college and did take classes at Gotham Writer’s Workshop in NYC, but the classes never actually showed us, in detail, how to actually write a script. It was more analyzing film and identifying acts, character arc, etc. Which was helpful. And I had read enough scripts to have an idea of what a screenplay looks like. But I remember writing screenplays as a very green “wannabe” writer and posting them on websites like Trigger Street and Zoetrope and getting my ass handed to me by other more experienced writers. And to tell the truth, the harsh criticism really helped me. And the fact that I wanted to be a great writer attracted other kinder writers with more experience than me to help steer me into the right direction (in terms of which books to read, which screenplays to read, guiding me through a lot of the nuances of writing description and action, dialogue, formatting, structuring, hitting the right beats, developing characters, etc). Simply Scripts also has helped me become a better writer. I’ve received some great advice from other writers on here a long time ago when I first started visiting this site (around 2006/2007). And I still get great advice from members (though I don’t frequent the site as much as I’d like to these days).

Q: How did the filming of your script The Suicide Theory come about?

A: Well, I actually posted the script on this site back in 2008 and it received A LOT of feedback, a lot of positive responses. Tons of comments. I started getting a ton of emails from directors and producers. But a lot them wanted me for their own projects based on their ideas. The script was considered a bit too dark by a lot of them to get investors interested in funding the project. But they liked my potential. One of those directors was Dru Brown based out of Australia. We co-wrote a few scripts but nothing really came of them. Meanwhile, I had another director out of the U.K. option The Suicide Theory. And after a few years (including an option extension) I didn’t really see much movement in terms of making this a film. So, I decided to make The Suicide Theory a free agent after the 2nd option expired. Literally, almost a week later, Dru emailed me after a few of our scripts failed to build traction, asking me if The Suicide Theory was still available. And, yeah, that’s how that came about.

Q: How can people see The Suicide Theory?

A: Right now, it’s available in the United States on Netflix, Amazon and Itunes. It’s also still available to rent on demand on most cable outlets (Cablevision, Time Warner, DirecTV, etc).

Q: And your short, The Dead Guy in the Trunk, how did the film maker find you and the script?

A: Again, the script was discovered on Simply Scripts a few years back by director/producer Lucas Scheffel (again, out of Australia), who I ended up becoming friends with. Good guy.

Q: Dead Guy is a great little short – really well shot, any more in the pipeline?

A: I took a little break for a while. The business end can be a little taxing mentally. But I usually focus more on features. Though I’m sure I’ll come up with a few more shorts here and there. That year that “Dead Guy” was found, I actually wrote four other shorts and sold three of them. Yet, only “Dead Guy” ended up getting made. We’ll see what happens.

Q: Have you used services like Inktip and The Blacklist? What’s your view on this type of model for screenwriters to get their scripts seen, and hopefully picked up?

A: I used Inktip a very long time ago (like about 10 years ago) and got nothing out of it. Though that may be because I wasn’t quite there yet as a writer in terms of skill level and “selling” my story. I am thinking of joining again, giving it another whirl now that I have experience. I’ve heard good and bad things about The Blacklist. Never tried it. I understand, on top of the monthly fee, you have to spend additional money to get reviews. And the script only gets sent out if you receive a score of 8 or more by the reviewer. Or something like that. My advice is, if you have the money to spend and you think it gives you a nice shot at exposure, then shell out the dough. But I would make sure that the script is in great shape before investing that type of money. I would even send it out to a few well-received coverage services first. If you don’t have the money for that, websites like Simply Scripts and Script Shadow help (if you can get through to Amateur Fridays – haven’t visited Script Shadow lately, not sure if they still do that or not). Just get as much feedback as possible from writers you believe have a decent background.

Q: Have you used, and if so what are your thoughts on notes and coverage services?

A: Absolutely. Of course, I’ve used notes from review sites as Triggerstreet, Zoetrope and Simply Scripts (all free, although I don’t think Triggerstreet does that anymore). And I have paid for coverage services in the past and they were mostly helpful. These days, I have a lot of seasoned and successful screenwriting pals that I trust. Though I would definitely consider a coverage service if needed. And if the prices were reasonable and the company had a good word-of-mouth thing going for it.

Q: And have you entered and/or won any screenwriting competitions? What are your thoughts on competitions in general?

A: I have never entered a screenwriting competition before. Maybe I’m just a cheap bastard. But I do have mixed feelings about competitions in general. I had a hard time trusting the process, especially getting past some of their readers in order be seen by the industry pros. One of the things I question with a lot of the readers for these competitions is their qualifications. Last thing I want to do is pour my heart and soul out into the script just to get turned away by a college intern. But, I’ve heard good things with a few competitions (PAGE, Final Draft’s Big Break, Austin Film Festival, American Zoetrope and, of course, Nicholl’s). I may consider entering one of these things soon. Whatever helps get you more exposure, I suppose.

Q: How do you approach structure in your scripts? Do you follow any particular method?

A: It depends on what kind of story I’m going for. I wrote a stream-of-conscious kind of story with a heightened sense of reality (ala David Lynch), so obviously, the structure isn’t as A-B-C as it would be in other, more conventional stories. The Blake Snyder beat sheet can be a good one to follow in terms of structuring a script, but I feel it can be limiting if you just stick to that and that alone. If I’m writing something more “conventional”, that beat sheet comes in handy. It also depends on what my character’s goals are, too. I don’t know, structuring a screenplay to me is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle or doing a crossword. I just try to fit the pieces together in the best way possible. I usually have my characters in mind first. Yes, your characters are VERY important. But once I truly get to know my characters, they tend to take me where I need to go regardless of what I had outlined. As I write the script, I often times find myself rewriting the outline along the way. And my outlines aren’t usually that detail oriented because of that. I’ll include scenes I have in mind, write down what I want to accomplish in each scene, some imagery I’d like to include, motifs, meaning, etc. But I try to keep it basic. The characters ultimately, at least with me, dictate where my story goes.

Q: What projects are you working on now and when can we next expect to see your name on the credits?

A: I’m working on a horror feature right now. One of my favorite sub-genres of horror – home invasion. Trying to put my own twist on it, make it unique yet viable. I also have a “passion project” of sorts in the pipeline. I’m at about page 20 with that one and have been stuck there for a bit. That one will take some time.

Now onto some more general questions.

Q: Do you have a favourite film genre?

A: My favorite genre to write is probably suspense. I gravitate towards darker material. It used to be crime-drama. Over the years, it’s kind of blended together in my style. My favorite to watch is horror. I’m working on my first horror feature right now. I’ve tried writing horror before, but it’s always turned into a drama or suspense film with elements of horror. I tend to blend genres in stories I write without noticing it.

Q: What’s your favourite film? And script, if they’re different.

A: My favorite film is Taxi Driver. Just ahead of Psycho. Barely. Taxi Driver influences more of my writing. I’ve always been drawn to the flawed “hero” or “anti-hero”. Because that’s how I’ve always seen myself; flawed with good intentions. I think a lot of people see themselves that way. I guess that’s why so many people identified with the Travis Bickle character. Everybody has their moments of social ineptitude. Everybody knows what it’s like to be lonely and awkward. And it was unlike any other film I’ve seen up that point when I was 12-13 years old. Mainly because there really was no plot. And I fucking LOVED that. It was a journey into madness. This guy was obviously whacked, his perception of reality skewed. But we’re seeing this world through his eyes. And, for some reason, we kind of understand his behavior. And that frightens us in a way. Yet, we root for the guy. Just a great, great film. It’s probably my favorite script, too – I love Paul Schrader! But, to mix things up a bit, I’ll throw out the screenplay for “Sideways”. I loved the movie, but I read the screenplay first and actually thought the script was better. And it was just so expertly written. I was in my early 20s when I read it, still trying to find my stride as a writer. And it REALLY helped me with formatting, learning how to write brief yet effective description and action and making the page actually look good (white space, 1-3 line action/description paragraphs, when to jump to another paragraph). Yes the film was fine, I loved the bookends (someone knocking on his door at the beginning, him knocking on the love interest’s door at the end) and it had a lot to offer structurally and with character arcs, character relationships, all of that. But the script really helped me learn how to actually WRITE a script.

Q: What’s the best and worse screenwriting/film making advice you’ve been given?

A: The worst I’ve ever given is to quit – LOL. It can be frustrating. The hardest part is after you’ve finished writing the script (up until it’s on the screen, it’s never really finished). The business end can be extremely frustrating. It takes a lot of patience, not just selling your product, but once the product is sold. There is a lot of waiting involved. The best advice I’ve given is to keep writing. Find your voice, find what you’re GREAT at (not just good) and stick with that. Not to say you should only write in one genre or write about one thing all the time. But stick to things you are passionate about. And if you’re writing for hire, find something that in that story you can relate to and be passionate about. It’s easy to spot a script without heart.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring screenwriters on SimplyScripts?

A: Keep improving upon your craft. Get good advice. Find other like-minded writers such as yourself and surround yourself with them. Make as many connections as possible. Always keep learning and be willing to learn. Have confidence in yourself but know what your skill level is and keep improving upon that. Always get as much feedback as possible. From trusted peers. Peers you don’t trust. And if you have the money, shell out the dough for coverage services. Enter as many screenwriting competitions as possible. That’s one thing I wished I would have done more (and something I’m considering doing more of in the future). The only way you become something in this industry is if you’re noticed. Exposure is important. Yes, there is a lot of luck involved but you have to create your own luck. Be seen, be heard. I had a film out in theaters here in the United States (albeit select theaters for a limited time) and I STILL don’t have an agent or a manager. Having a produced film isn’t enough. Send out queries to reputable agents, managers and producers. But make sure your script is top notch. You only get one chance to make a first impression. A good script is not good enough. And, most of all… keep writing.

Q: Any thoughts on the Oscar contenders?

A: I’m always excited about the Oscars. Some good films this year although nothing I’ve seen is as good as last year’s “Whiplash”. “The Revenant” was solid. Great acting. That’s my pick for Best Picture. I was disappointed “Straight Outta Compton”, “Ex Machina” and “Creed” weren’t nominated for Best Picture. “Creed” was my favorite film of the year, but I’m a Philly boy at heart and huge “Rocky” fan, so I’m biased. Hoping Stallone grabs that Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He was phenomenal.

Q: Any final thoughts for the screenwriters of SimplyScripts?

A: This is a great site for writers of all skill levels. Take advantage of the resources this website offers… for free! Every time I’ve done Q and A’s with audiences, I’ve always mentioned this website. It’s a great learning tool… if you stay active in the community. Read scripts, meet other writers. I’ve met a lot of great writers AND great people on here that I’m proud to say I’m friends with outside of this site.

ABOUT INTERVIEWER ANTHONY CAWOOD: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at http://www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

ABOUT THE WRITER:

Well, we think the above information is pretty much a GREAT intro to Michael. 

But if you’re an agent, managing company, or director looking for your next writing star, you might VERY WELL want to drop Michael K. a line at spesh2k “AT” msn!

And for yet more juicy details…

Michael J. Kospiah is an award-winning screenwriter and playwright who began his career as a sports columnist for several newspapers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. With 15 years experience, he has worked as a ghostwriter, script consultant, script doctor and has collaborated with filmmakers from all over the world. His first-produced feature film “The Suicide Theory” had its world premiere at the prestigious TCL Chinese Theaters on Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California in 2014. After winning several awards on the festival circuit (Dances With Films Festival – Grand Jury Prize, Austin Film Festival – Audience Award, Melbourne Underground FF – Special Jury Prize), the film was picked up for distribution in U.S. and Canada via Freestyle Releasing and received a brief run in select theaters while available (and still available) On Demand through most major cable outlets (also on Netflix). The film was listed #5 on theguardian.com’s Top 10 Australian Films list for 2015 and is currently rated 76% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Visit his website – MikeyWritesMovies.com

You can visit his IMDB page here  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5414625/ and reach him via email at spesh2k “AT” msn.com.

Link for Mike’s Twitter Page: @spesh2k https://twitter.com/spesh2k

Link for The Suicide Theory trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eaXXOKJvtg

Steven Prowse – Get to know him, love him – and be real jealous!

Interviewed by own Anthony Cawood

Today we’ve the pleasure of interviewing Steven Prowse, who was good enough to answer my questions, both insightful and inane!

Steven has placed in over 130 competitions, winning 25 in the process with numerous quarter and semi final places to boot… he’s also just optioned a true WWII feature for a mid six figure sum to Hollywood!

To super-glue a smile to everyone’s faces, please take a look at dear Mr. Prowse’s IMDB page.

Trust us – this is a guy you want to have burned into your synapses. In a very good way…

Q: Could you give me a little bit of background on yourself and how you got into screenwriting?

A: In my teens I was a math geek who hated English. English was way too subjective for my tastes. But I was somehow awarded a Scholarship to Cambridge University to read Math. After that I fell into accounting (this is where you start to feel sad for me) and am currently at CFO level (maybe not so sad). I’ve also played bridge at international level. So there was nothing in my history to suggest I would, could or should ever write.

However, in 1999 I took a year sabbatical and quickly became bored. One can only watch so much daytime TV before one’s IQ starts bleeding through the eyes. One random shopping trip I decided to challenge myself, and all I could think of was to write a novel. English – my nemesis. By the time I arrived home I had the first and last chapters pretty much verbatim, but it took almost the full year to connect the dots.

As research, it included personal tours of the White House, the DoJ Building and the main FBI Building. This was pre 9/11 – I’m not sure such accommodation would be granted now. It also involved getting some FBI agents drunk. Did they really think they could compete with a writer? I learned so much those two nights – especially on the second night when they brought in the professional drinkers. Their loss. My gain. Oh how they’ll talk!

It turned out, to my utter surprise, that I thoroughly enjoyed the writing process, with or without alcohol. The novel, like 98% of written novels, has never been published, though I am tempted to e-publish it myself next year. I never set out to have it published in any case – it was just to keep the brain cogs turning.

After the sabbatical, back to work for another twelve years before taking another sabbatical. I wanted to write again but didn’t fancy a whole novel – quite the investment. I remember snapping at one-too-many movies where it appeared the script had been written by a computer which had simply taken another script and moved some of the words and scenes around. I can’t even remember if it was an action movie or a rom-com.

Screenplays it was then. I preferred it in any case as there is no inner monologue and you don’t take a page describing the scenery. As a result, they are smaller projects (usually around 15-20% of the number of words of a novel), so one can have more variety in a year with different projects. Hence the plethora of screenplays out there floating on the internet vying for attention.

Q: And how many features, shorts etc have you written now?

A: Other than the novel in 1999, I wrote five features in 2013, one based on the novel: a Mel Brooks satire of all things Hollywood, an FBI Procedural, a medieval horror, a true WW2 story, and a low-budget children’s movie. The rest of my spare time since then has been spent revising and editing them – a never-ending process.

I have written a premise for a TV show which has won a first and second place, but I have yet to develop it.

I also have in my head a hopefully compelling and unique 7-hour TV drama. I’ve written down a detailed synopsis, the beats for each episode, but have yet to commit myself to actually writing it in full. If I can garner success with the other projects I have invested so much time, energy and passion into, then maybe I’ll pick it up. I’ve dreamt every episode. I’ve got to the stage where I refuse to expend any more energy on screenwriting, despite the successes.

Q: Did you undertake any formal training, courses or just jump in?

A: Warren Buffet once advised never to test the depth of the water with both feet. What does that billionaire know about anything? I ignored that and jumped straight in.

Q: Any advice for beginner screenwriters based on what you learnt with your first few scripts?

A: Please note that any answers I give forthwith (and above) are based on two-and-a-half years of intensive competition entries. Despite any successes, a certain amount of jaded, tired ennui will seep through. Please filter accordingly.

Feedback, patience and a thick skin rule in equal measure. Do not think your first scripts, and certainly not the first drafts of any scripts, are any good. 99.9% of the time they won’t be. The temptation once the wonderful first draft is done is to throw it and money into competitions and sit back vaingloriously awaiting the inevitable praise and offers that will come your way.

Send it to friends who will be truthful with you. Spend some money on independent reviews, even if they only offer feedback of a few pages. It will be cash well spent in the long run. Enter it in competitions that also provide this service as part of the entrance fee if you like. As I said, English is subjective and there is nothing worse than yourself appraising your own work.

Also, be careful over the first few scripts not to inject your personal favorite sayings, phrases and habits in different scripts. It’s an easy unconscious slip. Always focus on producing different, defined characters that are not similar cuttings of you.

Q: You are massively successful in screenwriting competitions, I think I counted 25 outright wins for all five features, plus nine 2nds and over a hundred official selections. What prompted you to go the competition route?

A: Exposure. Being a first-time screenwriter it was the only way to attract any attention from agents, managers or producers. The spam query letter, despite it being professionally sculptured, rarely (if ever) succeeds, not even with boutique companies.

Q: How did you assess and select the competitions you entered?

A: At the beginning I didn’t. It was pretty much a costly scatter-gun approach – the competition version of a spam query letter. Of course, I did the research and found out the top competitions and entered them but, in the beginning trying to get placings on my CV, it was a question of width rather than quality. I pretty much entered everything. There was also the hope of a quick placing for my own comfort that I must be doing *something* right. Many screenwriters do this. We are insecure.

Of course, as the placings and wins started to mount up I had the width, so quality became more important. Enter Phase II. Now I tend to avoid the pure internet-based competitions. There are some good ones out there that are not connected with a land-based film festival, but most are worthless by name, just by number. Now I research the history of the competition (I never enter a competition in its first year – it almost certainly won’t carry any weight), try to find comments from previous entrants, etc, etc.

Q: What’s the biggest you’ve won in your opinion?

A: A trickier question than one might think. In terms of potential exposure, it would have to be the long-running and popular Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival for the true WW2 story. Not only did it win Best Historical Screenplay, but was awarded a Special Jury Award as well. Potential exposure, yes, but nothing came of it.

In terms of ‘biggest’ from a personal point of view, and possibly the biggest surprise, it would have to be Best Screenplay for the same true WW2 story from the Female Eye Film Festival based in Toronto. This festival focuses on the advancement of women as directors, screenwriters and actors. I was lucky enough to attend last year and the dedication they spend trying to promote women at all levels in the industry is quite awe-inspiring.

Come the awards ceremony, I obviously did not expect to win, even though the script focuses on the true story of an all-woman air-regiment that basically bombed the crap out of the German forces, and the battles to have the regiment formed in the first place. No one with male genitalia had won in any category in its twelve year history. Yet I did. I really wish I had refrained from Writers’ Drink before the acceptance speech…

Q: What’s your favorite competition and why?

That’s an easy one. ReelHeART, based in Toronto. The enthusiasm and energy of the organizer, Shannonn Kelly, the fact that the top three nominated scripts get a full table read (an invaluable experience), the fact that unpaid actors rehearse these scripts time and time again and that they are integral to the whole festival…it just energizes you to a level you never thought you could attain.

Q: And what have you learnt from your incredible run in competitions?

To be honest, that most competitions (the internet ones) are there simply to make money from wannabe screenwriters like myself and do not care for their career. Skimming the market. Many boast great judges, great connections and that the winning script will be sent to their contacts. Maybe that is kosher, maybe it is not. Who can tell? But most agents / managers / producers will not have heard of these competitions nor care. As I said, there are exceptions of course.

But it’s a symbiotic relationship. I accepted most were not worth a damn but wanted some sort of recognition, any recognition, and wanted to build up that list as well. And it worked – like getting letters after your name from a bogus on-line university. I finally got noticed not by an agent, but by Network ISA as you mention later.

You say it is an incredible run, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. I really can’t tell. Although I have a large number of wins / placings, for every one of those there are three competitions I failed to place in. Given the average number of scripts entered into a competition is around 600, perhaps a 25% success rate is something, I guess. With a machine gun in a crowd, you’re bound to hit some.

Also, as I said, grow a thick thin is a rule. There are several competitions I have entered that, given previous successes, I was a shoe-in for. Yet I never reached the first round. English. Subjective.

Q: Have the competitions themselves given you options/sales etc?

Nothing. Just USD 700 in cash, a few trophies, a few certificates, and many e-mailed jpgs saying ‘Winner’.

Q: I believe the volume and consistency of the competition successes brought you to the attention of the development team at Network ISA, how did that play out?

There are several websites out there that promote the concept that agents / managers / producers regularly scour them looking for the Next Best Thing, but there are rare successes. Interestingly, more than one website lay claim that Snow White And The Huntsman, which sold for over USD 3m due to a new overly-ambitious studio head at the time, was because the script was on their website. It was on many websites. Be wary of that.

Unless it’s a micro-budget, do not expect any interest. Obviously there are many, many exceptions, but just prepare yourself for a lack of interest. As I said, a thick-skin is one of the rulers. Chip, chip, chip away. Do not expect Thor’s Hammer with one mighty blow, no matter how good you think your script is.

On Network ISA however, instead of being just a dating site / data dump / hosting site like Blacklist and most others, they have a spot-the-potential (‘Development’) team headed by Max Timm that search through what is registered on their database, search through the post-your-success page, spot the potentials and then pro-actively engage to make the script and log-line better and then send it out to their contacts.

Now a lot of their post-your-success page is “I reached the quarter-final of something you might have heard of!” Well whoopee-do. I hate to say it, but nobody cares. Luckily, because of my costly scatter-gun approach, the number of wins and official selections became very high and as a result I became noticed by the Development Team. The investment in insignificant competitions worked – at least for me. Like everything in commerce, the success of a product is a mixture of how inherently good it is and the marketing campaign. I can only comment on my own approach.

Q: What have they done for you so far?

A: Max sent the script to a Hollywood studio, and after several months, it is now optioned for a mid-six figure amount.

Max has also helped on loglines for the other projects, and introduced me to an agent who, free of charge, helped out with the negotiations for the option as noted above. Wow.

I still don’t have an agent of manager, despite the success, so my only message to the audience is not to expect to get one.

Q: I understand it’s an invitation only scheme the ISA run, any tips for getting the invite?

A: Simply do enough to get noticed. Network ISA is a “tell us what you’ve achieved in competitions” database as opposed to the other more simplified “Here’s my screenplay and my log-line” dating databases that freckle and infest the internet. It turned out that my approach to competitions and their looking for potential was a perfect storm. It won’t work for everyone, it just happened to work for me.

Q: You are a ‘mature’ screenwriter and have come to the industry relatively late, do you think that helped or hindered?

A: Age only seems significant if one is a female actor. There are many reasons screenwriters rarely appear in front of the camera. Age is just one of them. I, for example, have the perfect face for radio.

Q: One of your recent, multi-award winning, screenplays has been optioned by Hollywood for a significant fee, what can you tell us about the screenplay?

A: Right now, female-led scripts are at the fore. They are looking to make The Expendabelles as a parallel to The Expendables, as an example.

There was a project for this true story about 15 years ago, but that script parachuted in a male, US lead to make it commercial, but luckily that plane never took off. Hearing about this aborted take-off of the actual facts, is what spurred me to write my own commercial version with as little distortion from the truth as possible. These women earned that. Here’s the log-line:

“With wood and canvas biplanes, no radio, no lights, no defenses and no parachutes, just bombs, these WW2 Soviet pilots terrorized the German front line night after night. They just happened to be women. A true story.”

To be honest, because I tried to deviate from the truth as little as possible, I feel more like an editor rather than a screenwriter. There was so much I needed to embellish, so much heroism I needed to cut, in order to get the big picture (pun intended) across to make it cinematic and therefore share the diluted truth with the maximum audience. I just hope I did them justice in the long run and that the equation worked.

Q: You’ve written a number of screenplays, what do you think set this one apart?

A: A multi-women action lead, where the women are not defined by how men perceive them? Priceless. It’s time is now. Prior to that…well you had Ripley solo in the Alien franchise, a few women in horror sequels, but that was pretty much it. The emphasis on ‘pretty’.

Q: And how did the option come about?

As mentioned, the Development team at Network ISA noticed the continuing successes of the WW2 story, as well as my other projects, and got in touch.

Q: Did you need or use an agent to negotiate?

Initially I used a lawyer in the UK, but he turned out to be as helpful as a one-armed wallpaper hanger. Luckily Max Timm introduced me to an agent friend of his who gave great advice at no cost re negotiations, which ultimately I handled myself. As a seasoned CFO making all sorts of third-party agreements, I hope I manged to avoid most of the traps.

Q: What’s the current status of the project?

A: Early days. No financing, directors nor cast in place yet. As to how many options are turned into films I have no idea. Watch this space.

Q: What have you learnt through the process?

A: Count to 10. Then learn how to count to 1,000.

Q: Any interest in your other projects as a result of your first option?

A: As you may have noticed, the title of the option has not been publicized anywhere, not even in this interview. No doubt it’s easily discoverable with Google, but the production company does not want it as yet actively advertised.

Somewhat frustrating both for me personally and Network ISA’s Development Team, but it does mean there is yet to be a cascade of dominos.

Q: Have you used, and if so what are your thoughts on notes and coverage services?

A: I have only used them as part of a competition – never in its own right. Perhaps that approach is a mistake in hindsight. Overall though, I would say costly, an investment, but invaluable. Many sites seem to have feedback generated by a computer. “Where’s the character arc for person #3? According to Save The Cat (“STC”) this plot point should be a page earlier”. Ack. Many really take the time and invest in your project. Many churn it out unthinkingly. It truly depends on the particular judge you get on the particular website. Despite any advertising by websites, it is a throw of the die.

I hate STC (Google “Save The Cat”). It should have been killed 4.5 times according to Schrödinger. One should write by wrote, not rote. Personally, I would have bombed the f***er and left no doubt.

Q: And do you use these if available in the competitions you enter?

Not now, but I have come to the end of my competition entries. See above.

Q: Do you have a favorite genre?

No, but I have ‘unfavorite’ ones. I will never do a straight relationship kitchen-sink drama for example. Nor I will not entertain a screenplay that deals with a person’s spiral into decay. If I want disappointment and anxiety in my life, I’ll use my memory. Some use screenwriting as a cathartic experience, I use it to fly with possibilities from a lighter platform.

I will only do screenplays where there are multiple beats where the audience gets warm / fuzzy / I should have seen that coming, dammit / LOL moments. In other words, entertainment as opposed to a journey. Commercial? Perhaps, but that’s me. Every writer has their own personal landscape the audience doesn’t see. That just happens to be mine.

Q: How do you approach structure in your scripts? Do you follow any particular method?

A: For me, and only me, let it mull / ferment / mature for a month. Patience. Write down the clever phrases, the beats, the pay-offs (along with earlier moments leading to it), the profound, anything that comes to mind or in the middle of the night.

*Only* then start to write it. Copy / paste in your ideas above wherever they fit into the script.

What you end up with is a movie through your own eyes. Almost certainly not commercially viable – audience of one. If you want your project to be shared, ie. viewed by others, you now need to take a long time, step back, and re-write it from the perspective of the audience. This I think is the hardest part of the writing process. Try your best to turn it from subjective to objective. Much of “self” needs to be discarded.

STC is pretty much the rule book for screenwriting for the machine-industry and, for me, is the most insidious thing ever written. Most people in the industry, overwhelmed by wannabees like me (screenwriting is easy!), simply use this as a rule book almost like a spam filter rather than seeing the underlying structure and story.

The scripts that stand out are the ones that do not follow the STC formula, yet to break into the industry you must be seen as a relatively risk-free investment – in other words you followed STC. Quite exasperating.

Q: What’s your favourite film? And script, if they’re different.

A: Film? Script? Luckily the same answer. Once Upon A Time In America. Not the butchered cinematic version that cut an hour, but the full version now available everywhere.

To make gangsters sympathetic characters is one of the greatest achievements in screenwriting and it is no surprise there were more than seven people involved in the screenplay.

The direction, the art direction, the cinematography, the acting and the music – rarely has it come together so well. The fact that the screenplay cuts back and forth between different decades without insulting the audience is an extra boon.

Q: What’s the best and worse screenwriting advice you’ve been given?

The worst? “Write for yourself” – you’ll have an audience of one. The best? Patience, think of the audience, and never think a screenplay is finished.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring screenwriters on SimplyScripts?

A: To anyone, persevere. Expect blocked walls. Try to step back from your first draft. Get, welcome, and respond to feedback.

Q: Any advice for writers who think they have the next $500 million hit script if they could just get an agent/make a connection?

A: Think again, you arrogant self-absorbed fool.

Q: What projects are you working on now and when can next expect to see your name on the credits?

A: Nothing as of now.

Q: Any final thoughts for the screenwriters of SimplyScripts?

A: There is no right answer, no correct path. All I have done is to explain the footsteps *I* took. I only have experience to give you with only a little wisdom. I doubt anyone can give general wisdom in this field.

– Steve (Editor’s note: we’d add “love and kisses” Steve. But we figure we’ll leave that up to him!) 🙂

About reviewer Anthony Cawood: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

Marnie Mitchell Lister sat down with Bob Thielke, a scriptwriter that’s not only written an adaptation of The Virginian (with Ron Perlman and Victoria Pratt), but also penned Lonesome Dove Church, starring Tom Berenger. Bob’s got a lot of experience to share… and he’s not afraid to do it here.

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M: Hi Bob. Thanks for agreeing to answer some questions for us here at Simply Scripts.

B: Totally my pleasure, Marnie. I always enjoy talking to you.

M: I guess the best place to start is, when/how did you get into screenwriting?

B: Well, it all started with DUDE WHERE’S MY CAR. Actually it didn’t, but that’s what I like to tell people. Honestly, growing up I never had any grand design to write for a living, but I was always a very creative storyteller, at first mostly to my mom and dad to get out of trouble. Here and there I dabbled in writing short stories for my company newsletter and people seemed to find them funny. In 2004 I saw a story about this little venture Kevin Spacey was undertaking called Triggerstreet and it really interested me. I’d never thought about screenwriting because I figured not living in California, it’d be impossible. But with this new fangled internet, it seemed like that was no longer a barrier. Anyways, my new year’s resolution for 2005 was to write a screenplay and upload it onto Triggerstreet to see what would happen…and the rest, as they say is history.

M: Speaking of Triggerstreet, that’s where we met, way back when, over ten years ago. How important do you think sites like Triggerstreet and Simply Scripts are, as far as helping people become better writers? And, how did it help you?

B: Ten YEARS AGO!?! Maybe nine years ago, don’t try to make me feel old. Oh gosh, these types of sites are amazing for new writers. I learned so much by participating on Triggerstreet. From basics like formatting to some really subtle stuff like how to work scene transitions and how to create subtext in your dialogue. I’d truly recommend it for anyone who wants to really learn how to write. And it was great too, for making contacts, I’ve met writers, producers, actors, directors on that site. For several years, I referred to it as a modern day Chautauqua for moviemakers, where hungry, talented, and thoughtful people could gather and talk about film, review each other’s work, and really get better at the craft. I still have several friends from my days on Triggerstreet, like you Marnie, who continually push me to improve.

M: I hate to break it to you…you must be old because it’s definitely been ten years. For those of you who don’t know, Bob wrote an adaptation of The Virginian that was released on DVD in January 2014, which starred Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) and Trace Adkins (The Lincoln Lawyer). How did it feel….watching a feature you wrote with actors like Perlman and Adkins speaking your lines?

B: Thanks for the plug, still available at Walmart and on Amazon. It felt…really odd watching it the first time. Thankfully the film followed the script at least 95% of the time, but every time something was different, it was like a needle screeching across a record player (think a CD skipping for those of you too young to remember vinyl). Naturally, I felt really proud and it was definitely a thrilling moment to hear your words in a film for the first time. It’s interesting, but I’ve only watched the movie twice. I enjoyed it much more the second time, because I could just watch the darn thing. The first time, I was also really apprehensive that it would stink. But it was a decent movie for a low budget western.

M: Well, we’ve watched it at least five times in my house. So, The Virginian has been adapted many times before. It was even a TV series. You obviously read the book, but did you watch any or all of the adaptations to make sure yours had an original spin? And how hard was it to come up with something fresh?

B: I specifically made a point not to watch anything else remotely associated with the Virginian. I didn’t want to subconsciously take anything from the previous versions. Ironically, the biggest complaint I ever heard about the film was that it wasn’t enough like the TV series. When I read the novel, it certainly had a certain feel that fit with 1905. I wanted to have it be relevant to our times in some way, so I was looking for ways to rework some of the story and character elements to make it more topical. For example, the way Native Americans were portrayed in the novel was definitely not in tune with today’s sensibilities. As it happens, I wrote this around the time of the OCCUPY movement so I changed some of the story elements around to reflect that type of civil unrest with the balance of wealth and how there’s this perception, or truth, that the powerful get to write the rules. Really, that’s a universal truth regardless of the time or the society. So that was my new take on the Virginian. It wasn’t really hard to come up with that new approach. A good writer has to keep their eyes and ears open to the human condition, regardless of the subject.

M: How many rewrites did it take before final approval? Were you asked to change anything after production started?

B: Seemed like about three major rewrites and lots of tweaks. I probably sent them ten different drafts. Most of those were to accommodate budget concerns. I had this really awesome Gatling gun versus dynamite fight that everyone loved, but alas it had to be taken out because apparently blowing stuff up is really expensive.

M: I remember that scene in one of your later drafts. It was pretty epic. Save it for your next Western since you seem to be bringing the genre back. So, after seeing the finished product, is there anything you’d do differently? What lessons did you learn?

B: Well, if I knew how important writing to a budget was I’d have made a more conscious effort to do that upfront, it might have saved me a couple of drafts. I learned a lot about how to collaborate with other people, and I also learned how important it is to write to your budget.

M: You have another feature scheduled to be released by Lions Gate, “Lonesome Dove Church”. This one is an original screenplay and stars Academy Award nominee, Tom Berenger. Pretty awesome I must say. I couldn’t help but notice, both of these films were produced by the Nassar brothers (Jack & Joseph), who have a pretty long list of produced features. How did you hook up with these guys?

B: We talked earlier about the contacts I made at Triggerstreet. Dan Benamor, who was their Head of Development at the time, read a script I wrote called PRINCIPLES OF BUOYANCY on Triggerstreet. The script is somewhat Advant Garde (French for “out there”), but apparently he enjoyed it quite a bit and asked me if I’d be interested in developing a western for them. It was a little bit of a risk because I only got paid if it went into production. A lot of people wouldn’t take that deal. But I figured I was already working for free, so the chance of a payout was worth it. Also the chance to do an adaptation was important for me, because it seems like that was where most writing assignments that turn into major films come about.

M: I have to comment on PRINCIPLES OF BUOYANCY. By far one of the most beautifully written screenplays I’ve ever read. And I’ve read lots. Back to “Lonesome Dove Church”. Is there anything you can tell us about this project? About the story and/or writing process?

B: I’m not sure what I can or can’t say. But it’s based on the founding of the actual Lonesome Dove Baptist Church in Grapevine, Texas. Writing this one was a dream. I was given some material to research about the founding of the church and then developed an outline of a story that was reviewed with a couple little changes. I developed the first draft off that and honestly, only had about two or three days of changes and that was the last I worked on it. Apparently the director made a few changes, but I don’t have any idea what they were or how they turned out.

M: Now, to help dispel some myths…do you have an agent or manager?

B: I sure don’t. I’d love to get a good one, so if anyone knows of one let me know!! I’ve had friends who’ve had agents or manager and they’ve grown frustrated with them because they weren’t bringing in work. I think they’d be helpful to get really good deals or for getting work on bigger projects, but as you can see you can still get work without one.

M: Do you live in California?

B: No, I live in Colorado where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.

M: Do you have a degree in screenwriting?

B: Sorry to say no so often, but no. I have a degree in Chemical Engineering which is about as diametrically opposed to screenwriting as you can get.

M: Have you won any major screenwriting contests?

B: I haven’t won any contests, but I have placed in the quarterfinals of Nicholls a couple of times and I have a couple quarterfinal scripts in the BlueCat and Big Break Semi Finals with my good friend David Muhlfelder on other projects.

M: There you have it kids. You don’t need any of those things to be a successful screenwriter! So Bob, what would your advice be to other aspiring screenwriters who hope to see their work on the big screen?

B: Don’t ever give up and don’t ever stop improving. If you give up, all those people that told you it was a foolish dream have won. Don’t ever give up.

M: Can you tell us what are you working on now? Or any completed works you’re currently peddling?

B: Well, as I mentioned, David Muhlfelder and I have finished a script that is a satire about all this second amendment and open carry nonsense going on in the news these days. We’re aiming for Paddy Chayefsky type satire, of course we’ll fall short, because that man was amazing. I can’t tell you the name of the current title because it has a bad word in it. We’re looking for a new title for it that will be able to be on movie posters. This one is being considered by a couple agencies and was just announced as a quarterfinalist in the Big Break Contest. I’m also writing a third feature for the Nassers, this one is set in the middle east and features Arabian horses. We’re closed to finished, but still have a ways to go before it goes into production. And last, but certainly not least, I talked this really hot Jersey babe into writing a psycho-sexual serial killer thriller with me. We’re still working on the outline, which I promise to get to you this week (oops, I let that slip).

M: What kind of movies do you like watching? What are some of your faves?

B: I love intriguing dramas and smart action movies. I love what Marvel Studios have been doing especially Guardians of the Galaxy. Because I have a teenage daughter who loves to read, we watch a lot of these movies based on them, like Hunger Games, The Giver, and Divergent. I mostly enjoy them, but I’m a little too old for some of those teen angst moments that come up. I’d love to love comedies, but I just don’t think there’s been that many funny ones lately. All time, my favorite movie is Godfather II with Groundhog Day close behind.

M: Okay. Last question. When do you think you’ll put a photo on your IMDb page? I mean, you have two big writing credits up there. Are you trying to be mysterious, humble? What gives?

B: I’m too ugly for IMDb.

M: LOL. Not at all true. Thank you for your time, my friend. The link to Bob’s IMDb page, minus his ugly mug:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5631171/

ALL ABOUT BOB:

Bob Thielke penned “The Virginian”, released in January 2014, an adaption of the novel of the same name by Owen Wister. This gritty western stars country music superstar, Trace Adkins and screen legend, Ron Perlman. Bob also wrote “Lonesome Dove Church”, scheduled for release later in 2014 by Lionsgate. It stars Oscar nominee Tom Berenger and up-and-comer Greyston Holt. Bob is currently working on several projects including a family adventure script involving Arabian horses set in the early 20th century. In addition to his produced credits, Bob has completed fourteen original scripts ranging from comedies to epic historical dramas. Two of his original scripts have recently been optioned – “Trinity”, a biopic of the controversial father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer and “Frat Boys from Outer Space”, a farcical look at Greek life through the eyes of two happy-go-lucky aliens. Bob has also been a multiple quarterfinalist in the prestigious Nichols screenplay competition with a screenplay entitled “Principles of Buoyancy”, about a man stranded behind the Berlin Wall who discovers the only way back to his beloved is by doing the one thing he’s good at – being a clown.

When Bob is not screenwriting, he works at his day job as a Nuclear Waste Facility Inspector for a federal government contractor. Bob’s choice in career has given him the opportunity to travel all over the country and get to know individuals from all walks of life, colorful characters that give him rich material to work with in developing his own characters. Raised in Denver, Colorado, Bob continues to live there with his wife and two creative teenage daughters.​

ABOUT MARNIE:

Having completed 9 features and 60+ shorts, Marnie Mitchell-Lister has no plans on stopping. With awards getting bigger and opportunities getting better, she’s in it for the long haul. Projects Marnie is currently working on range from a family animated feature, to a psychological thriller about a serial killer to a TV pilot about a bored housewife whose quest for excitement gets her in all sorts of trouble. Some of Marnie’s work can be found on her website: BrainFluffs.com.

Written by Simplyscripts’ very own Mark Lyons, the short film The Ephesian recently made its theatrical debut at the Maryland International Film Festival.  Greeted to an enthusiastic reception by the audience, the film nonetheless deals with a rather serious topic: the death penalty: When a long-grieving father lobbies to visit a killer on death row, he walks into the chance of a lifetime to come face-to-face with the man who murdered his infant son. (Script available to read here.)

In this interview, STS’s Sean Chipman sat down with Mark Lyons and Producer Koran Dunbar to discuss the making and distribution of the film…

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Sean Chipman: Well, thank you both for joining me this morning.

Koran Dunbar: Thank you.

Mark Lyons: Thanks for thinking of us.

SC: Let’s talk about the big story of the day: “The Ephesian”. Were you guys surprised by how well the film was received?

KD: The film was received very well. We were up against VERY talented filmmakers.

ML: I knew the talent behind [production company] Rags to Riches, so I knew it was going to be a very high quality film off the bat. But there was nothing like walking out of the theater and everybody saying how well they liked the film and how much it made them think.

KD: That was the key… Made them think… These days too many filmmakers are trying to change the world. That’s next to impossible. You need to allow your audience [to] think… And it was a very thought-provoking screenplay.

SC: What was it, Mark, that compelled you to write that script?

ML: Two different situations that happened to me in real life. One was a couple years ago, when my son was one, and I took him for a walk to get a gallon of milk. On the way back, we got to the corner of our street and there were gunshots a couple blocks down. They didn’t stop and were heading our way. I shoved him behind a bush and stood in the way and hoped for the best. Luckily, they had turned up the street before ours and it stopped a little after that. Then, not too long after that, I was held up, this time way down at the other side of the street. He was arrested and I had to go to his trial months and months later. At the trial, I could truly tell that he was sorry for what he had done and after thinking about it, I really had forgiven him. I truly think he’s going to be a good guy. That got me kind of putting the two scenarios together and if a terrible thing had happened to my son, would I be able to forgive the person if they were truly sorry.

SC: Which begs the question, “Would you?”

ML: That’s so hard to answer. I’d probably say no. It’d be too hard. But, of course, our system takes years and years to put people to death, and I don’t know if I could hold that much hate in me for that long of a time. I’d have to let it go at some point to move on.

SC: Now, on the opposite end of the spectrum, Koran, why “The Ephesian”? What was it about this script that you knew you had to make it and did you know from the moment you opened the script?

KD: I really like scripts about humanity… Since Greencastle, I get “Freshman Scripts”. Scripts that are so contrived and dark just for the sake of being dark. This was different. I have to like the actors… They need to be believable. In this case all of them were. Michael’s character grabbed me so much I wanted to portray [him]. However, there was a better person for that role… Then, I saw another actor that blew us all away… I’m about a good project not putting myself where I WANT to be… I sat back and wore the producer’s hat…

ML: That’s what really made me stand back and go, “Wow. Koran was definitely the right person for this film”. It’s not too often you’ll see somebody step back out of a role and do what’s good for the story. It really showed Koran’s passion for the vision he saw in his mind.

SC: And it seems like it was the right decision as well.

ML: Lol. Of course, we’ll never see Koran in the role. I heard he has some chops.

KD: [Laughs]

SC: Well, I’ve seen him in action, so I can definitely vouch for that.

KD: I am all about working with people that are NOT divas… And, honestly, 50% of things don’t get created due to ego… When I talked to Mark, I felt he was sincere and wanted things to happen…

SC: That’s the first step in getting a film to screen. So, what were your favorite and least favorite parts of filming?

KD: My favorite parts of filming is the cast and crew. They become family for life regardless if you fight or not. The worst part is the sacrifice and time from family and friends. And, of course, budget and red tape from locations… There is so much I would like to do if it wasn’t for budget…

SC: Did you have any specific negative and positive experiences with this shoot?

KD: Honestly, no. Wait, there was a drunk extra that came to the set. Other than that, nothing.

SC: Ah, those random drunk extras. Seems like there’s one in every shoot.

ML: [Laughs] Dave [Vanderveer] was telling me about that! I heard she ended up getting a copy of Greencastle [A 2012 film written, directed by and starring Koran Dunbar], though!

KD: Yes. [Laughs] How do you know?

ML: Dave was telling me and Tanya Chattman about it at dinner at the after party. I wanted to be there so bad for the filming. I tried like crazy to get there. Which is another rarity to see from a production company. Unless it’s filmed local, I doubt any independent film company invites and offers to pay the writer to come to the filming. It’s just a testament that Koran likes to build close-knit families with the people he works with.

SC: That does make me curious, Mark, about the level of involvement you had with the production.

ML: As most writers know, it usually goes that you get an E-mail asking for permission to film your script, then you don’t hear from them again. If you’re lucky, you might get an E-mail in a couple of months saying it’s filmed and to check it out on YouTube. Or, if you’re really lucky, an E-mail that it’s been filmed and won an award at [a] festival. But Koran and David kept me up to date and talked to me and asked my opinions about things throughout the whole process. Early on, they even asked me to do a read-through with the director. That’s another rarity that I think writers don’t get the privilege of. At least not that I’ve seen or heard of. The best part is, all the changes and directions they wanted to go, like adding more lines for Michael’s wife, played by Tanya Chattman, those were things I had already thought of when I wanted to turn “The Ephesian” into a feature. It’s rare to be on that same thought-level as someone.

SC: When everyone’s on the same wave length, good things are going to happen.

ML: Absolutely.

SC: Now, Mark, we spoke briefly about how Koran had initially been interested in the part of Michael. I’m curious how the look of the actors compared to how you visualized them when you were writing the script.

ML: That’s one thing I try not to do while I’m writing a character, is pigeon-hole them. It seems natural I know for a lot of writers, especially new writers to read their character’s dialogue in Kevin Spacey’s voice. (I still do it, though only under certain circumstances.) With “The Ephesian”, and you can probably see from his description in the screenplay, I left a very open interpretation to the casting. I’m a very firm believer in let the actors do their magic and let the dialogue only serve as a blueprint. That being said, I can’t see anybody but Joseph Mills III in that role, now.

SC: It’s amazing the effect it has when you see someone perform a role really well. The actor becomes that role.

ML: That, and he’s got a tremendously strong voice, which is what I’m sure Koran saw in him.

SC: Are there any more scripts in your immediate future, feature or otherwise?

ML: Oh, yeah. Right now there’s not a lot of time to write them between working two jobs and spending as much time with my kids as I can, but I’m constantly thinking about new stories, or how to make old ones better. Thanks to the two jobs, I have a little more money I can sink into the script contests and film festival contests this year. I have one I’m working on now I’m really excited about entering into Shriekfest this year, and I’m getting a feature together for Bluecat in the fall.

SC: What about the big job? Can we expect you to hop in the director’s chair at some point or are you content to stay behind the scenes?

ML: I’d of course need a lot more experience on set before I’d even consider hopping into the big chair! But, ultimately, it is a goal of mine, because a lot of stories that I have, I’m pretty sure I’ll be the only one who’ll make them without any fear. Unfortunately, Youngstown doesn’t have much going on for it, so it may be a while and I’ll probably have to do a lot of traveling to get the experience I need to make the kind of film I want to make with the quality that I want. I’d feel comfortable with gearing the story and the actors, I believe, but I’d need one hell of a cinematographer to make me look good.
I think we’ll chalk that up to a “Yes, if…”.

SC: A big congratulations to you both on getting “The Ephesian” filmed. Thank you for your time and the best of luck in the future.

ML: Thank you very much. I appreciate it!

KD: Thanks, a lot.

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Mark Lyons is a screenwriter from Youngstown, Ohio. He’s written several scripts, most notably ‘Best Film’ award winner “God’s Empty Acre”, which was filmed as ‘Girl(s)’, at the 2013 Winter Shorts Film Festival and Best Drama at the 2013 World Independent Film Expo. He has also written the feature “Thistles” which was a Quarter-Finalist in the 2013 Bluecat Screenwriting Competition and the short “Ginger” which was a Finalist at the 2013 Shriekfest Film Festival. He can be reached at markielyons “AT” yahoo

Koran Dunbar is a Jack-of-all-trades, working as a director, producer, screenwriter and actor from Greencastle, Pennsylvania. His directorial feature film debut, “Greencastle” won ‘Best Feature Film’ at the 2012 Indie Gathering Film Festival as well as nabbing him a ‘Best Actor’ award at the World Music and Independent Film Festival.

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Interview with Nick Horwood

Grand Prize winner of Final Draft Big Break 2013

Article written by Marnie Mitchell-Lister

You know the drill, you get the email; “Page”, “BlueCat”, “Joe Shmoe’s We Have Hollywood Connections Screenplay Contest” has announced their finalists! You scour the list of names, looking for someone, anyone you know. And the grand prize winner, well it’s someone you’ve never heard of. How is that possible? Where did they come from? Are they one hit wonders? Phantoms? Or just lucky bastards?

When Final Draft announced Nick Horwood’s feature “Lancelot”, as their grand prize winner this past January, all my questions were put to rest. I actually know Nick! I’ve even read some of his work. And I can assure you, while Nick may get lucky on occasion, luck had nothing to do with his Final Draft win. He’s worked very hard for this, for many years. He’s definitely no “one hit wonder”.

MML: Hey, Nick. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions.

NH: No problem. Thanks for asking!

MML: While we’re all interested in your experience with Final Draft, I really want to focus on what got you there. When did you start writing screenplays? What got you started?

NH: I started about 15 years ago. I had tried various creative pursuits such as cartooning and writing stories for children, but that never really went anywhere and my enthusiasm waned. It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties that I decided to try my hand at writing a film. This was back before the whole ‘How to be a screenwriter’ industry that exists today, so there were very few blogs and websites dedicated to screenwriting – in fact I didn’t even own a computer! I had to use my local library or borrow a friend’s PC to type up my longhand scribblings.

None of the agents or producers I was contacting were interested in reading my work, so I had literally nobody to give me feedback or tell me if my writing was any good. Then I heard a radio interview with Kevin Spacey where he mentioned his newly launched website Triggerstreet.com. Finally I had somewhere where I could display my work for others to read, so I nervously uploaded a comedy called JOURNEY TO THE LOST ISLAND OF KILLER DINOSAURS! To my delight the script was very well received, eventually receiving a ‘Screenplay of the Month’ nomination. I had finally found my talent, as well as my passion.

MML: I know you attended your first “webinar” recently. What other workshops, books, lessons or websites do you think helped improve your writing over the years?

NH: Well, blogs and forums were a useful source of hints and tips, but I mostly just learnt as I went along. I think you can fill up the right hemisphere with as much theory as you like, but it’s what you have in the left, creative side of your brain that shows up mostly on the page. For me 90% of learning to write is practice, but each writer has to find what works best for them.

I did attend a Save The Cat workshop in London a few years back, which was fun, and I also attended Robert MacKee’s ‘Story’ seminar recently, which was very interesting. I’m not sure either helped with my writing… but at least they got me out of my cave!

MML: Your contest track record is ridiculously impressive. Your name has been at the top of “Page” and “Final Draft”, as well as many other contests since 2007. What do you think it is about “Lancelot” that made it “Grand Prize” worthy?

NH: I wrote a version of the script in 2008 and it made the top 10 in Big Break, but it was a very different version of the script, more of a fantasy action/adventure, with a meandering story and many flashbacks. But I kept working on it, trimming the fantasy element away and focusing on the central narrative of Lancelot returning to Britain after the death of King Arthur. I worked on it for several years until it became what it is today, so I would say a big part of its success is just that it’s very well developed. I entered a lot of my scripts into various contests, but LANCELOT is the most successful.

MML: Now, because we’re friends, I’m familiar with your frustrations. I’m frustrated for you. You’ve more than proven yourself over and over as a high quality writer. With this recent success, do you feel like you’re any closer to a paid writing gig, or maybe a serious option of one of your features?

NH: *sigh* Yes, and I know I haven’t always been shy about sharing my frustrations. It’s a long road for any writer. I have optioned and sold a couple of scripts, and been commissioned to write a feature in the UK, but I’ve yet to strike it big. Luck has a large part to play in it, and also managing to successfully combine telling a story that you’re passionate about, but which is also deemed ‘marketable’, that’s the challenge!

MML: I read some of your work on Triggerstreet many years ago Nick, and even back then I knew you were someone to watch. Hopefully soon, we’ll all be watching one of your screenplays on the big screen. Thanks Nick!

You can find a list of Nick’s screenplays along with his long list of awards on his website:

http://horwoodger.wix.com/nickhorwood

About the reviewer: An award winning writer AND photographer, Marnie Mitchell Lister’s website is available at http://www.marnzart.com. Marnie’s had 5 shorts produced (so far) and placed Semi-final with her features in Bluecat.

Many a writer has dreamed of taking up the director’s reins, and shooting their script themselves (or a worthy script that’s caught their eye.)  As with many ventures, that’s a task easier said than done. And those that accomplish such a thing?  Our collective hats are off to them.  Taking a script all the way?  That’s impressive, on so many levels. So we invite you now to sit back, read… and learn.

Following, you’ll find an interview with screenwriter Pia Cook, director of the short film “Them That’s Dead“ and writer of feature films “Finders Keepers: The Root of All Evil” and “Blackout“. Pia was born and raised in Sweden. She moved to United States in 1984. She lives with her husband in Florida where they own and operate a small manufacturing business. She started writing screenplays in 2006 and has written over sixty short screenplays and ten features. In the summer of 2012, she directed and produced her first short film, “Them That’s Dead”.

“Them That’s Dead”, which was written by Robert Newcomer, is about three thieves who are in search of lost treasure that was hidden by a dead pirate, Shark Tooth O’Shea. It was written as part of SimplyScripts’ February 2011 One Week Challenge, in which writers have one week to complete a 12-or-less page low-budget horror film with the theme of British or Celtic mythology.

Interviewer Sean Chipman: How did you choose “Them That’s Dead” as a script you wanted to film?

Pia Cook: I loved the script. It was part of a OWC where a director of shorts chose the subject. He picked another winner, but I thought TTD should’ve won.

I went to St. Augustine with my husband over Labor Day weekend in 2011. While we were at the fort, it hit me that I could maybe film TTD there.

SC: What was it that drew you to the script so much?

PC: Everything. The atmosphere. The dialogue. The characters. The twist or reveal.

SC: Let’s talk about your production experience. What different kinds of roles did you take on behind the scenes?

PC: I was involved with everything. I planned it. Cast it. Hired the DP. Storyboarded it. Directed it. Did some of the early editing. Basically everything. That’s not to say others didn’t help out. I’m a newbie and need all the help I can get.

SC: That’s okay. I understand. [Laughs] During the casting process, what were you looking for in your actors that made you choose them?

PC: Well, first of all, where I live in Gainesville, FL, there isn’t a large group of actors to chose from. I looked at some actors from Jacksonville and down towards St. Augustine and found some really promising ones, but I soon decided that it would be better if they lived in Gainesville for rehearsals sake since St. Auggie and Jax are almost two hours away. Robert Newcomer, the writer, did such a great job with the characters, but I had to make alterations to them just because I simply didn’t have a large pool of actors to chose from. In the end, I think they [Micah Blakeslee, Pete Roe and L’Tanya Van Hamersveld] all worked out great.

SC: I agree. They were all really terrific. But, I understand you had some technical difficulties as well…

PC: Yes, we did. All thanks to me being too optimistic and not knowing any better. Turns out this was a VERY ambitious project for someone with limited experience like myself. I’ve read thousands of scripts by now and a LOT of them take place at night and outdoors. That’s cool. I like that myself, but it makes the shoot so much more difficult and more expensive. I’m talking about outdoor shoots now. The first half of the film is shot at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine. It’s a gorgeous beach with not many people. Perfect for our project. We rented extra lights, but in a setting like that, you really need HUGE lights. Like big stadium lights. If not, the background just sort of disappears. Someone told me that I could just as well have shot the beach scenes at a beach volleyball court at UF. So, that’s something to keep in mind when you write scenes that take place at night outdoors. You need big lights. Big lights cost money! Anyway, as a result, we ended up with some horrendous low light grain issues. I almost scrapped the film due to that.

We also had some issues with the audio at the beach. I used excellent mics, but the sound of the ocean waves were just too loud. Not only were they loud, but instead of sounding like nice little ocean waves, they were a constant crashing roar. The first time I checked our footage I honestly thought we would have to redo all the audio in post.

SC: But you wouldn’t be discouraged. You kept fighting. How did you do that? You know, it’s not looking good, but you keep going. What was it that kept you going?

PC: Well, I was disappointed when I first looked at the footage, but I felt I needed to finish it for the others who were involved. It was an extremely grueling weekend shoot away from home and shot during the nights. We were all really really tired physically and mentally. It just didn’t feel right to scrap it. Regardless of the quality. So, I started searching for fixes in post instead. Ha! We’ve all heard the phrase “fix it in post”. Well, everything isn’t fixable in post, but it can certainly be improved.

SC: [Laughs] I can just imagine. But, of course, it still looked pretty damn good once the final product was released.

And, obviously, the whole shoot wasn’t just doom and gloom. Did you have any personal highlights from the shoot? Any favorite moments of production?

PC: I think if anything, the biggest highlight for me was how everyone gave this everything they had. Despite the conditions and circumstance, everyone really gave it their all. No one complained, grumbled or anything. That to me was probably the coolest thing. I felt we really were in this together and we were going to see it through together.

SC: And, you mostly certainly did. Of course, after the trials put forth by “Them That’s Dead”, can we expect any films in the future from director Pia Cook?

PC: Maybe, but it probably will be something filmed in a controlled environment. Like someone’s house or apartment. It won’t be at a beach at night nor will it be at a National Monument with Federal Rangers looking over our shoulders.

SC: Not feeling that kind of close-range monitoring [from the Rangers] on your next film?

PC: They did their job which was making sure we didn’t hurt the fort. They were very nice though and gave us Gatorades when we looked like we were about to die of heat exhaustion. Remember, we shot this in July. Florida in July is very hot and humid.

SC: That does sound incredibly nice of them and Florida summers, I’ve never experienced them myself but I’ve heard the stories.

PC: Well, the thing was that you’re not allowed to bring food or drinks into the fort because of rats. Yes, rats! Huge ones. And they were everywhere! That was the reason our table with food and drinks was set up outside the fort so those Gatorades were lifesavers.

SC: Oh, man. There were rats, too?

PC: yep!

SC: It’s a miracle that the film was even completed, let alone made as well as it was. I think that’s a tribute to you as a director.

PC: Well, it made me feel happy when they said they would love to work with me again.

SC: Let’s talk about the future. Any word on some upcoming scripts you’re working on?

PC: Don’t have much to say about future scripts. I don’t like mentioning them unless it looks like they will be completed. I’ve had too many films that never really made it to the end. It’s a common thing in the film business, I think. I’d rather wait until I know for sure.

I have a couple of shorts, The End, doing the festivals in Europe right now and another one, A Mime Is A Terrible Thing To Waste, about to hit the festivals as well. And I’m working with a Canadian filmmaker to get Covert Careers made.

SC: All right, thank you very much for your time and I wish you the very best of luck in the future.

PC: Thank you Sean!

Want more?  Catch the short on Vimeo here!