Category: Screenwriter - NovelPro Junkie

2020 Writers Guild Awards nominations

1/6/2020

From Deadline.com, here are the 2020 Writers Guild Awards nominations

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1917, Written by Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns; Universal Pictures

Booksmart, Written by Emily Halpern & Sarah Haskins and Susanna Fogel and Katie Silberman; United Artists Releasing

Knives Out, Written by Rian Johnson; Lionsgate

Marriage Story, Written by Noah Baumbach; Netflix

Parasite, Screenplay by Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won, Story by Bong Joon Ho; Neon

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster, Inspired by the Article “Can You Say…Hero?” by Tom Junod; TriStar Pictures

The Irishman, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian, Based upon the Book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt; Netflix

Jojo Rabbit, Screenplay by Taika Waititi, Based on the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens; Fox Searchlight

Joker, Written by Todd Phillips & Scott Silver, Based on Characters from DC Comics; Warner Bros. Pictures

Little Women, Screenplay by Greta Gerwig, Based on the Novel by Louisa May Alcott; Sony Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Citizen K, Written by Alex Gibney; Greenwich Entertainment

Foster, Written by Mark Jonathan Harris; HBO Documentary Films

The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, Written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films

Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People, Written by Robert Seidman & Oren Rudavsky; First Run Features

The Kingmaker, Written by Lauren Greenfield; Showtime Documentary Films

Source Material: Deadline.com

Screenwriters that passed away in 2019

12/31/2019

Farewell to these fellow screenwriters. Here are one of many screenplays that each of them wrote. You can probably check these movies out wherever films are sold or rented. May they rest in peace as we are forever grateful to their superb screenwriting ability.

Tunç Başaran- Don't Let Them Shoot the Kite
John Briley- Gandhi
Gollapudi Maruti Rao- Aditya 369
Barrie Keeffe- The Long Good Friday
Donald Tosh- Doctor Who

Interview with Brian Baugh, the director and screenwriter of The World We Make

10/18/2019

Brian Baugh began his journey as a filmmaker at University of Southern California in which he earned USC school of Cinema Distinguished Scholar Award. At the mere age of twenty five, he made his first feature film. From there he made and got involved in several films such as The Ultimate Gift, Jack & the Beanstalk, An American Carol, To Save a Life, I'm Not Ashamed and so much more. His latest project is titled The World We Make. So, please take a break from whatever you're doing and get to know this superb director and screenwriter. Get to know his writing experience and most of all go check out The WORLD WE MAKE.

1. What is the genesis of The World We Make?

The story started with initial writer and producer, George Escobar, who approached an executive producer he knew with the idea. The exec producer had an interest in the material thematically. They started to build the team with another producer and started developing and casting the film. I was brought in later in the process by the lead producer, Ken Carpenter, to do a re-write and direct the film.

2. Did you have writer’s block on The World We Make screenplay? If so, how did you get over it?

I had to re-write it quickly, so there was no time for writer’s block. ha ha.
I don’t like the concept of writer’s block. Maybe the better way to say it is that I can get “good writing block”. But I don’t solve that by not writing. As the quote says, “You can’t steer a ship that isn’t moving.”   I almost always start a writing day with a page goal and a write to that goal – even if it’s junk. Usually that junk is a starting point for something better. I find most professional writers just force themselves to write something and trust it will eventually get good because they have put in the years of work to become skilled at their craft and trust the process. I just have to punch the clock and have the discipline to write something – even if I don’t like it. I find the process of putting words on the page unlocks ideas that I wouldn’t get by just sitting around thinking.

3. What is your favorite line from The World We Make?

I honestly think my favorite line would be the action lines in scenes where there is no dialog. One of my favorites is a scene at the end of the film where Thomas (Gregory Allan Williams) comes to a peace about his son’s interracial relationship. I love it as a filmmaker when you can communicate something with character’s actions without relying on dialog. Those are often the most challenging scenes to write and it’s a joy when they work on screen.

4. Where and when do you write in general?

I’m a quiet space guy. No coffee shops for me. I have a quiet office with a view of a forest and a good sound system. When I write can differ greatly. I have learned to not be picky about the environment or time because sometimes you need to write in the middle of night in a hotel room, sometimes on set at lunch, and other times you get to write from the comfort of your office. Most typically, I’ll try and get to the office around 7:30 and I’ll write as much as I can before the calls and interruptions start. My ideal day is writing all morning until mid-afternoon and then I’ll spend the rest of the work day doing research or catching up on other aspects of the film.

5. Could you give a fun fact about your experience working with Caleb Castille and Rose Reid?

Caleb and Rose were both fantastic to work with on this film. One interesting thing is that they are both very good at what their characters were pursuing in the film. Caleb is an excellent football player and was apart of the Univ. of Alabama football team before he chose to pursue acting full time. And Rose is a talented horse rider who used to barrel race and did all her own horse riding in the film.

6. What recently moved you?

I recently directed a film that we shot in Ireland, and I was moved by the talented musicians playing traditional Irish music in the pubs. So beautiful and soulful.

7. Which screenplay of yours took you the least amount of time to write?

I’ll assume you mean the first draft (because the re-writing never feels fast). I have one in development called “My Real Life Summer” that I wrote in just a few weeks. It is a really fun script filled with middle school banter that came out of the brain rather quickly.

8. What movie have you seen that made the most influence in your life?

There have been several. But I would have to say in very tangible way that seeing “The Power of One” as a kid inspired my interest in wanting to help with some of the issues in Africa that later led to post graduate fellowship at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and a degree in African studies.

9. If you have your own talk show, who would your first three guests be (besides me, of course)?

Bill Belichick
Warren Buffett
Jean-Pierre Jeunet

10. Do you recall the very first short film you ever did?

Definitely. After 2nd grade, my father took me to a pawn shop to buy a Super 8 camera so that I could spend my summer doing stop-motion animation with my models and Star Wars figures. I ended up with a 3 minute film at the end of the summer – 1 frame at a time.

My first legit short film happened was when I was 19 with a close friend I met at film school. He and I literally did every role from camera loader, to lighting, to wardrobe, set dressing and oh yeah, directing. I mainly remember how tired we were. I guess it paid off, because we are both making a living directing, writing, and producing now.

11. If a self-published author is seeking a screenwriter, how would one get you or any experience screenwriter to read his or her story to see if it would make a compelling movie?

I think having a 5 to 10 page summary/treatment is very helpful. Rarely does a working writer, director, or producer have several days to devote to reading a self-published book. But if an author can write a summary that gives a good sense of the book that can be read in 10-15 minutes, then that greatly increases the chances that a filmmaker will give it a read. At that stage, it’s usually more about the premise and if that filmmaker can get that premise funded. The author would be well served to explain to the filmmaker why their story would put butts in seats at the theater, or be attractive to click on while someone is surfing around in Netflix.

12. Could you give a sneak peek about your next project?

I just finished shooting the feature “There You’ll Find Me” in Ireland that I wrote and directed. It’s a comedic romance with lots of heart about a young woman who goes on a college exchange program to Ireland and ends up meeting one of the biggest young movie stars in the world.   The cast was amazing and shooting in Ireland was delightful. I’ll be in post the rest of the year and we expect to release it in 2020.

13. What’s your motto in life?

It would probably be something carpe diem-ish.
Make the most of each day. Experience every moment on the journey deeply and pursue the epic life.
I want to get to the finish line exhausted and spent because I took advantage of every opportunity to have joy, love, and grow to be the best version of myself.

14. Last question, what piece of advice do you have for aspiring directors starting out?

Learn everything about everything. Take the time to experience life first hand. Travel, study your quirky interests, learn history and classic literature, befriend people different than you, play hard, use your talents to serve others, etc. Eventually you will learn the technical aspects of filmmaking, and then it becomes far more about understanding humankind and the world, and having an interesting perspective. All with the aim to tell authentic stories that move people.

I truly appreciative to Brian Baugh for giving up his time and energy to take on my interview questions. You should give The World We Make a try right now. It's available on Netflix, DVD and digital. You can also watch it through amazon if that is your preference. So, that is all for now. Thank you for reading this and I hope to see you tomorrow for next interview. Take care!

Interview with Mr. Jacob Estes, director and screenwriter of Don't Let Go

8/30/2019

From his critical acclaim movie Mean Creek to The Details starring Tobey Maguire, Mr. Jacob Estes has directed a science fiction thriller like no other: Don't Let Go.

Storyline from IMdD:
After a man's family dies in what appears to be a murder, he gets a phone call from one of the dead, his niece. He's not sure if she's a ghost or if he's going mad, but as it turns out, he's not.

So, get to know the creative director and screenwriter of this movie, Mr. Jacob Estes, and see why Don't Let Go should be the movie to seek for your entertainment this weekend.

1. First off, list three adjectives to describe Don’t Let Go?

Emotional and stressful. You will have to go see it and name the third adjective for me because I can’t think of one.

2. How did you come up with the story for Don’t Let Go?

The idea that a grieving man could receive a phone call from a member of his dead family struck a very hopeful note for me. I read that idea in a screenplay that was otherwise a horror movie about monsters and ghosts. I didn’t want to do a horror movie about monster and ghosts, but I found that idea to be very beautiful and worth fighting for. So I wrote about it.

3. Were there other titles you came up with before Don’t Let Go? If so what were they?

The original title of the screenplay was Only You, because the character Ashley, who eventually would be played by Storm Reid, made a music video to the song Only You by Yaz, from Upstairs at Erics. Ultimately, when I cast Storm, I changed the song to be by a band culturally specific to her family, a song not called Only You by a band called ESG. So the title Only You ceased to make sense. Then I went on a long, winding journey to finally decide on the name Don’t Let Go — which speaks to the idea that David Oyelowo’s character can not allow his niece Storm Reid who, over the course of the film is dead but somehow able to speak to David by phone from a few days before she died, he can not allow her die again.

4. On average, how many draft scripts do you find yourself writing until you are happy and satisfied with your work?

I am never happy or satisfied with my work. And I just keep writing constantly from the moment I begin, until the last day of production and, later in the edit room, that too is a lot like writing. There is no way to count drafts. There are hundreds of changes being made all the time from the moment the idea is conceived until the moment you lock picture.

5. Do you ever get writer’s block? What do you do to get back on track?

Writers block is about anxiety. Or fear. I have anxiety and fear. I do whatever it takes to find focus and write. Sometimes exercise helps. Sometimes talking to friends helps. Sometimes deciding not to write for a while helps.

6. What was your writing schedule when you wrote Don’t Let Go?

I spent hundreds of hours plotting the movie with one of my producers, Jay Martin. Then I wrote the script for about ten weeks straight, from 6am to 3pm every day. Before bed I would imagine what I wanted to attempt to do the next morning. Then I would start that process up again at dawn, after coffee.

7. What is your favorite line from Don’t Let Go?

“The answer to all your questions is in that jar of bubble gum.”

8. Which filmmakers did you admire growing up?

Sidney Lumet. Wim Wenders. David Cronenberg. Martin Scorsese. David Lynch. Woody Allen. Stanley Kubrick. John Carpenter. Carl Reiner…

9. Could you give a fun fact about your experience working with David Oyelowo, Storm Reid, Bryon Mann, and/or Brian Tyree Henry?

What about Alfred Molina and Mykelti Williamson? They’re both in my movie and full of fun facts. Alfred Molina, for instance, does not like to be called Alfred. He prefers to be called Fred. And Mykelti likes to be called T.

10. Do you recall the very first short film you ever did? What lessons did you learned from it?

I made a music video of myself dancing to Aha’s Take on Me and the biggest lesson I learned was not to leave a very embarrassing videotape of yourself dancing to a pop song laying around or the people who watch it may tease you mercilessly.

11. If a self-published author is seeking a screenwriter or director, how would one get you or any expert to read his or her story to see if it would make a compelling movie?

I would write them a very compelling letter and mail it to them in the mail so it could not be electronically ignored. If I could not find the director’s mailing address, I would send the letter to his or her agent.

12. You have adapted a novel into a screenplay before (Nearing Grace), how did you discover Scott Sommer’s novel?

The director Rick Rosenthal (Bad Boys) asked me to adapt it for him.

13. What advice do you wish someone had given to you when you were younger about the industry?

Take your time and figure out exactly what you want to do and say, then do and say those things methodically and careful. Do not rush. It matters not how fast you do your work, what matters is you do your work well.

14. What is the one thing everyone should eat or drink if one should visit California?

Green juice?

15. Last question, if you could pick a day to relive over and over again, what day would it be and why?

I wouldn’t relive a single day over and over again. I would always prefer a new day.

I just wanted to thank Mr. Jacob Estes for answering those questions. I hope you guys would check out this thrilling film. It's also a time travel movie for those who love movies with time traveling plot( I sure do). The movie release date is Aug. 30th which is today. Take care and I hope you have a wonderful day and especially a great movie experience with Don't Let Go.

Paramount takes Jacob Chase's Thrilling Spec Script

7/24/2019

Writer and director, Mr. Jacob Chase, has gotten his spec script purchased by Paramount Pictures. He will also direct the untitled project. Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman will produce the project under The Picture Company. They are the same producer that worked on Jacob Chase's upcoming film titled Larry. So far this untitled project is about a family man who took his family to a trip in order to protect them from something horrific.

Jacob Chase has sold other spec script such as Infinite to Sony( he's also executive producer of numerous project including They Hear It(Legendary) and Whisper(Amblin).

You can check out my past interview that I did with Jacob Chase about his upcoming film Larry by simply clicking here.

Source Material: Deadline.com

Interview with Mr. Andy Briggs, co-writer of Supervized

7/19/2019

Mr. Andy Briggs is an author, conservationist, graphic novelist and a screenwriter. He has worked on Warner Bros.' animated Aquaman. He wrote contemporary series of Tarzan books. For Paramount Pictures, he worked on Judge Dredd, Foreverman, and Freddy vs. Jason. He wrote his debut adult novel titled Control-S. He produced, wrote, and executive-produced UK/Chinese movie titled Legendary which starred Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundren. He also wrote the critical acclaimed movie titled Crowhurst. His latest movie Supervized is what this blog interview is all about. Starring Tom Berenger, Ned Dennehy, Fionnula Flanagan, Louis Gossett Jr., Clive Russell, and Beau Bridges, Supervized is about four elderly superheroes in an Ireland retirement home who decided to join together for a final thrill. So, take this moment to get to know Mr. Andy Briggs and his experience working on Supervized.

1.     What is the genesis of Supervized?

While working through CROWHURST, Legendary producer Robert Halmi called me up to discuss a passion project of his. He sent me some artwork he found of an elderly Flash, Superman and Spiderman playing poker and said “Make it something like that!”.
We started chatting about Grumpy Old Men and The Quartet, and the concept quickly fell together after that.

2. Were there other titles you came up with before Supervized? If so what were they?

We had always just called it SUPERHEROES. It wasn’t ever going to be the final title, but it stuck. I was always searching for something different that would combine Grumpy Old Men with the Avengers but it was elusive. SUPERVIZED! (including the exclamation mark) just appeared on an email one day. Not sure where it came from. I was a big fan of the exclamation mark, but that fell off somewhere!

3.  In one word how would you sum up Supervized?

Fun.

4. Was there anything you find particularly challenging in writing Supervized?

The budget! On paper you’re not limited to the scope of the story. Of course, then we have to get real and the concept has to fall into line with what can be practically done. It was always going to be small in tone – a retirement home, faded powers that are more or less in the background. But the original ending had our heroes going to a genetic lab in the big city and was far more ambitious. That then moved to an abandoned dock, with a cool (and expensive) bad guy finale.

5.     Which writer/s inspired you to become a screenwriter and an author?

I was a huge Marvel fan as a kid, so it was reading those and the personification of Stan Lee as a writer that made me think it could be a cool job. Years later my brother and I worked with Stan Lee on a movie and we stayed friends. It was a full circle dream come true.

6.   Were you ever on set for the making of Supervized? If so, could you tell me what scene you were present at?

Sadly, I was working on a movie in China, so didn’t get to see any of it. They had to do a rewrite of the ending so I was annoyed to be half way around the planet!

7. Could you also express your feelings about Tom Berenger, Clive Russell, Fionnula Flanagan, Louis Gossett Jr. and/or Beau Bridges playing characters that you wrote?

It’s a fantastic cast. Director Steve Barron always insisted he wanted actors who played the ages they were in the script and who you could believe, when they were younger, could have portrayed heroes. To have a set of such legendary actors assemble was such a previlage!

8. Silly-Game question: From Control-S novel, could you please leaf through the pages and point at a random place. What is the full sentence? And what is the page number of this random sentence?

Well I still don’t have a copy yet (out in e-book/airport edition in July! Hit’s the shelves properly in November, so the page numbers won’t quite sit right. But…
“Kaiju Killer then raised two fingers at the camera and furiously flipped them like some ADHD kid on a caffeine high.” – page 24

9. If a self-published author is seeking a screenwriter/ producer, how would one get you or any expert to read his or her story to see if it would make a compelling movie?

That’s quite a difficult question as most screenwriters would gravitate towards a more traditionally published book. But that’s not to say it’s impossible (look at The Martian). Rather than pursue a screenwriter, it might be worthwhile the writer attempting the script themselves.

10.  Which novel/novella/short story/article have you read that you would like to turn to a screenplay?

There are a couple – but I am not telling just in case those rights are available, I would rather grab them myself!

11. Do you have any fun, interesting fact to tell about working for comic creator Stan Lee and legendary producer Robert Evans?

Plenty! Stan was always generous with his time, and always fun to talk to – even during script notes when he had a very specific idea on how things should play through. When I wrote my YA superhero books (Hero.com and Villain.net) he gave me a huge full-page set of quotes, but we could only use one for the cover.

What always makes me chuckle is my brother, Stan and I were posing for a photo with a life-sized Spiderman statue in his POW! Office. My brother re-positioned it, and the arm came off (it was detachable!) – Stan gave a total look of comic horror.

Robert’s office on the Paramount low was our base camp for the project, so we had the back office there. The front is in an enclosed courtyard, so the Paramount tour trolley can’t access it, and passes around the back. So we decided to stand a full-sized Kid Notorious cut out in our office window. Thereafter the trolley always stopped so the guide could relay some excellent Robert Evans tales….

12.  Who is your favorite superhero?

Old school Daredevil just beat Spiderman when I was a kid. However, now, it has to be Spidey.

13.  Could you describe the movie Crowhurst in three words?

Insane true story.

14.  What’s the best thing that happened to you this month?

It’s been a good month! My new children’s book was up for an award (which I lost!); it’s now part of a huge reading campaign from Booktrust (https://www.booktrust.org.uk), which will roll out across the UK in September. I was asked to do an interview about my part in The Philadelphia Experiment for the original movie’s blu-ray re-release. And I may…. may… be directing a movie later this year. Let’s see….

15. Last question, what book did you read because everyone was reading it?

I hate doing that, so always try to avoid the books causing the most chatter. The last time I did so was the Harry Potter series. I jumped aboard around book 3. I’m quite happy with a Clive Cussler book on the beach, or re-reading some Michael Crichton….

I really like to thank Mr. Andy Briggs for taking his time to do this interview. Make sure you check out Supervized since it's available today! July 19th. If you want to know more about Mr. Andy Briggs and his future endeavors, you can visit his website: http://www.andybriggs.co.uk/  Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a great day.

Interview with Mr. Scotty Landes, screenwriter of MA

5/27/2019

GET HOME SAFE

Story line from IMDb: In this new psychological horror-thriller from director Tate Taylor and Blumhouse, a lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn't get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their host.
Starring: Octavia Spencer, Juliette Lewis, Diana Silvers, Luke Evans, Missi Pyle, McKaley Miller, and Allison Janney

Mr. Scotty Landes is an incredible screenwriter that worked on such projects as Workaholics, Who is America, and Adam Devine's House Party. Now, he is here to tell us about his latest one titled MA. So, please relax and take this time to know all about him and his writing process of MA.

1. First off, what’s your favorite horror movie growing up?

Thanks for asking. My favorite horror movie was "Jaws" for so many reasons. The most important reason: It scared the shit out of me. I also liked The Thing and Gremlins a lot. I still do.

2. What is the genesis of MA?

Ma is the combination of a few nights that I experienced in high school. Anytime a group of teenagers is hanging out regularly with an adult, there is something wrong with the situation and I wanted to write a movie about the dread I felt watching my friends partying along with people who should have their own, adult friends. Ma is the focused version of a larger problem that a lot of people can probably (hopefully) relate to.

3. How did you come up with the title MA?

I knew the title before I started writing the movie. "Ma" is slang, at least it was when I wrote the first draft, and it taps into the idea of an older woman who pretends to care about a group of teenagers. I loved it right away. Even in my first notes, the title was already in place. There was briefly a discussion of changing the title but Octavia said, "I love it. That's what all the kids call me online!" So, the title stayed.

4. What is your writing habit in general? Do you write in the daytime or at night?

I start with a logline and a title. I expand that into a few pages of paragraphs that simply explain what I think the story of the movie will be. I usually discover some cool things while just writing the basics, the character names, the big twists. Then I outline. Once I start writing a feature, I usually write from about 8:30 to 11:00 every morning. I don't have a set routine, for example, I wrote Ma in my house at my desk. The next two features I wrote were at a weird cafe in La Crescenta that is always empty. I write two scenes every day and then stop and email it to myself as a back-up. If I have a deadline that is shorter than I'd like, I'll write three scenes a day. It might not seem like a lot, but if you do that seven days a week without missing a day, you can get a lot of writing done, and fast.

5. What is your favorite line from MA?

Chaz, Haley, and Darell all have some funny lines, but I wanted Ma to be a mean movie, so probably one of Octavia's lines about how hard it is to always be on the outside, "Because the view from the inside is glorious." It's just so weird to watch that character double-down on her inappropriate behavior when cornered by another adult.

6. An authentic villain is hard to write. How did you get in touch with your inner villain to write a character like Ma?

Anyone who has ever been picked last in gym, not invited to a party, not asked to prom, will understand Sue Ann. The hurt and shame and embarrassment we go through as young people leaves a lasting impact. Sue Ann is an outsider and a loser. She has been her whole life. Everyone has a breaking point. Sue Ann simply reaches her's and it's a lot worse than anyone could expect.

7. Have been a comedian, in any way, help you as a screenwriter?

I only did stand-up in college. I've always written with comics and tried to support as many as I could while starting out as an aspiring writer in NYC. I'm sure watching hundreds of nights of stand-up in my early 20's benefited me in so many ways. I think watching people like Kristen Schaal work her stand-up material every night and then go onto TV and film success let me know that hard work can pay off, especially if you have a true point-of-view.

8. What do you wish you had known when you were starting your screenwriting career?

I wish I had known that the internet would change the way audiences think and the types of movies they want to watch (and where they want to watch them). If I had known that Netflix would be more than a DVD delivery company, I would have written smaller, smarter scripts instead of the big, stupid, broad comedies that I liked as a kid.

9. What are your thoughts on Ms. Octavia Spencer playing Sue Ann “Ma”? Did you ever meet her on set?

Octavia is the greatest casting I could have ever imagined. When Blumhouse first mentioned that she wanted to play Sue Ann, I played it cool but I knew that would be a huge addition. I did meet her on set but I tend to leave actors alone. They are doing their thing and I don't need to insert myself into their world. Having someone like Octavia, who has so many gears as an actor, play an emotionally complex character like Sue Ann is a perfect match. No one would have played this role better. Not even Gilbert Godfrey.

10.  Could you also express your feelings about Juliette Lewis, Luke Evans, Missi Pyle, and/or Allison Janney playing characters that you wrote?

My feelings are simply shock and gratitude. The cast of this movie, including the young actors that play the main friend group, were all excellent. I was shocked when the cast was announced and incredibly thankful that they wanted to be a part of the movie. Also, Luke Evans gives a truly terrifying performance that completely elevated the part. I watched an early cut and thought, "Oh fuck yeah!"

11.   Were you ever on set for the making of MA? If so, could you tell me what scene you were present at?

I was but I was working on other projects so I was only there for 3 days. Thankfully, it was during one of the party scenes and I was able to watch Octavia and the teenagers dancing and laughing.... and then not dancing and not laughing. It was great.

12.   List five adjectives to describe yourself.

I hate doing this but I appreciate your interest so: Social, supportive, considerate, organized, fun-to-party-with.

13.   What do you like best about yourself?

I like who my friends are and how we all treat each other.

14. If a self-published author is seeking a screenwriter/ producer, how would one get you or any expert to read his or her story to see if it would make a compelling movie?

There are so many ways to get your story to someone. I don't know how anyone makes it using the traditional channels. I've never known agents or managers to read something sent from total strangers. I guess it happens, but all of my friends who are agents and managers or development executives (befriending these people is a good idea IF you actually LIKE them) tend to only read or meet with people recommended by their peers. I sent postcards to production companies, worked the door at dozens of shows, supported everyone I thought was special or unique, and wrote dozens of pilots and features that have not and will not ever be read. You must tirelessly pursue this dream and out-smart everyone and find ways to get your story read. Be creative without being annoying. Be confident without being an asshole. Also, be aware of what you think everyone else is writing and stay ahead of that curve. Or, be related to a famous person. That helps.

15.  Which novel/novella/short story/article have you read that you would like to turn to a screenplay?

I wanted to do one called "Dark Harvest" so bad but a huge production company already had the rights. I'm currently trying to turn "Gilchrist: A Novel" into a TV series with the author Christian Galacar. He rules. I would GLADLY read any horror short stories by any of your readers, including yourself, if they are ready to share it. If you post my PO Box below, I'll read a hard copy of their manuscript or story. I love doing that!

16. As a former comedian, what is your favorite joke?

"My dog has no nose."
"How does it smell?"
"Awful!"

17. Last question, what do you miss most about childhood?

I actually love being an adult. I'm in my 30s and I love my 30s even more than my 20s and I liked my 20s more than being a teenager. I look forward and hope to be the best version of myself and the best person I can be to my friends with every coming decade. That being said, riding bikes with my friends and playing flashlight tag in my childhood neighborhood was always fun as hell.

Thank you very much!

Likewise, thank you Mr. Landes for answering my questions. Go check out MA and see how a great horror/thriller is written.The movie's release date is on Friday, May 31. If you want to know more about the film MA, just visit the website: https://www.mamovie.com/ you can also reach him on twitter:@marylandMudflap. Thank you for visiting my blog once again.I hope everyone have a great and safe Memorial Day as we honor our fallen veterans. Take care.

Interview with Mr. Brian Gunn and Mr. Mark Gunn, screenwriters of Brightburn

5/3/2019

He's Not Here To Save The World

Story-line from IMDb: What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister?
Director: David Yarovesky. Producers: James Gunn and Kenneth Huana. Starring: Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, and Matt Jones.

Mr. Brian Gunn and Mr. Mark Gunn are both screenwriters and producers (with the exception of Brian Gunn, who also acted, while Mark Gunn worked on soundtracks).Together, they worked on such projects as 2gether, Bring it on Again, and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. Now, Brightburn is their latest feature film and just by the trailer alone you can tell this movie will be brilliant. So, take this time to get to know these superb screenwriters and the genesis of Brightburn.

1. How did you guys come up with Brightburn?

One day at work the two of us got to talking about this tradition - from Moses all the way up to modern-day superheroes - of people finding infants out in the wild somewhere, and raising them as their own. In the classic telling of these tales, the infants grow up to be noble and heroic. We started to wonder: what if they grew up to be sinister instead? Hence Brightburn was born.

2. Who came up with the title Brightburn? Were there other titles you guys have in mind?

Truth be told we came up with a zillion different titles before we settled on Brightburn. Early on the film was called RECKONING, which is sort of a limp title. Then we changed it to the kid’s name - which at the time was XANDER. Then it changed again a few times before we settled on BRIGHTBURN (one of our fine producers, Simon Hatt, came up with the title).

3. What was the most difficult thing about writing the screenplay of Brightburn?

There was a key subplot in the movie that we had to rethink and rewrite. We probably went through dozens of ideas and drafts before we landed on the right take.

4. What was the most surprising thing you guys learned when writing Brightburn?

We did a couple test screenings for the movie, and the feedback we got from the audience members was almost always very thoughtful and engaged. Sometimes people like to write off moviegoers as young and stupid, but we think audiences are much much smarter than people typically give them credit.

5. What was your writing schedule when you guys wrote Brightburn?

We wrote the first draft on spec in a few weeks, while writing another script for which we were getting paid. Then we went back and did many rewrites - producer and director drafts, actor drafts, budget drafts, etc., etc.

6. What writers inspired you guys to become screenwriters?

Mostly guys from the ‘70s and ‘80s like Bo Goldman, Robert Towne, Robert Getchell, along with lots of others.

7. On average, how many draft scripts do you find yourself writing until you are happy and satisfied with your work?

There’s wild variation project to project. And tricky to count b/c most of the time we may rewrite some scenes dozens of times and other scenes not much at all. But for a project that gets to production let’s say on average 10 full drafts.

8. What piece of advice do you guys have for screenwriters starting out?

Write write write write write. It’s a cliche, but it’s the best way to learn. Like Beckett said, “Try again. Fail again. Fail better."

9. What is your favorite line from one of your screenplays?

We honestly have no idea.

10. Have you guys ever considered writing a short story, novella, or novel?

Yes. There are a few big world-building ideas we’ve had for TV that we think may be better suited for a novel. But novels require so much time and dedication (we’d be learning as we go) that it’s unlikely we’d find time to do it outside of our screenwriting work.

11. Which fictional character (besides yours) would you like to sit down and chat with?

Quint from Jaws. The man could tell some tales.

12. Did any of your writing experience help you guys, in any way, with Brightburn?

Not sure we understand the question. Our writing experience helped a ton.

13. Were you guys ever on set for the making of Brightburn? If so, could you tell me what scene you were present at?

Yes, we were in Atlanta for the shoot for a couple days. We saw a scene in a principal’s office, along with a few others that we can’t mention b/c of spoilers and all!

14. How were you two able to get Mr. David Yarovesky involved with the project? What are your overall thoughts about him directing Brightburn?

Dave is an old friend of both ours and James. It was great having someone who we trusted so much and who seemed to ‘get’ the project from the beginning.

15. What are your thoughts on Elizabeth Banks and David Denman playing Mrs. Breyer and Mr. Breyer respectively?

They’re both phenomenal. Elizabeth is able to combine steeliness with warmth in a way that’s essential for the character (and rare for an actor). And David has a great haunted quality that never feels remotely forced or phony. We’re so lucky to have them.

16. If a self-published author is seeking a screenwriter, how would one get you guys to read his or her story to see if it would make a compelling movie?

Most likely reach out to our agent. He’s pretty good about passing along promising material to us and filtering out the rest.

17. What would it take for you guys to be interested in translating a self-published story into a screenplay?

Depends on the story, but we’re not really in the business of translating material like that.

18. Could you guys give a sneak peek about your next project Journey 3: From the Earth to the Moon?

We wrote Journey 3 years ago. Who knows what’s going to happen with it. It seems Dwayne Johnson has moved on to other franchises, but again, who knows.

19. Last question, who would you guys get to play as you in the movie of your life?

The other day someone compared Brian to Michael Gross, the dad from Family Ties. So how about him? And for Mark, let’s maintain the theme and go with Michael J. Fox.

There's no doubt Brightburn will be an amazing experience in theaters. You should definitely check it out when it comes out Friday, May 24th 2019. I truly appreciate Mr. Brian Gunn and Mr. Mark Gunn for getting off their busy schedule to answer my questions. To get the Brightburn experience just visit the website by clicking here: https://www.brightburn.movie/ Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you are having a fantastic day so far. Take care.

Interview with Mr. Christopher Pinero, director and screenwriter of A Dark Place

4/19/2019

  How Far Would You Go To Bury A Secret?

Plot of A Dark Place from IMDb:
Alex, is a twenty-something struggling to put his life back together after past, reckless mistakes render his job search hopeless. While pressure at home mounts from his pregnant girlfriend, he runs into an old friend who changes his fortunes. Just when things are looking up, Alex discovers a secret that sends him into a self-destructive, downward spiral and brings his two best friends along with him.

A Dark Place is one intense movie and I had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Christopher Pinero, the director and screenwriter of this gripping film. Mr. Pinero has also worked on such films as Once Upon a Night and Leaving. You can check out the award-winning short now: Leaving. So, get to know this wonderful director/screenwriter and read how A Dark Place came together.

1.  What is the genesis of A Dark Place?

It started out as a reoccurring nightmare that I would have pretty often. Then I played the what if game, and it became a short film titled “Once Upon a Night”. Of all the short films I had done up to that point, it seemed to resonate with people the most. It took me a couple years and at least fifteen drafts to find the right way of expanding it into a larger canvas.

2. Were there other titles you came up with before A Dark Place? If so what were they?

The feature’s working title was "Dark Patch". A neurologist discovered "where evil lurks" in the brain in violent criminals and all of them had a dark patch in the central lobe. In the end I decided against it because Alex wasn't evil to me, he was just in pain.

3.  What influences (if any) helped you with writing or directing A Dark Place?

My main influences were Hitchcock’s films. I went on a Hitchcock binge before we shot the movie. Mainly Rope, Psycho, and Rear Window. Also, Silence of the Lambs is one of my favorite films and I watched it multiple times beforehand.

4. List three adjectives to describe the lead character Alex? Is he based on anyone you know in real life?

Desperate, Repressed, Self-Destructive
No, he’s not based on anyone in my life in particular. I would say all of the characters in this movie are a sensationalized part of me.

5. A Dark Place is a truly intense movie, was it written this way in the first draft or did the writing progress to what it is now?

Yes, the story always revolved around a death at a party. Through revisions I looked at ways to have the rest of the story, match the intensity of that. Once I got the structure down of where the story would go, I looked at individual moments and tried to see where I could take things up a notch.

6. Did you have any theme in mind for before writing the screenplay or it come to you afterward?

I don’t think about theme too much before writing. It always starts out as people in a situation and then leads to who are these people and how does the situation define them. I don’t like to over intellectualize in telling stories, I just try to be as personal as I can and I know the theme come out of that. I always pay attention to my intuition and what I would be feeling if I was in a theater watching this movie.

7. What is the name of the music that was played toward the end of the movie? And why did you choose that specific music?

The song at the end of the movie is “Lethal Dose of Daylight” by Andrew Deadman. I’m a friend of one of the members of the band and they were kind enough to let us use the song. The song has a sense of sadness that I felt wrapped up what you just experienced with these characters. The song also has a strong theme of reap what you sow, and I felt that wound up being a big part of this story. Every character in the film got what they deserved for better or worse.

8. Did you know how A Dark Place would end or did it come to you while writing the story?

The beginning of the story and the ending was something I struggled with for a long time and I couldn’t figure it out. I sent the script to a friend of mine, Ben Scharf, who wound up being a story consultant on the film and he suggested how Alex’s story should end. And it all made sense, everything clicked. As soon as that came about, then I knew exactly how it should start and how this story would end for everyone.

9. Jason Darcy (a.k.a Jay Eftimoski) and Christopher Donnellon gave such a superb performance as Alex’s close friends, what was your experience with them and how were you able to bring out the best in their performance?

Chris bartended at a restaurant I used to frequent and I thought his personality was perfect for this. I knew he could bring things to the movie that weren’t in the script. Jay on the other-hand, I cast in the original short film and was impressed with what he brought to the role so I didn’t consider anyone else. With both Chris and Jay, we met a few times prior to filming and discussed their characters. I was able to provide clarity to moments in the story and more importantly help develop their understanding of who these characters were. From there, when the camera starts rolling the best thing I could do was give them the space and freedom to perform. I set the right atmosphere to let them discover.

10.  What message would you want A Dark Place say to the audience?
I wanted to convey that you never know what battle someone is fighting. Some people, like the main character Alex, keep their issues bottled up and bear the burden of them alone. Life is difficult, but it can be a little less so if we share in its hurts and pains. It sounds a little cheesy, but check in on your loved ones every once in awhile.

11.  What is your writing schedule in general?

I find it easier to think at night because I feel that there's less static than during the day. I generally like to write sequences and will wait until the arc of that sequence is done before I call it a day. I'll try to get a draft done as fast as I can so I have a better look at the story and see where it lags and where it feels rushed.

12. If a self-published author is seeking a screenwriter, how would one get you or any experience screenwriter to read his or her story to see if it would make a compelling movie?

There's a lot of avenues online and through social media where you can find contact information, whether it be filmmaker's representation or them directly. If I were to receive a novel, the first thing I would look for is the characters and how well I relate to them. I was sent a short story a few years ago that was incomplete but the character was filled with one of my biggest fears, regret. It was so palpable I had no choice but to adapt it and find a way to give the story a proper structure.

13. Which filmmakers/screenwriters do you admire growing up?

Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Eric Roth, David Fincher, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kathryn Bigelow, Stephen King

14. What piece of advice do you have for screenwriters/directors starting out?

Always look to create your own opportunities. If you're a writer, write as many novels/screenplays as you can. If you're a Director, make as many films as you can and never focus on the results. Find the love in writing or directing and the results will come. Always tell stories out of need rather than want.

15.   Last question, what’s your favorite material object that you already own?

My movie collection.

Greatly appreciate Mr. Christopher Pinero for taking his time to answer those questions. A Dark Place is a unique gem that should be watch. Did I mention that it was the Official Selection of the Hoboken International Film Festival 2018 and Official Selection of the Manhattan Film Festival 2018? Furthermore, it won for Best Supporting Actor and Best Editing, winner of Best Thriller Film Award, and Accolade Global Film Competition Award Winner. I hope you keep an eye for this film as it comes out around August 2019 on VOD platforms through Gravitas Ventures.

Interview with Mr. Jason Baumgardner, co-screenwriter of Run the Race

4/16/2019

The Weight of the World. The Love of a Brother.

Plot of Run the Race from the website:

Two desperate brothers sacrifice today for a better tomorrow.
Reeling from his mother’s death and his father’s abandonment, Zach, an All-State athlete, finds glory on the football field, working to earn a college scholarship and the brothers’ ticket out of town.
When a devastating injury puts Zach—and his dreams—on the sidelines, David laces up his track cleats to salvage their future and point Zach toward hope.

Mr. Jason Baumgardner is a writer and editor that had worked on Perfect Lineup( documentary), Samson(biblical drama), and now Run the Race. So, get to know one of the screenwriters behind Run the Race and read why you should seek this movie--rather than Easter eggs---this Easter holiday.

1. List three adjectives to describe Run the Race?

Inspirational. Charming. Realistic.

2. Could you express how you came to writing the screenplay of Run the Race?

Jake McEntire and I became friends through a project of mine I had cast him in to act. He had the story of Run The Race written out into a 200-page word document and was asking another friend, Zach Smith, and myself how to get it made. Jake started shaving the story down and then asked if I’d come on board to direct a concept trailer so he could use that to go get investors. So, over the holidays of 2011, I wrote a trailer script adapted from his script and we shot it over a weekend in January 2012. The feedback from that concept trailer was very positive and started opening doors for Jake to attach people to the project. Our collaboration on the concept trailer was so good that Jake also wanted me to help him get the script into shape to shoot. So, over the next few years, we wrote together to get the film ready.

3. How was your experience writing Run the Race with Mr. Jake McEntire?

It was great. I’ve co-written a few films now and each experience is different because it is trying to balance your creative ideas and intuitions versus the other writer’s creative voice. So, it can be tricky, especially when you are friends. But from the outset, I always took the backseat and knew this was “Jake’s story and film” and so he would always have the final say. There was a lot of structure work I helped with, pairing things down, combining scenes, creating new scenes, reworking dialogue, etc but Jake is great with the emotional through line of the story and the character’s motivations. Those are the things that resonated so well, I didn’t want to challenge and you can see with the film completed, those same things are what people are resonating with when they watch it. Chris Dowling (co-writer, director) came on later and did a lot of great things as well for the story, but I only worked alongside Jake.

4. On average, how many draft scripts do you find yourself writing until you are happy and satisfied with your work?

Great question. I’ve written some shorts where I cranked it out and only had a pass or two and really liked it. Features are a different beast and it’s really hard to say. With both Run The Race and Samson that were both produced, I wouldn’t doubt if we had 10 to 20 drafts with significant changes. But as you write more, you learn more and a lot of the things you did in those previous films you don’t do again. So, I’d probably say 4-5 re-writes would probably be sufficient now.

5. What’s your favorite line from Run the Race?

Fun question. Jake plays the guy in the Joe Montana jersey who drives the truck and I enjoy a lot of his lines… “Touchdown Truett!” being one. I get a kick out of the one where Zach and Ginger are going to pray at dinner and Zach says “take it away” cause that’s such a real, yet funny, moment. Another great line is when Zach is asking about if anyone figured out who broke off baby Jesus’s leg in the manger display and says, “I know that (Zach broke the leg off) but wondering if they ever figured it out.” My favorite full dialogue scenes are the ones with Zach meeting Ginger’s parents and Nanny’s monologue in the hospital. Those two are the essence of the movie to me in a lot of ways, and existed in some variation since the beginning.

6. Were you ever on set for the making of Run the Race? If so, could you tell me what scene you were present at?

Yes and No. I wasn’t on set for any of the production of the film. But as I said earlier, I wrote, directed and edited the concept trailer that helped bring a lot of interest to the film getting produced and we started a version of Run The Race in 2013 with a couple days of football footage but stopped production to get more financing. But none of that is in the movie. So, with the film you see on screen… No. None of those days.

7. Have your experience with Samson have any influence on how you handled Run the Race?

Good question. As projects take time to get off the ground, I actually worked on Run The Race before Zach (my co-writer) and I started Samson. There was some overlap there but the lessons I learned developing Run The Race actually helped on Samson, not the other way around.

8. What was the hardest part of writing Run the Race?

Having Jake trust me with his baby. Haha. Jake had such a great story and at first, he just had too much story. He had paired it down from his 200 page version, but it was still a bit of a learning curve for both of us to figure out how to get it into a feature length, digestible, version. He still has so many great scenes and characters in the 200 page, Microsoft word draft, that he could probably write an entire other movie.

9. Which director or screenwriter or film influenced you as a screenwriter?

More like, which ones haven’t? Ha. Probably have to say “Good Will Hunting” as it’s one of my favorite films, and I studied it in depth for Run The Race. But I love the way Christopher Nolan tells stories in playing with structure and how Spielberg handles tone, especially in his thrillers.

10. If a self-published author is seeking a screenwriter, how would one get you to read his or her story to see if it would make a compelling movie?

I’ve had people send me their books before. So, that’s probably the easiest way. Not to say that it will lead anywhere, but getting your material into a screenwriter’s hands has at least cracked the door to the possibility. But I would also say feel free to adapt your own book into a screenplay. Then you own the rights to all of it, and understand how the two formats are different.

11. What would it take for you personally to be interested in translating a self-published story into a screenplay?

Novels can be very robust and movies are basically short stories. So, for any novel to become a movie, it needs a ‘way into’ the screenplay format. Most likely a character or through line that the novel can be boiled down into and the rest of the book can be trimmed away but not lose the heart of the story. That can be tricky. Another thing is the book needs to be a visual story. If it’s all in a character’s head, her motivations, her struggles, etc, it will be tough to translate it into a visual medium, which is what film is. But for me personally, I think it just depends on if I resonate with the material, the themes, and at the end of the day (as with any screenplay I write) it has to answer the question for me, “Is this a movie I would pay to see?” with a resounding “Yes.”

12. The furthest I have traveled is to…

Either Australia and New Zealand or Israel. I’m not sure which is further from the States. I went to Israel in 2000 and loved it. And my wife, sister, and parents went to Australia and New Zealand in 2012. One of my favorite trips ever. As big Lord of The Rings fans, it was a very memorable and inspirational trip. Love to go back “down under” sooner rather than later.

13. What’s your most favorite animal in the world?

My dog, Tucker. He’s a husky mix and my wife and I have had him most of our marriage before we even had kids. Love that dog.

14. Last question, if you could be a “fly on the wall” anywhere at any time, where would you like to be?

Probably go with the most influential and controversial moment in world history… the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sitting outside the tomb on that Sunday morning would be something worth turning into a fly for.

And on that note, I would like to thank Mr. Jason Baumgardner for the opportunity to interview him. You can see Run the Race in theaters. Simply click on the movie's website and find where to check it out:runtherace.com. If you want to know more about him, just visit his website: www.jasonbaumgardner.com. I hope each and everyone of you have a wonderful day. Take care and come here again to read more blog posts. God bless.

Just wanted add two photos from the movie premiere:
1. Mr. Jason Baumgardner and Mrs. Catherine Baumgardner
2. Mr. Jake & Mrs. Charity McEntire and Mr. Zach & Mrs. Casey Smith.