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Scriptapalooza Interviews 1st Place Winner John Todd

Scriptapalooza interviews John Todd, winner of their 2009 screenwriting competition with his script Madam I'm Adam:

How did you come up with the story idea?

Funny story. I'll try and make it brief. On a trip to Disneyland/California Adventure I visited the Animation Pavilion. I sat down in 'the Beast's library' where they have this little game you play that will tell you what Disney character you are. You answer a bunch of questions, and then it displays who you most resemble. Now I grew up exploring caves and playing in old Fort Moultrie making traps, mapping tunnels, you know the dumb things you do when you're young and invincible. I've always been action oriented, practiced martial arts most of my life, so I was expecting to be someone heroic. Buzz Lightyear, Tarzan, etc. I was stunned when the game told me I most resembled Jiminy Cricket.

Jiminy Cricket.

Well, that pretty much ruined my trip to Disneyland. All day, it was all I could think about. I mean seriously, can you imagine the poor schmuck who had ME as their conscience?Not that I'm a bad person, but I get bored easily, and I kept imagining me--as a someone's conscience--getting them into trouble for entertainment purposes.

I really thought about that prospect. I wasn't a bad person. My parents raised me very well. Taught me honesty, honor, integrity. So I thought I'd actually make quite a good conscience, though I would most likely be a very tough teacher. In my experience, the toughest teachers are the ones that teach you the best lessons. That was how Sebastian was created. Jiminy Cricket. The story then just came out as I drove the hour back home.

I then had to decide what I wanted to write next. I had been developing an epic--and original scifi that I really wanted to do as it's one genre I had tried my hand at. But this story really just overpowered it.

Then I received news that my dad suddenly had two years, tops, to live. My family was in Louisiana, so my visits were rare. I had never experienced death, and I was very close to my parents. I figured that I was not going to handle his death very well, so I might as well start preparing now. So I chose to write Madam I'm Adam and explore--in my mind--what it would be like to lose someone you loved. So I began extensive research on death, John Edward, psychics, etc. I then cranked out the first draft as my thesis script at USC. It was titled Second Exit at that time. I graduated with distinction because of it.

Then I was in a horrible motorcycle accident that shattered my left leg completely. I wasn't suppose to walk again--though I'm healed perfectly now--and 2 months after that, bedridden, my father passed. Then three months later his father passed. Then two months later his mother passed. In the span of one calendar year, I had been broken and my paternal side wiped out.

It was during this mourning period that I realized I needed to revisit my thesis script. I had written it, speculating on what it was to lose loved ones. Now, I knew exactly what that felt like.

What emerged is the script you have read.

How long did it take you to write it?

Development/research is what takes my time when I write. The writing is fast. Usually a week or so. As the first draft of this was a my thesis at USC, I had a semester to develop and a semester to write. Of course, when I started to write I was introduced to The World of Warcraft, and I nearly didn't finish my thesis on time. Believe it or not, I cranked it out 3 days before it was due. But that was also because I spent so much time in development.

How many rewrites did you do?

I rewrote the script immediately after I turned it in. Then I rewrote it after everyone died on me. Then I did a few hard rewrites after. So this one got five rewrites. I tend to get my first drafts out in less than a week. And any writer who's worth anything will tell you, the magic is in the REWRITES. The reason I 'vomit' out first drafts so fast is because I know I am really trying to tackle a subject that is bothering me in real life, and I don't want to lose it in the details. I never really know what it is consciously, but I've written enough to know my process. My scripts may take place in fantastic worlds, but they are grounded in real characters with real issues that I am wrestling with. So I trust myself to get it out as fast as possible, then take the time to go over it and really learn just what it is I'm trying to figure out/say. When I do, then I know how to streamline the story and characters to really focus on my theme. Not the best process, but you have to go with what works for you, and this does.

Is this your first script that you have written?

No. I have several features and developed a wonderful and edgy tv show for HBO/Showtime. My scripts are as follows: Star of Mourning, Dance of the Dead, (currently writing) Alpha Omega, Madam I'm Adam, Murphy's Law, 4.0, A spec for Scrubs and Deadwood, and the original tv show I'm desperately trying to get to HBO called KINK. I spent the last year working on that. Getting the pilot written, the pitchbook, and I've developed the first season's 12 episodes, a,b, and c stories. The remaining four season are outlined as well, just not as detailed.

Why did you enter Scriptapalooza?

I've been trying to break into the business for about 10 years now. 8 in Los Angeles. My other work has placed and won minor competitions, but after a time, you begin to realize just which contests are worth the time and money. My experience has shown me that Scriptapalooza is one of those few. The only ones I sent work to this year was Scriptapalooza and the Nicholl.

Advice to other screenwriters?

Avoid the World of Warcraft. Seriously though, the best piece of advice I can think of this early in my career would be perseverance and to hone your craft. If you don't have relatives or friends in this industry, as I didn't, it's a very difficult industry to break into. First and foremost, hone your craft. There's not a waiter or postal clerk in Los Angeles who isn't writing a screenplay. Everyone thinks they can, but the truth of the matter is, it's an art. As such, you need to train, educate yourself, read psychology, and devote your life to telling stories. But that doesn't guarantee you success. That's where the perseverance comes in. You are going to hear a thousand "No's" on your way up. Take them in stride, but don't give up. It only takes one "yes". You have to be like Rocky Balboa. In his pictures, he's not the best fighter. He's not the strongest. But his heart and ability to take hits and not give up is what gets him through it all. And you are going to take hits. Just don't go down. To paraphrase Joseph Campbell, follow your bliss, and you'll find yourself on a track of life that seemed to be there the entire time. Fortune cookie advice maybe, but it's what got me this far.

Updated: 11/09/2009

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