MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Paul Undari

An interview with screenwriter Paul Undari regarding the StoryPros Awards Writing Competition.

A: "The People V. God" is about an attorney who has to defend a teenage girl charged with murdering her parents in an exorcism. His client insists she didn't kill her parents -- God did! What if she's telling the truth? If so, how do you put God on trial? Yet, that is exactly what the lawyer will do.

The mystery here is that no one, not even forensics, knows conclusively how the parents died, only that their death wasn't natural. So the attorney, Frank, will offer an alternate theory of the crime. If his client, Anna, didn't kill her parents, then by the State's own testimony and evidence that leaves only one other possibility. God. Or so Frank would have the jury believe.

But everyone knows that someone had to have killed her parents. Only question is... Will Frank's growing affection for Anna blind him to the truth? And though the evidence indicates Anna couldn't have killed her parents, someone had to. But does Frank even want to know who? Alas, Frank must know, such is his nature.

And Frank will discover the horror that truth is not always liberating. Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss.

A: I heard a lot of good things about this contest. Through my own research, I discovered that StoryPros isn't just looking for a great script, but one that reflects the demands of the market. Chiefly, they want to choose a story that is high-concept. Or so I gambled on this interpretation. And I lucked out.

Or was it luck? I've also won first place in Fresh Voices, another wonderful contest -- very professional. In addition, "The People V. God" also placed 4th in ScriptVamp, finalist in ThreeLinesOrLess, 2nd Runner-Up in ScriptVamp Attention Grabber. And I'm awaiting on results from all the majors, including Nicholl, Page, Scriptapalooza, ScriptPipeLine, Austen, Big Break, and a couple of others.

A: How could I not be satisfied with the administration of this contest? If I have a complaint, it is this. They make you wait till the final minutes of the day they announce. In other words, there were a lot of late nights awaiting results. But in fairness, they always posted results on the day they said they would.

I just received a prize package awards confirmation email. They even asked by what method I wanted to receive the prize money. (Nice to have a choice.)

But as we all know, we don't enter these contests for the money. I entered this one for the guaranteed reads. And I will get three of them from top-notch companies. Fingers crossed.

A: I wrote this in a few weeks only because I had written an earlier version a decade ago. So I decided to write it anew from scratch. Thus, no need for an outline.

As for drafts? Too many to count at this point. As I've become a stronger writer, my next script won't have to go through as many drafts as this one -- or so I hope.

A: I use Final Draft. No real need to use any other, though if I win Movie Magic Writer from a contest, I would give that a try as I've heard good things about it.

A: I try to write everyday, even if just a paragraph. As emotionally satisfying as writing is, it is so easy to put off. And I am a grandmaster at putting things off. Some days, I'd rather do laundry and dust than sit at the computer.

A: I get writer's block when I'm under the gun. So much easier to write at own pace. But when you have deadlines, you sweat like a mofo.

A: My background is supposed to be in law. But that all depends on whom you ask. I've written several screenplays. And I consider them all to be exercises except for this last one and all future ones. This is my moment... of truth. Total commitment. Hell, I've been to one world's fair, a rodeo and a picnic... It's time to go toe-to-toe with the Ruskies. (Dr. Strangelove, in case anyone was wondering.)

A: Alas, I have made the decision to move to LA. As I am from NYC, I consider LA to be another country. I just don't know when exactly I'm going to make the move. Do I need a passport?

A: Hell, yes. It's called "Nomad Of Hell", courtesy of a poll taken among all my fellow MovieByters.

Working Logline per Industry Insider Contest: A soldier returns from an 18 month deployment and finds that the family home is missing -- even the address no longer exists. (Keep in mind, about 1,200 other people are also using this Logline. We'll see who gets to keep it at the end of June vis-a-vis Industry Insider Contest. (Forgive me if I didn't use "vis-a-vis" properly.)

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2012