MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Stephen Garvey

An interview with screenwriter Stephen Garvey regarding the One in Ten Writing Competition.

A: "Outrage" is a black, screwball comedy about a fit and attractive single man in his 30s, who loves show tunes, Cher and cappuccino yogurt muffins. He is not a homosexual, but he plays one in the minds of his family and friends. When his love interest doubts his heterosexuality, our hero attempts to curb his flamboyant behavior, a decision that manages to trigger a series of nightmarish misfortunes.

A: The One In Ten Screenplay Contest was developed to reward the positive portrayal of gays and lesbians in film. And honestly, I didn't think I had a prayer to win this contest, not because I'm straight. The contest welcomed all writers to enter, so to me, that was a non-issue. The non-gay protagonist though, that's another matter. But the surrounding characters for the most part are gay, and I guess they were likable enough to push me over the top. I've entered a couple of other contest with this script - Nicholl, Scriptapalooza, Slamdance - and am awaiting the results.

A: Everything was spot-on. Cherub Productions runs the contest. They've come through on every level. I got my prize package right away and they've gone above and beyond in terms of marketing the script and getting it out to production companies and agencies. Believe it or not, all of the communication to this point has been through e-mails and regular mail. If there's one disappointment, it's that I haven't had the opportunity to talk to any of these guys and thank them for all they've done for me.

A: They sent a two-page write-up that was helpful, but what was a real aid to me was the lengthy coverage I received from one of the contests co-sponsors - Scr(i)pt Magazine. In general, all of the One In Ten co-sponsors - Scr(i)pt, InkTip.com and soyouwannasellascript - have been very supportive.

A: Winning definitely opened some doors, and for the first two months, I was getting a lot of requests for the script by independent film companies, producers and a few agents - maybe 50 requests in all. I also used the opportunity to market myself and made a lot of cold calls to agencies and major studios, and found that they were, for the most part, pretty receptive to looking at my stuff as well. Honestly, whether you win a contest or not, it still comes down to putting yourself out there as much as possible.

A: I've been writing since I was eight, and studied writing at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. I've achieved some success as a playwright, with productions in New York City and Washington, D.C., but I've recently been focusing my efforts on screenwriting. In 2002, I was a quarterfinalist in the 2002 Nicholl Fellowship with another script, and I just made it to the Top 100 in Project Greenlight 3. All cool stuff, but I'm still writing copy for a marketing agency for a living. (I write "Win" a lot and use many exclamation points.)

A: I tried L.A. twice and left both times annoyed and determined to go back to playwriting. Fact is, though, I love screenwriting too much to ever give it up. So I figure all I have to do is keep winning contests, and I'll have just as good a shot to make it from Long Island as I would in L.A. Now I just have to figure out how to keep winning contests...

A: My writing partner and I just finished a new comedy that we're currently trying force down as many throats as possible. It's called "9/11 Kevin" and it's about a September 11th survivor who brings life, love and happiness to a depressed New England town...and the two men who hate him.

Posted Wednesday, June 16, 2004