MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Patrick Brady

An interview with screenwriter Patrick Brady regarding the Worldfest - Houston Writing Competition.

A: The script is titled: Kissing Audrey Hepburn

Kissing Audrey Hepburn placed second at Worldfest in 2002 in the category of Best Original Drama. Set in 1992, Kissing Audrey Hepburn is a drama about a small town boy, about 19, who, after losing everything he has, crosses the globe to kiss the most beautiful woman in the world before she dies of cancer in order to redeem himself to the only woman whose love truly matters to him.

A: Kissing Audrey Hepburn was the first feature length script I had ever written. It was actually the first of anything more than 2000 words I had ever written. I taught myself by reading every book the local library had on script writing for a month. I think they had maybe five, three of which were by Max Adams. After I had my script I just followed her advice and submitted it to all the contests I could find. I think about 10 in all.

This script was also a “Second Rounder” (top 10%) at this year’s Austin Film Festival as well as some other contests. I discovered it’s good to send a script out to a variety of contests, as I’ve received some feedback from other contests on this same script saying that it was the worst crap they had ever read. It’s a very fickle industry. There is really no right or wrong, good or bad way to write. After formatting and style fall into place, it can often be just a matter of timing and opinion.

A: A month after the film festival was over I received a form letter in the mail saying, “Don’t worry. We haven’t forgot about you. Your award will be coming in the mail soon.” I just stood there scratching my head for a minute wondering what they were talking about. This was the first time I had been notified. I didn’t know what to think. I was elated that I had won. The award validated that I was on the right path, that I could tell a tale that not only fit the definition of a script, but also stood out from a stack of submissions. On the other hand I was furious that I wasn’t notified prior to the film festival so that I could have made arrangements to schmooze and market the script.

With time I’ve come to terms with this minor oversight. I emailed the contest organizer and directed my complaint. They were very considerate and explained that they only had an award ceremony for the first prize winners due to size restrictions. I believe they currently inform all winners in advance. I received a nice piece of paper in a plastic frame that currently hides a nasty stain on the wall in my apartment’s kitchen.

A: Houston Worldfest doesn’t give any direct feedback on scripts regarding style, dialog, character or story. They did inform me that I finished second out of almost 4000 scripts submitted in that category. This fact grabbed my fragile ego up by the bootstraps and set me on my feet to continue writing. When I feel crushed by the weight of the odds against breaking into the industry I use this fact to remind myself to continue on.

A: Only one production company contacted me on their own from the list of winners on the Worldfest website, but this company was responsible for some of the biggest films in the last decade. HUGE movies. They were moving away from blockbusters into smaller budget, high yield teen flicks. They didn’t feel that Kissing Audrey Hepburn was what they were looking for (more drama than comedy), but they did invite me to submit scripts in the future based on this read. The script I’m currently working on may be more their style. I would have never received that chance if I hadn’t submitted to Worldfest.

Marketing without an agent is an uphill battle all the way. By being able to add a major contest win to query letters adds the leverage needed to get you one step closer to a read. The more reads, the more chances at an option. I’ve yet to option Kissing Audrey Hepburn, but I have submitted to numerous companies who have offered invitations for future submissions based on that read. It’s always a matter of time and numbers.

A: My background is originally from multimedia design. I was working for a (failing) media company doing animation, graphic design, digital video editing, as well as writing copy. The company had slumped to the point where I was surfing the web eight hours a day just to kill time. I decided to use that time to do what I always wanted and write a screenplay. One month after I finished the script I was laid off. The company closed its doors 6 months later.

A: I live in Minnesota and am currently without the means to fund a move, which is why it is so important to garner attention via contests. If you are in LA you can throw a brick and hit some sort of potential contact. The one nice thing about living in the Midwest is that screenwriters are considered interesting characters to meet, as opposed to LA where they stamp either “Writer, Actor,” or “Producer” on your birth certificate.

I wouldn’t move to LA unless I had a to fall back on. I have attended the Writer’s Guild “Words Into Pictures” conference and realized that I would only live in LA to get an option or agent. After that I would move out of the city, but possibly stay in Northern California, but that would be after the 20 years it took me to get established.

A: In my time off from my former job I have completed two more feature length scripts, a short script I may animate myself, and several short stories.

One of my features, my third, I wrote in a partnership that went sour, so I cannot even show it to anyone.

I’ve been submitting my second script to contests only just recently. It is a historical action adventure based on the true story of a logging town in the 1800s trapped by a hurricane force fire that towered four and a half miles in the atmosphere whose only chance at escape rests with an overdue steam locomotive. That script was also an Austin Film Festival “Second Rounder”. I'm very proud of this one because I learned so much more about the craft. No matter how good you are there is always more to discover. I wish i could make a living at this just to explore the world through writing. I've lived around the world, in places like China, Korea, and Canada, but the world really opens up to you once you explore it through another vehicle such as writing or photography or some creative measure. I feel fortunate to have discovered this.

I’m currently working on a comedy which I may be appropriate to submit to my “huge production company” contact.

Posted Sunday, January 4, 2004