MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Josh Rachlis

An interview with screenwriter Josh Rachlis regarding the Script Showcase Writing Competition.

A: The script's called Focus Group. Here's the carefully-crafted logline that was sent out in the e-blast that was part of the contest's prize:

"A copywriter who can't make decisions discovers he can use advertising focus groups to make every decision for him, helping him to win the heart of the girl he loves - before she finds out who's really calling the shots in the relationship."

It's a romantic comedy that draws on the inside knowledge of the ad industry I've gained in my day job as a copywriter, the chronic indecision that's plagued me since childhood and my uncanny ability to ruin any romantic relationship I'm in.

A: I honestly can't remember why I entered this one. This much I know: I had just finally finished my first draft. My screenwriting teacher vehemently warned me not to send it to anyone yet, because it was just a first draft. But I wanted to celebrate the fact that I'd written a feature-length number of pages, regardless of their level of finish. So I probably picked this contest because it was coming up soon and had a good mix of cash and promotion as the prize. Maybe the fact that it was based in LA set my screenwriting heart aflutter. And the name "Script Showcase" probably also appealed to me. I would like to have my script "showcased." That sounds fun. Oh, and no, I haven't entered anything else yet. I'm still basking in the glory of this one. And I haven't found any other contests with such an enticing name.

A: One problem I had - and I'm just mentioning this so that the administrators can fix the glitch for future contests - was not getting email notifications of my status. I never got emails saying I was in the quarter or semi-finals. And I only found out I was in the finals because of a Google Alert I've set up on my own name (hey, I like my name, okay?). I emailed the administrators pointing out that I wasn't getting email updates and asked if I could be sent the earlier announcement emails (I wanted to experience the excitement retroactively). All I got was a short reply saying "Emails were sent out." And then I had to keep checking the site to see if I'd won. That said, I did receive my winning cheque promptly in the mail. And the other prizes, such as the e-blast of the logline, were awarded as promised. And I got lots of requests for the script from that e-blast. So I recommend it as a contest with great prizes. And the judges obviously have great taste in screenplays.

A: Well, when you say "write the script," does that include the years of "not writing the script" in between? I had the general idea of the script for years, but I won't even count that for this answer. The actual writing started when I took a few months of screenwriting class (the beginner course and the Act 2 course) at George Brown College in Toronto, with instructor Nika Rylski. I came out with the main structural pillars and 40 pages of written screenplay. Little did I realize how hard it would be to motivate myself to finish it without the encouraging guidance and forced deadlines of an instructor. I think it was a couple of years later that a friend told me to stay with her in LA for my 3 weeks of vacation and work on my screenplay in her apartment while she was away at work during the day and she'd check on my progress at the end of the day. This sounded good. Until, on the plane down to LA, I cracked open my notes to discover I'd only written detailed story beats to the mid-point. So I wrote the script to the mid-point. Then, back in Toronto, I emailed Nika asking what to do. She said to sign up for the Act 2 class again. Which I did. And then I took the Act 3 class she offered outside the college. (Smart of her to make you keep taking classes in order to get to the end of the script.) So, it was probably about 9 months of time actually working on it. And 3 years of fretting about it. And, as you learned from an earlier answer, I only wrote the first draft.

A: I used Final Draft. My ex-girlfriend, whom I pictured in my mind when writing the romantic interest, had given me her code number so I could share her paid account. She's now married with child, and I hope neither her husband nor child takes up screenwriting because then I might get my code revoked.

A: These interview answers are actually the longest thing I've written in a long time. Well, okay, I'm sort of kidding. I mean, I write daily at my job as a copywriter. And I'm always working on creative projects such as short films, radio show pitches, stand-up comedy, humorous newspaper articles, hilarious Tweets... But I must admit I find it hard to buckle down to work on a screenplay. I prefer the immediate gratification of writing and shooting videos for my YouTube page. But when I do sit down to work on a screenplay, it's a couple of hours a day, twice a week. But I just completely made that number up, because I have no idea.

A: Here's my theory about writer's block: Doesn't exist. It should be called "I don't feel like writing" block. Which I get a lot. And maybe you do, too. But you shouldn't let it stop you. Because today, right now, you're the youngest you'll ever be. Your brain is the sharpest it will ever be. You might even get sick or become brain damaged in the future. So now's the best time to write, even if you don't feel like you have any brilliant ideas. If you sit down to type, you can type something. You'll be doing it before someone else types that same thing. And if one day in the future you come up with something way better than what you wrote today, you can use that for another screenplay. Maybe even for the sequel to your current one. So there's my pep talk. Full Disclosure: I've procrastinated on filling out these interview questions for at least 4 months. So what the heck do I know?

A: This is my first screenplay. I'd written/directed/acted in little short films, and producers had told me that I should write a feature, but I didn't know how to go about it, until it occurred to me to sign up for a class. My day job is writing commercials at an ad agency. In my spare time, I act. By client request, I starred in my own commercials as the angry Scottish Mini Man for Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Minis. I was the voice of a claymation chameleon for Hubba Bubba Max. I'm a graduate of the Second City Conservatory for comedic improv. I've done stand-up at Yuk Yuk's, founded a comedy troupe, hosted my own shows on community cable, been a talk radio host on Toronto's Newstalk 1010 CFRB, have recently appeared on CBC Radio shows GO! and Definitely Not The Opera, and every Saturday I do a movie review on Toronto's South Asian radio station. Even though I'm not South Asian. Nor a movie reviewer. (You can hear the reviews at www.joshrachlis.blogspot.com. I'm no Roger Ebert, so I can use the hits.) My cartoon illustrations and comedic columns have run in The Ottawa Citizen. And The Toronto Star recently devoted a half-page to my pursuits as a green comedian, such as my eco hip hop marriage proposal to environmentalist Laurie David that's earned kudos from everyone from Ed Begley Jr. to David Suzuki. (Check out the vid at www.youtube.com/joshrachlis. I'm no Justin Bieber, so I could use the hits.)

A: I live in Toronto. I wish I lived in LA. My plans to move there mostly consist of wishing I lived in LA. But I did recently meet with a lawyer about getting a US work visa and he said that winning contests would look good on the application. So I'm glad I won this contest. Hopefully being interviewed by a screenplay website will help with the application as well.

A: Well, a NYC producer, who saw my script a year ago during my free trial posting on InkTip.com, has given me some notes and wants to work with me on revisions. And I've got some ideas for other scripts. In the meantime, I'm trying to get famous through my YouTube videos and radio appearances so I'll be so famous that it will be easier to get a feature script produced. Because that's one of the difficulties of disciplining yourself to write a feature - you don't know if it will ever get made. Last week I went to the screening of a Canadian indie comedy that the creators wrote, shot and acted in themselves. I'll bet it's easier to write a screenplay knowing that you're going to shoot it yourself and it's thus guaranteed to be made. Hmmm... Now there's an idea...

Posted Wednesday, April 28, 2010