MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Dana Garrity

An interview with screenwriter Dana Garrity regarding the The-GreenLight.com Monthly Writing Competition.

A: I've actually changed the title recently to BREWIN' THE PITS, but it won as OPEN PIT.

BREWIN' THE PITS is about sex, love, and...horseshoes. Horseshoes you say? Why the hell not? It's never been done on film before and prime for some great comedy. Find another spec out there about horseshoes and you've found someone who's come across mine. Of couse, most people say it isn't out there because horseshoes suck. And for those that say that, I have this to say to you: You my friend are correct. It's a stupid, worthless sport, if you can even call it that.

The screenplay follows one man's journey to redemption through tossing horseshoes. He learns to forgive himself, accept his dysfunctional friends and family, and find love in the most unlikely, and hysterical of places, all while exploring the little-known world of competitive horseshoes.

A: I entered The-Greenlight contest because it was a monthly competition and I had a very good experience entering a different contest of the same variety.

I've entered this script in several contests recently. Crossing my fingers that I have a good showing. I did enter The Writer's Place with an early draft and made the finals.

A: Gord is an excellent communicator and supplied everything that was promised.

A: This script was initially an assignment by a director who wanted to work with me on two films. I wrote the first draft in about four weeks. I have made many revisions since. The director and I have parted ways as he recently struck career gold.

This script has about five months of blood, sweat, and tears into it at this point.

A: Final Draft. I've used it for all my scripts.

A: Ideally, I try to sit and type for a couple hours a night and really hammer it on the weekends.

A: Writer's block? Never heard of it.

Of course I have. Only one way to deal with it. Work through it. If you don't love writing, stop writing. Most screenwriters will NEVER get produced so you have to write because it's a passion. Otherwise, the odds are you'll end up quite depressed and sucking back cheap scotch, straight from the bottle.

A: I've written four feature-length screenplays, having optioned one of them.

A: So far away from Los Angeles, it's like a different planet. I have no plans to move there, but if I get produced and begin carving a name out for myself, I'll be able to afford the cost of rocket fuel.

A: Waiting on some producers regarding BREWIN' THE PITS and writing another script. I have a stockpile of ideas now and I'm trying to prioritize them according to the marketability factor.

Posted Thursday, May 20, 2010