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Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Tom Sinsky
An interview with screenwriter Tom Sinsky regarding the Cynosure Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: Coaster Girl. The smartest kid in America wins a roller coaster design contest with a ride that jumps the track. She's then hired to design rides, but as she becomes more successful she also grows avaricious and less appreciative of her family. She even begins to admire the evil owner of a rival corporation. This billionaire kidnaps her and makes her design the ultimate ride. She does, but her ride also captures the villains and lets her return to her family.
Q: What made you enter this particular contest? Have you entered any other contests with this script? If so, how did you do?A: Cynosure has two categories, "Best Female Protagonist" and "Best Minority Protagonist." I won Second Prize for "Best Female Progagonist" which had 100 more scripts than the minority category. Also, the contest coordinator informed me that the scores between first and second prize was the closest ever which was both frustrating and consoling. I'm waiting to hear from other contests.
Q: Were you satisfied with the adminstration of the contest? Did they meet their deadlines? Did you receive all the awards that were promised?A: The contest coordinator Andretta Hamilton is a bright and wonderful person. She also has excellent taste in scripts!
Q: Were you given any feedback on your script? If so, did you find the feedback helpful?A: Yes, I got feedback from four people which showed that each of them had carefully read it. Their feedback was helpful--I'm now improving my story by adding more tension to my protaginost's struggle to win the coaster competition in act 1.
Q: Has your success in this contest helped you market your script? Were you contacted by any agents, managers or producers?A: Yes. One manager contacted me and on my own I've gotten it into the offices of nine successful producers, apparently because I added this contest to my sales pitch. I'm still waiting to hear from most of them and I would like to get it into even more producers' and agents' offices. The most exciting call I got was from Henry Winkler. I had met him when he visited a USC class and he said he'd read it even though he's not currently producing movies. He called back with an excellent and specific idea about how to make a scene better. My friends back in Milwaukee were impressed that I got two calls from Fonzie.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: I have an MFA in Screenwriting from USC's School of Cinema & Television (class of 2001) and an MA in English literature, and a very wasted law degree. I'll be teaching one college course next semester. I have three other scripts--Cage Match, Warhol's Disease, and Dealing--that have advanced in other competitions a total of ten times.
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?A: I have lived all over L.A. for the past 12 years. My wife and I are now in Pasadena and I can walk to five multi-plexes and six book stores!
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: I'm working on two scripts that I think will be my best yet. I'm also adapting James W. Huston's best-selling novel Balance of Power into a screenplay. The Washington Post wrote, "If you like Tom Clancy, Huston is a good step up." This novel and its sequel, The Price of Power, should one day be excellent movies and I hope I'll earn sole credit for the screenplays. Given my background (M.A.)in literature, I wish producers would let me adapt more novels.
Posted Saturday, January 10, 2004
