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Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Brien Kelly
An interview with screenwriter Brien Kelly regarding the Scriptapalooza Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: The title of my script is A Novel Approach to Suicide, and it's about a used bookstore owner who comes across a book that has eerie correlations to his life. The story follows his pursuit to find out more about the book and to determine whether or not the story has any connection with reality.
Q: What made you enter this particular contest? Have you entered any other contests with this script? If so, how did you do?A: I entered Scriptapalooza after reading about it in either Creative Screenwriting or Script magazine -- maybe both. It also showed up on a few best of lists that I found online. In addition to Scriptapalooza, I entered my script into the BlueCat Screenplay Competition and became a finalist.
Q: Were you satisfied with the administration of the contest? Did they meet their deadlines? Did you receive all the awards that were promised?A: Yes, yes, and yes.
Q: How long did it take you to write the script? Did you write an outline beforehand? How many drafts did you write?A: I spent two weeks, during winter break, outlining the story (in a notebook, on notecards, in my head), and then two months, whenever I had free time from school and homework, to write my draft.
It's hard to say how many drafts I wrote. As I was writing, I would tweak different scenes, go back and add / subtract dialogue, etc. When I was finished writing my script I made a few changes, but nothing significant. I would consider it to be a first draft.
A: I used Final Draft to write my script. I have also played around with Screenwriter and Celtx, but I prefer Final Draft.
Q: Do you write every day? How many hours per day?A: Usually. On days when I'm not working (I'm a substitute teacher, so I don't get work everyday), I write for about six hours. On days when I do work, I usually write for about one to two hours in the evening.
Q: Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you deal with that?A: I do. When I get stuck, I'll usually watch a movie on Netflix or read a screenplay. Both activities seem to get my mind rolling again.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: A Novel Approach to Suicide was my first feature length screenplay. I have since written another one and am currently writing a third. I've been writing short films since I was about twelve years old.
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?A: Oddly enough, I moved from Los Angeles to Minneapolis three years ago because my wife got accepted to the University of Minnesota Grad School. Maybe we'll move back someday. If getting screenwriting work depended on it, then we would definitely move back. We both miss Southern California, but like Minneapolis as well.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: I'm currently writing a new script. It's about an elementary school teacher who is dealing with the death of her daughter. I'm really excited about it.
Posted Friday, January 7, 2011
