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Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Teddy Adams
An interview with screenwriter Teddy Adams 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 The Druggist. It's the comic tale of Jules Haldermann, a druggist who basically loses everything important to him in comical fashion--the family business, his girlfriend, the respect of his overbearing father, any and all sense of self-worth he ever had. In addition, he's dogged by nightmares regarding the death of his mother. He stumbles through life, numbly floating on a sea of codeine cough syrup, until he bottoms out. Then, in the most unlikely of places, he finds the one thing that gives his life meaning again.
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 several different contests, but Scriptapalooza was definitely one that I felt was most well-regarded in the industry, along with the Nicholl Fellowships and The Page Awards. The Druggist advanced to the QF's in those competitions.
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: Yeah, very satisfied. I did receive my award which was a nice software package among other things. They definitely kept to their deadlines, even letting me know the final results before they were posted. The personal congratulatory phone call from Mark was a nice touch.
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 wrote the script in about six months, mainly working in the early hours of the morning, which I find has the least distractions. I definitely work from a scene by scene outline because I like the feeling of knocking a project out in measurable, concrete steps. I did a few polishes of the script which mainly involved making it tighter.
Q: What kind of software did you use to write the script, if any? What other kinds of writing software do you use?A: I use ScreenStyle for the formatting. Nothing else.
Q: Do you write every day? How many hours per day?A: I try to write everyday when I'm in the middle of a script, but some days it just doesn't happen for whatever reason. That's OK though, because some times you need to step back for a little perspective. Writing can be intense, so after about four hours or so I usually need to put it down. Go hit the heavy bag or something. Chop some wood. Or do a few burnouts.
Q: Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you deal with that?A: No. I have never experienced writer's block. If anything, I feel like I can't get the ideas out fast enough sometimes. I constantly jot down crib notes so I don't forget and then come back to them.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: I have a day job. I wrote another script a while back called International Killing Machine which generated some interest and an option. I didn't sign it though because I really didn't care for the terms in the contract. So, yeah, I may be the only unproduced screenwriter in history to turn down an option.
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?A: I live in the Boston area. No plans to move there right now.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: Mulling over a few ideas. I like to be really sure about an idea before I dive headlong into that insane world.
Posted Friday, September 30, 2011
