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Scriptapalooza TV Interviews 1 Hour Spec Winner Christina C. Shinn

Christina C. Shinn
1st place winner
1 hour spec category


Scriptapalooza: How did you come up with your story idea?

As a long time fan of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", I have a good idea of the characters and story arcs. I wrote "Loyalties" to showcase Spike's possible past and to bring back one of my favorite characters, Drusilla. There's so much mystery surrounding these two characters, I wanted to explore all those years in between.

Scriptapalooza: How long did it take you to write it?

I write very quickly once I have an outline on the story I want to tell. Usually about a week.

Scriptapalooza: Is this your first script that you have written?

No. The first script I entered in Scriptapalooza was a pilot script called "False Impressions." It didn't win but it was good practice to learn tv writing format. I have been writing full-time for about eight months and doing what I can to get my foot in the door. I've written dozens of feature film length screenplays and a variety of spec scripts.

Scriptapalooza: Have you entered other screenwriting competitions?

Yes, I'm always entering one competition or another throughout the year, just to keep my hand in and hope to have my writing recognized. I'm constantly surfing the net and reading magazines for writers to find out what's going on out there since I don't live in Los Angeles.

Scriptapalooza: If so, have you been successful?

I've been lucky this year. I recently placed 2nd on TVWriter.com for a new tv series proposal. I've been approached by the Shapiro-Lichtman Agency and hope to hear good news. Several producers have approached me to submit my screenplays. My fingers are crossed!

Scriptapalooza: Why did you enter Scriptapalooza?

I felt that it would give me a chance to practice writing in the tv format and give me a legitimate credit to pursue agents if I did well in the contest.

Scriptapalooza: Advice to other screenwriters?

Read a lot of the scripts floating around the internet. Read all the time. Reading a good, strong script helped me understand why it was such a good, strong script. Professional envy motivated me to try to be half as good. It is very competitive because there are SO many great writers already working, so find out what makes them great and learn from them. Read good scripts to understand why other scripts aren't as good. I'm just starting out so I have nothing to lose by working on my writing and sending them to competitions. I've been rejected MANY times, but I haven't let it stop me. It's a learning process and I am always learning more about writing for television and the big screen. Be excited and love what you do. Don't think about winning or money. Just write because you love to write.

Scriptapalooza: How did you feel when you saw your name as one of the winners?

I was SHOCKED because I'm working on other projects and almost forgot that I had sent "Loyalties" to this competition! I write it, send it in, and write something else. I was excited to know that I won because it really was a surprise.

Scriptapalooza: If you could write for any TV show, which one would it be?

My favorites --"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" because I've watched these shows since DAY ONE and understand the characters. Plus, they really are well written shows. I would also love the opportunity to see my own tv show on the network and be able to create my own characters.

Updated: 03/19/2002

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