MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Jake Helgren

An interview with screenwriter Jake Helgren regarding the FilmMakers Writing Competition.

A: "Frivolity" is a teen romp comedy with a mistaken identity spin on sexual orientations about the lives of four very different seniors who come together like the ensemble cast of an eighties John Hughes film and find themselves in a number of rowdy and hilarious situations. Logline: ''A gay high school journalist goes undercover as the cheer captain's straight boyfriend in order to expose the in-crowd after his quirky gal pal falls for a popular actor who acts gay to get laid.''

A: Filmmakers has a good reputation in the online screenwriting communities, and this is the first time I've ever entered this particular screenplay into a contest. I won Elite Prize (first place) Comedy, and there were over 1,300 entries in the contest this year worldwide, so I'm pretty honored to have had my screenplay chosen.

A: I was definitely satisfied overall. You can't beat a nice cash prize, as well as the opportunity for professional coverage and free tickets/pitches to the Screenwriting Expo.

A: I wasn't given any feedback from the contest directly, but one of the prizes is professional script coverage from Greenlight. I haven't gotten the coverage yet, but I'm very much looking forward to it.

A: Yes. Filmmakers gave my screenplay to a new agency/management company and they have already expressed an interest in reading more of my work based on my win in this contest, so needless to say I'm pretty happy with the results.

A: I've written ten feature-length screenplays to date, including this teen romp, a romantic comedy, and a handful of thinking man's slasher flicks. One of them was the only horror movie among 30 quarterfinalists of the 2006 Phoenix Film Festival last year, and I've placed twice as a semi-finalist at Screenplay Festival, once as a semi-finalist with WriteMovies.com, and I also wrote, directed and produced a short horror feature entitled ''Severed Lives'' which received positive online reviews last year.

A: I do not live in Los Angeles at the moment, but I'm moving there at the end of January and I'm quite excited about the move!

A: I just optioned my first screenplay, a teen horror script with the working title of "The Mascot," with producer Camron Carrier and director Zac Adams of C. Wesley Pictures, and I am absolutely thrilled to be working with such talented filmmakers. The screenplay is a gory rollercoaster ride with really fun characters and an old school edge. Be on the lookout for a teaser trailer for the film coming soon!

I'm also outlining three more screenplays for the new year, so I'm sure I'll be keeping myself busy after the move!

Posted Thursday, January 3, 2008