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Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Dave Vaughan
An interview with screenwriter Dave Vaughan regarding the Hollywood Scriptwriting Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: Good War Bad War. It is the story of a Navy Hospitalman who arrives in Vietnam in 1964. After surviving a grenade attack in Saigon he arrives in Danang and discovers the 'good war'. He has a few comic adventures and falls in love with a Vietnamese woman whose mother prevents them from consumating their love until he saves the life of the girl's friend with medical treatment. Eventually the mother discovers the affair and arranges to marry into a rich family in Saigon. About the same time the war starts to escalate and the 'bad war' begins. The hero and the CIA head of his Special Ops Group attempt to rescue a kidnapped comrade and barely escape death when they encounter a large Viet Cong force. The hospitalman discovers that his love was abandoned and goes to her in Saigon shortly before his departure. He finds girl only to lose her in a grenade attack. He goes to the American Embassy to request reassignment with his Special Ops boss.
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 but didn't place. The reader suggested more action during the 'good war' phase. Haven't received results from other contests yet. Reached top 200 in AAA.
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: Everything promised was given.
Q: Were you given any feedback on your script? If so, did you find the feedback helpful?A: No feed back from the Hollywood Screenwriting contest nor the AAA contest.
Q: Has your success in this contest helped you market your script? Were you contacted by any agents, managers or producers?A: When they sent out word to producers, etc I believe they must have gotten my phone number and email wrong because nobody is knocking down doors to get to me about it!!!! Or it could be that war movies are not in big demand at the moment?
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: I only started writing SPs in 2003 and Good War Bad War is the fourth. Two of the others, a western and a crime story, have received honorable mention in a number of contests.
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?A: I live in Hawaii and plan to remain here except to visit LA on a need to go basis. There would have to be some strongly compelling reason for me to relocate. It is hard to leave paradise even for a vacation.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: I have just entered a night class at the University of Hawaii called The Art of Story conducted by Margaret South (All Girls Productions) hoping to polish my writing. I have two SPs banging about inside my head, another western and a spy story circa 1940 both genres which are not flooding the market at the moment. But it's 'good to be the king' and to be ready when the focus changes.
Posted Wednesday, October 5, 2005
