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Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter David Gillis
An interview with screenwriter David Gillis regarding the Screenwriting Expo Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: It's called THE GRAY GHOST, a supernatural sports romance. The spirit of a college gridiron star who dies while trying to score a last-second, game-winning touchdown is left to haunt the stadium until another young football player helps him to finally cross the goal line and change his fate.
Q: What made you enter this particular contest? Have you entered any other contests with this script? If so, how did you do?A: The funny thing is, I almost didn't apply. I was having one of those "discouraged writer moments" (read: feeling sorry for myself), and I went right down to the wire deadline-wise. But it sounded like a great contest, and I really wanted to attend the Expo -- part of the prize package included a trip to LA. So I applied, and obviously I'm glad that I did. THE GRAY GHOST was also in the top 354 in last year's Nicholl Fellowship (254 made it to the Quarterfinals), and it made it to the Second Round in the 2007 Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition. It's also done well in some of the smaller contests. Right now I'm a finalist in the Beverly Hills Film Festival competition (announcing April 13).
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: Absolutely satisfied, in all areas. The contest coordinator, Jim Mercurio, is probably one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.
Q: Were you given any feedback on your script? If so, did you find the feedback helpful?A: Yes. That was one of the best prizes in the contest: Analysis (notes and brainstorming by phone) from The Script Department's Margaux Froley Outhred. She really got what I'm trying to do with my script, and suggested some incredibly insightful ways to improve it. I can't recommend her highly enough.
Q: Has your success in this contest helped you market your script? Were you contacted by any agents, managers or producers?A: The writers' strike happened a week or so after I won, so I think some of the buzz that I might otherwise have gotten was lost in turmoil of that all-important struggle. (I was a 15-year member of the Boston Newspaper Guild Governing Board, so union solidarity is near and dear to my heart.)
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: I'm lousy with degrees, but none of them are remotely connected to filmmaking. But as an undergrad at Boston University I hung out with student filmmakers -- and live in fear that some of the movies I appeared in will show up on YouTube once I'm famous :). Anyway, I started working for newspapers when I was a sophomore, and that's what I did (reporter, freelance writer, copy editor) up until two years ago, when I took a buyout from The Boston Globe and started writing screenplays. My first one was crap; my second was THE GRAY GHOST. Another one, THE KING OVER THE WATER, has made some headway in contests, but it needs a lot of work.
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?A: No. And no. I'm quite happy out here in Providence, R.I., and plan to stay.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: I'm just finishing up two -- an adventure and an action rom-com -- hopefully in time for the 2008 Nicholl and all of those other deadlines beyond.
Posted Wednesday, April 2, 2008
