MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Gary Miner

An interview with screenwriter Gary Miner regarding the ChristianScreenwrite.com Writing Competition.

A: SAMARIA is a Biblical Epic that takes place from 873-852 B.C. during the divided kingdom in ancient Israel. In less than 100 years the new nation of Israel had fallen from righteous leadership under King David and King Solomon to the most widespread evil.

There had ascended to the throne a vile individual who committed wickedness above all that were before him. No previous king had such a taste for perverseness as King Ahab and his horrific, brutal wife, Queen Jezebel.

From somewhere east of the River Jordan a desert nomad steps out of the wilderness wasteland. Elijah the Tishbite stands starkly against the darkness of his times.

Sensuality and spirituality are pitted against each other in the ancient city of Samaria. Not since Moses faced Pharaoh had there been such a convulsive confrontation. Elijah confronts King Ahab's worship of the pagan storm gods. "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."

After three and a half years of draught King Ahab scours the land for Elijah. The "Rambo" of the prophets of God flames white hot when he meets the Chief Priest of Baal and his 450 prophets in a "duel" on Mount Carmel.

What made me interested in this story was the ending where Elijah parts the River Jordan and is taken away in a fiery chariot.

A: The reason I entered this contest was because all the scripts had to have a Christian theme. My story comes from I Kings and II Kings in the Old Testament.

I entered SAMARIA in the first "BlueCat Screenplay Competition" and was a FINALIST. I received a full page ad in THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. I entered the "Chesterfield Writer's Film Project" and "America's Best" and was a SEMI-FINALIST.

I also was a SEMI-FINALIST in "Christian Screenplay" contest. The "Christian Screenplay" director told me I couldn't go any higher than the Semi-Finals because of my "R" rating. SAMARIA is based around a Phoenician Princess that became Queen of Israel. The Bible said Jezebel was the most wicked woman who had ever lived. I stayed true to the Old Testament story.

A: I was very satisfied with the contest since I won "First Place" and received $500. They met their deadlines and delivered everything they promised and more. I'm still finding articles on the internet about my script.

A: Yes. The founder of Christian Screenwrite, interviewed me and posted the interview on her site. LaVonne McIver James emailed me several times. She sent me her script, "The Devil Himself" to read which was very good.

Several people contacted me from the interview. A guy in Kansas City read the interview and contacted his screenwriter friend, Stephen Cameron in Antioch, CA where I live. Stephen and I have become friends. Stephen has a design company and did about $1500 worth of design work for free. He designed my company name, "Five Stones and a Slingshot Productions" with envelopes, letterhead and business cards. He also designed and printed 500 postcards for another script, WIZARD OF GENOA for a staged reading in Hollywood.

I met another guy, Joe Calabrese through Christian Screenwrite. He gave me his excellent script to read, "Eyes of Mara" at the "Slamdance Film Festival" in Park City, Utah. Joe Calabrese also won THIRD PLACE at "Slamdance SciFi Contest" for his script SECOND COMING.

A: Several production companies asked the founder LaVonne McIver James for my script. One of the companies, "Namesake Entertainment" produced LEFT BEHIND, HANGMAN'S CURSE and other films. None of the Christian companies have contacted me after reading SAMARIA. There is a lot of graphic violence in my screenplay. There are three bloody battles between the Syrians and the Israelites. Elijah calls down fire from heaven twice and kills a total of 102 people. The 450 prophets of Baal are killed on Mount Carmel with a sword. Jezebel killed the prophets of God, used drugs, sex and human sacrifices to worship the idol of Baal.

A: I studied film from Stephen Farber at the Screenwriter's Guild Theater in Beverly Hills as part of the UCLA Extension Film classes. I received my M.A. degree in Art History and Sculpture from Calif. State University, Fullerton. I have a B.A. degree from the University of California, Irvine in Fine Arts.

I have taught art at the Middle School, High School and College level. I taught Art History and Sculpture at Shasta College in Redding, CA and at the College of the Siskiyous in Weed, CA. I'm currently working as a Substitute Teacher at Deer Valley High School and Antioch High School. Substituting gives me plenty of time to write.

WIZARD OF GENOA won the Grand Jury "Remi" Award at WORLDFEST-HOUSTON - 2003 for BEST OF SHOW for Best Unproduced Screenplay out of 4500 entries from 38 nations. WIZARD also won FIRST PLACE at RED INKWORKS.COM - 2002. WIZARD won THIRD PLACE at the SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL - 2004 out of 1600 entries juried by the Writer's Guild of America, West. It was also a FINALIST in other contests i.e. NEW CENTURY WRITER AWARDS and SCRIPTREP.COM. - 2002.

My teleplay, BAD COPS was a FINALIST in AMERICA'S BEST and at SRIPTAPALOOZA. Another screenplay, HELITACK made the SEMI-FINALS at the CHESTERFIELD WRITER'S FILM PROJECT.

A: I lived in L.A. for twelve years. I now live a one hour flight from Los Angeles. I fly down about once a month for various screenwriting events. I would move back if I sold my screenplay. I have a Beverly Hills Manager that delivers my script to the producers and studios that have been requesting them. His contact info is:

Harley Bauer CREATIVE EXECUTIVE FLUTIEentertainment 9300 Wilshire Blvd., #333 Beverly Hills, CA 310.247.1100 hbauer@flutieent.com

I'm currently seeking a Los Angeles based Agent to represent my work.

A: I'm rewriting HELITACK. This script is a supernatural thriller based around an ATF Agent tracking down a Serial Arsonist.

I'm working on a biopic, YOU SEND ME about the gospel and soul singer Sam Cooke.

I have researched several other script ideas. One idea, VALLEY OF TEARS uses the Yom Kippur War as a backdrop. Another script, BLOOD ON THE WATER takes place at the 1956 Olympic Games.

Posted Sunday, May 16, 2004