![[Austin]](/images/ads/AFF2024a.png)
Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Harold Jewell
An interview with screenwriter Harold Jewell regarding the Acclaim Film Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: "The Lucifer Pawn" is a supernatural piece about a man who may be able to block Satan's claim to final supremacy. Trouble is, he has no idea what he's supposed to do.
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 Acclaim Film contest had a nice feel to it - small, yet prestigious. Yes, this same script finished well in two other contests, most notably as a semifinalist in the 2004 American Accolades competition.
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: The people at Acclaim did a nice job, and I was delighted when I saw my name as 2nd Runnerup. This was one of those beautiful things - I had almost forgotten that I had entered that contest. I'm a horrible record keeper.
Q: Were you given any feedback on your script? If so, did you find the feedback helpful?A: Yes, I was given a short letter of feedback, but to be honest, I was pretty much where I wanted to be with the script and did not change anything as a result of the feedback.
Q: Has your success in this contest helped you market your script? Were you contacted by any agents, managers or producers?A: Nothing huge has happened, I'm sorry to say - a few bites here and there - but it definitely helps your chances if you finish well in a contest. I'm very pleased with the credit.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: I've been a moderately successful writer for many years but only tried my hand at screenwriting a few years ago. I have one other finished script. "The Lucifer Pawn" was actually adapted from my own novel, which had been complimented and honored but never found a publisher. One kind editor said, "This would make a great movie. Why not turn it into a screenplay?" I stalled for a while, then finally gave it a go. It took a while and lots to rewriting to finally learn the craft.
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?A: I'm an East Coaster, a New Yorker. At this stage of the game, I'm not likely to move to California.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: As I mentioned, I've finished a second script, a mystery/drama set in New York. Compared to the first script, this one is largely untried although it recently finished well in the Hollywood Nexus script contest. It didn't make the short list of semifinalists, and no quarterfinalists were named, but I'm pleased with its decent standing - in the top 16% of all scripts.
Posted Thursday, April 5, 2007
