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Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Shane McCabe
An interview with screenwriter Shane McCabe regarding the Back in the Box Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: The script is titled The Base and it is psychological thriller in which we follow an hour an a half in the life of a young NSA Profiler as she forces herself to relive her own harrowing abduction in attempt to get inside the mind of a child serial killer and bring closure to a case which has haunted an entire investigative unit.
In many ways it is a redemptive tale told against the backdrop of whether or not torture can ever be justified where we ask the hard question..."If your child were taken, how far would you go to get that child back..."
A: I really liked the vibe and the mission objective from this competition...I mean a production offer on a script is hard to turn down, so I entered late in the day and got the fantastic news that I'd won just before Christmas...Happy Christmas...
Q: Were you satisfied with the administration of the contest? Did they meet their deadlines? Did you receive all the awards that were promised?A: Yes, very much so...I have had a number of serious meeting with the producer and we are on track to shoot The Base summer/fall of next year.
Q: How long did it take you to write the script? Did you write an outline beforehand? How many drafts did you write?A: It took me three weeks to actually write the first draft, but in truth it was the three months outlining it which enabled me to complete it in this time frame. Yes, I wrote a treatment before I wrote the script as I do with all my scripts. I entered a third draft into the competition...
Q: What kind of software did you use to write the script, if any? What other kinds of writing software do you use?A: Final Draft
Q: Do you write every day? How many hours per day?A: No. Writing is a for me only part of the process...I do not have a set time, nor do I write every day...It's not a discipline thing, I just write when I am ready, but I am always conceptualizing...an idea will come and I'll think that it may be a good premise for a movie...write it down and come back to it later...When I am writing an actual script, the answer is yes, I write every day...I don't have a set time to write...I don't get up extra early or work particularly late...
Q: Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you deal with that?A: I don't want to jinx myself here but I have been lucky to date and never had writer's block.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: I'm and economics major who went into acting and then found a voice as a writer/director...yes I have written a number of scripts now...
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?A: No, I live in Dublin, Ireland but am in the process of looking into moving to LA. I have actually just returned from a trip to LA and Austin.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: I will direct a short I wrote in the new year and yes I'm writing a new feature script...it's a major big budget time travel adventure...no expense spared caper...
Posted Monday, November 22, 2010
