MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Robert Ward

An interview with screenwriter Robert Ward regarding the Soggy Mops Writing Competition.

A: "First of the Month" (14-page horror/thriller)

Logline: Old farmer Jeremiah Blankenship never knew that when the time came, he could delay the inevitable -- for a slight "fee" at the beginning of each month.

This is basically a story about an older man who must deal with the usually non-negotiable termination of his life. But the character cajoles his way -- with the creepy entity sent to collect the old man's soul -- into getting more time, all so he can attend his granddaughter's wedding. All the old man has to do is pay a rental fee on his soul, essentially a body part due on the first of the month. The old man pays rent a couple of times in the story, in striking fashion. What is truly disturbing is that the granddaughter's wedding falls on a first of the month.

The beauty of the Soggy Mop Productions' short contest is that they are making the film as part of the award I received. I'm really looking forward to seeing what appears on the big screen at the hands of this production company. I checked out their website and they've got solid talent over there. This is a very exciting time for me.

A: I entered Soggy Mop's competition for a couple of reasons. First, I loved the fact that they produce the winning scripts. That's what it's all about, right? And I also liked the entry fee, which was quite low.

Short contests are extremely competitive. I entered "First of the Month" in a few contests and the screenplay did really well: 2011 Bridge International Screenplay Competition: Finalist/ 2010 Soggy Mop Production Company: 2nd Place/ 2009 American Gem Short Screenplay Competition: First-Round Qualifier/ 2009 Screenwriting Expo Quarterfinalist (Top Seven)/ 2009 Movie Script Contest, Short: Finalist/ 2008 Screenwriters' Challenge: Semifinalist.

I have to thank moviebytes.com and Frederick Mensch for hosting such a great site that's perfect for screenwriters looking for contests. The site is absolutely crucial to so many of us.

A: I am extremely satisfied with Soggy Mop Productions. The producer there, Michel Brown, is a pleasure to work with. She has already placed "First of the Month" into the "In Development" phase, placed lots of information about me and my screenplay on her website, met with me for an in-depth video chat where we discussed a thorough agenda of production topics, arranged the next meeting already, and made arrangements to pay the cash award. As part of the prize package, the winners receive a subscription to "Creative Screenwriting" magazine. When I mentioned to Michel that I already had a subscription, she took the initiative and thoughtfully changed it over to a subscription to "Script" magazine. Nice touch.

A: Since the screenplay was a short, it didn't take too long. A rough draft was completed in about 6-8 hours. Then some editing and polishing for a few hours more. Yes, I started with an outline, then fleshed it out. Outlining is the only way to go -- and for any sort of writing.

My background is in journalism and I'm used to writing on deadline. I used to write a 900-word column in 45 minutes sometimes, off the top of my head.

A: Final Draft. The only software I use for screenwriting. I absolutely love it.

A: I wish I could write every day. I have a comfortable home office with a view of the woods in Tennessee. Starting a project is often tough for me, but once I get rolling, time evaporates and I write in a cerebral fury.

I used to write in a small cabin in the hills of Santa Cruz and my neighbor had to approach with loud coughing or noises because when I was writing and deep in thought I would get so startled I would jump out of my seat and my chest would tighten up if the neighbor merely knocked on the door. I go somewhere else in my head when writing. I write mostly when under pressure. The greater the pressure, the faster I write, and believe it or not, the better I write.

A: No, almost never. If anything, I can't turn the creativity button off. As you can imagine, I don't sleep all that soundly.

A: Journalism. I've been fortunate to have worked in just about every capacity in the profession... reporter, staff writer, head writer, features editor, managing editor, copy editor, proofreader, etc. Twenty years ago, I had a business card with "Head Writer" on it and I loved to show people that if I shook it up and down a little, it looked like "Head Waiter." I miss that card.

That background is priceless for writing screenplays. Experience as a reporter who's interviewed well over 1,000 people helps with crafting dialogue. Experience as a copy editor helps with rewrites and polishing. And experience as a proofreader hs it's advanteges.

As for other screenplays, I've written several shorts and a feature script, "Flat Pennies."

I'm always working on "Flat Pennies" and polishing it and tweaking it and massaging the dialogue. It's a labor of love with that feature. It's a stark look at depression, alcoholism, abandonment, loneliness, painkiller addiction, unbearable guilt, being handicapped. It also has two bombshell endings. I really love the storyline, something that I believe is truly unique and hasn't been done before. I think if I could just get the script read by the right people, it would be picked up.

A: I live outside of Memphis at the moment, but I lived most of my life in California. I can't wait to get back to California, especially somewhere near the coast. And yes, if I had the opportunity to move to SoCal I would.

A: I'm going to keep plugging away with "Flat Pennies." I'm going to work on getting my other shorts out there. I have a short called "Melodia" that I like a lot. It's a pretty touching story in only 4.5 pages.

And I always have new script ideas. After working on such a difficult project as "Flat Pennies" for the past four years, I would like to create some feature screenplays that are funny and lighthearted.

Posted Tuesday, January 18, 2011