Interview: Ashleigh Powell (2012 Black List) — Part 6

Ashleigh Powell hit it big in 2012 when she sold her dystopian thriller “Somacell” to Warner Bros, officially marking her entry into the ranks of professional screenwriter.

Today in Part 6, Ashleigh talks more about the craft of screenwriting.

Scott: What do you think about when you’re crafting and writing a scene? What questions do you ask?

Ashleigh: So many things — how late into the action can I start, and how early can I get out while still conveying all the necessary information? Where is the conflict coming from? I’m a big believer that every scene should include some element of conflict to make it dynamic. What else is going on besides dialogue? Whenever possible, I try to give my characters something to do while they’re talking — something that gives insight into who they are, how they’re feeling, what their relationship is like with the character they’re speaking to… something. Or maybe there’s something going on near where our characters are talking. I like the idea of diverting focus in a scene in a way that makes it more informative without being distracting.

Scott: That goes back to action and motivation, so you’ve got these dual levels of things going on in every scene, right?

Ashleigh: Exactly. It keeps things interesting, keeps the story moving, keeps the audience engaged.

Scott: Having read so many scripts and having written so many, obviously scene description is critically important in terms of a read. What keys do you have to write entertaining scene description?

Ashleigh: I try to be as brief and straightforward as possible. I try not to get bogged down in over-description unless there’s something very specific or important that needs to be highlighted. Above all else, I want to keep the pacing moving forward.

Scott: When you finish a first draft, you’re faced with the inevitable rewriting process. Are there some keys for you there, in terms of rewriting your scripts, and how to approach that process?

Ashleigh: I have a writers group that is really helpful, in just getting people to look at the story with new eyes, and come at it from a distance. A lot of times they can see things that I can’t, or they can come up with solutions to problems I’ve been stuck on. I think putting distance between myself and the script is also really important. I might need a couple weeks, or I might need a month away from the story, so that I can come back and look at it objectively, with fresh eyes Too often, if I try to dive into a rewrite as soon as I finish the first draft, the changes needed aren’t immediately evident.

Scott: What about your actual writing process?

Ashleigh: I write every day. I’m a morning person — creatively I’m pretty much worthless after 6pm every day –so I start when I wake up, and I write straight through, usually until lunch time. I have a little home office in my apartment, and it’s very quiet. These days, I usually have meetings in the afternoons but, if not, I’ll continue after lunch for as long as I can. Until my brain just shuts down and says, “No more!” Typically that’s around 6pm or so.

o three pages every day. If I can do more then I feel really good about myself. [laughter] But it’s usually about two to three pages of an actual script, and then after that I’ll dive into whatever outlines, or pitches, or stories I’m currently trying to break. I always start with whatever script I’m in the process of actually writing. Because that’s the top priority.

Scott: Here’s a fun question I like to ask writers: What is your single best excuse not to write?

Ashleigh: Oh God, there’s so many. The single best, I think, is that nothing’s coming, or I don’t have an immediate solution to whatever problem I’m facing, so I’m going to put it off for later. I think it’s a misconception that it should happen easily — if the answer doesn’t come quickly, then it’s not going to come. A lot of times I think it’s easy for me to get defeated, if I don’t know right away what the solution is…I’ll usually end up putting it off. Which is admittedly not a good process to have.

Scott: What do you love most about writing?

Ashleigh: I like telling stories. It’s something that I’ve enjoyed my whole life, creating these worlds in my head and playing around in them. It’s great fun and the fact that I can do it professionally is just amazing.

Scott: Five, ten years down the road, where’s Ashleigh? What’s your ideal world?

Ashleigh: I think I’m still doing what I’m doing. I think, hopefully, I’ve found a way to bridge the gap into TV as well. Mostly, I just hope I haven’t run out of stories to tell by then.

Scott: And finally the proverbial question: What advice can you offer to aspiring screenwriters about learning the craft and breaking into Hollywood?

Ashleigh: I think you have to be out here. I really do. I think immersing yourself in the industry is really important, especially for making contacts. I think keeping with it, writing every day or writing as much as you can, as often as you can, is so important. That “10,000 hours of practice” rule exists for a reason. And just trusting yourself to take that leap of faith… Just over a year ago I quit my job so I could . It was the most terrifying thing I’d ever done but it’s a chance that I took that I feel like has actually paid off.

Scott: That brings to mind Joseph Campbell who said “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where before there were only walls.”

Ashleigh: I love that. It sounds magical. But that’s what storytelling is all about, isn’t it? Creating something out of nothing.

For Part 1 of the series, go here

For Part 2, go here.

For Part 3, go here.

For Part 4, go here.

For Part 5, go here.

Please stop by comments to thank Ashleigh and ask any questions you may have.

Ashleigh is repped by the Gersh Agency and BenderSpink.

You may follow Ashleigh on Twitter: @SecretEnemyAsh.

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