Go Into The Story Interviews

Interviews I have conducted with screenwriters, TV writers, and professionals working in the movie and TV business.

FILMMAKERS (Screenwriters, Writer-Directors, Directors)

2011 Screenwriters Roundtable: Chris Borrelli, F. Scott Frazier, Jeremiah Friedman, Nick Palmer, Justin Rhodes, Greg Russo, John Swetnam.

2012 Screenwriters Roundtable: Chris Borrelli, F. Scott Frazier, Chris McCoy, Justin Rhodes, Greg Russo, John Swetnam.

Screenwriter-Director Spenser Cohen and Producer Anna Halberg: Sold 3 spec scripts in 2 years, The Driver, High Target Value, Pantheon.

Frank DeJohn and David Hedges: 2013 Nicholl Fellowship winner for their script Legion.

Jeremiah Friedman and Nick Palmer: Writing duo who sold the spec script Family Getaway and sold the pitch to the remake The Bodyguard.

Rajiv Joseph and Scott Rothman: Wrote the movie Draft Day (2012 Black List).

Rob Meyer and Luke Matheny: Co-writers and director of the indie film A Birder’s Guide to Everything.

Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber: (500) Days of Summer screenwriters, Black List 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012.

Jim Stansberry and Annika Tuneld: Writing duo from the U.S. and Sweden who wrote and sold spec script Wildflowers.

Arash Amel: Writer, Grace of Monaco, writing Seducing Ingrid Bergman and The Infinity Principle.

Amma Asante: Director, Belle.

Nikole Beckwith: 2012 Black List, 2012 Nicholl winner for her script Stockholm, Pennsylvania.

Tom Benedek: Screenwriter who has worked in Hollywood since early 80s and wrote the hit movie Cocoon.

Roberto Bentivegna: 2012 Black List for his screenplay The Eel.

Carter Blanchard: 2012 Black List for his screenplay Glimmer.

Chris Borrelli: 2009 Black List, sold three spec scripts, The Vatican Tapes, Wake, Sad Jack.

Elijah Bynum: 2013 Black List for his screenplays Mississippi Mud and Hot Summer Nights.

Reid Carolin: Writer-Producer [Magic Mike].

Stan Chervin: Academy Award nominated screenwriter [Moneyball].

Tze Chun: Writer-director [Children of Invention, Cold Comes the Night].

Dana Coen: TV writer-producer [“JAG,” “Bones”], playwright, screenwriter.

Laura Colella: Writer-director [Breakfast with Curtis].

Destin Daniel Cretton: Screenwriter-director of critically acclaimed independent movies I Am Not a Hipster and Short Term 12.

Sean Robert Daniels: 2012 Nicholl Fellowship winner for his screenplay Killers.

Pen Densham: Screenwriter whose movie credits include Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Moll Flanders.

Lindsay Devlin: Screenwriter of the movie Devil’s Due.

James DiLapo: 2012 Black List, 2012 Nicholl winner for his script Devils at Play.

Neil Drumming: Screenwriter-director of the movie Big Words.

Brian Duffield: Wrote 2 Black List scripts, Your Bridesmaid is a Bitch and Jane Got a Gun.

Allan Durand: 2012 Nicholl Fellowship winner for his screenplay Willie Francis Must Die Again.

Ava DuVernay: Screenwriter-Director, I Will Follow, Middle of Nowhere.

Jay Eden: Sold spec script Incinerator to the Boies Schiller Film Group.

Stephany Folsom: 2013 Black List for her screenplay 1969: A Space Odyssey or: How Kubrick Learned to Stop Worrying and Land on the Moon.

F. Scott Frazier: Wrote and sold 4 spec scripts in 2 years including The Numbers Station, Autobahn, and Line of Sight [2011 Black List].

Liz W. Garcia: TV writer-producer (Dawson’s Creek, Wonderfalls, Cold Case) and writer-director (The Lifeguard).

David Guggenheim: Wrote and sold 3 spec scripts in 2 years, Safe House [2010 Black List], Narco Sub, and Black Box [2012 Black List].

Aaron Guzikowski: Wrote Contraband, Prisoners and the TV series The Red Road.

Julia Hart: 2012 Black List for her screenplay The Keeping Room.

Sean Hartofilis: Writer-director of the indie comedy Beach Pillows.

Eric Heisserer: 2012 Black List for his screenplay Story Of Your Life, writer-director, Hours, writer, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Final Destination 5, and The Thing.

Jason Hark Hellerman: 2013 Black List for his screenplay Shovel Buddies.

Jim Hemphill: Writer-Director, The Trouble With the Truth.

Brad Ingelsby: 2008, 2012 Black List for his screenplays The Low Dweller, Hold On To Me, and Run All Night.

Elgin James: Wrote and directed the indie drama Little Birds.

Lisa Joy: Wrote spec script Reminiscence [2013 Black List], co-wrote HBO pilot “Westworld”.

Kyle Killen: Wrote The Beaver [2008 Black List] and created the TV series “Lone Star” and “Awake”.

Justin Kremer: 2012 Black List for his screenplay McCarthy.

Daniel Kunka: Wrote and sold 2 spec scripts, Agent Ox and Bermuda Triangle.

Geoff LaTulippe: Wrote 2008 Black List script and movie Going the Distance.

Jeffrey Leiber: Screenwriter (Tangled, Tuck Everlasting) and TV writer-producer (Miami Medical, The Whole Truth, Pan Am, Necessary Roughness, Lost).

Seth Lochhead: Wrote the movie Hanna (2006 Black List script).

Kelly Marcel: Wrote the movie Saving Mr. Banks (2010 Black List script).

Justin Marks: Written over 20 movie projects and described as the “most gainfully employed professional fanboy on the planet right now.”

Michael C. Martin: Wrote and sold spec script Brooklyn’s Finest which became a movie starring Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, and Wesley Snipes.

Marc Maurino: Wrote and sold spec script Inside the Machine.

Craig Mazin: Screenwriting credits include Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4, Superhero Movie, The Hangover Part II, Identity Thief and The Hangover Part III.

Chris McCoy: Wrote 3 Black List scripts, Get Back, Good Looking, Good Kids.

Debbie Moon: Created the U.K. TV series “Wolfblood”.

Jeff Morris: Wrote and sold spec script True Memoirs of an International Assassin.

Terrance Mulloy: Australia based writer who sold spec script Priority Run.

Declan O’Dwyer: U.K. based writer-director who sold spec Broken Cove.

Ashleigh Powell: Wrote and sold 2012 Black List script Somacell.

Justin Rhodes: Wrote and sold 2 spec scripts, Second Sun and The Join.

Chris Roessner: Wrote 2012 Black List script Sand Castle.

Greg Russo: Wrote and sold 2 spec scripts, Down and Autobahn.

Misan Sagay: Wrote the movie Belle.

Stephanie Shannon: 2013 Nicholl Fellowship winner, 2013 Black List for her screenplay Queen of Hearts.

Will Simmons: Wrote and sold 2012 Black List spec script Murder City, two other projects set up Romeo and Defenders.

Chris Sparling: Wrote and sold 2 spec scripts, both of which were produced, Buried and ATM.

Barbara Stepansky: 2013 Black List, 2013 Nicholl Fellowship winner for her screenplay Sugar in My Veins.

John Swetnam: Wrote and sold 3 spec scripts, Evidence, Category 6, and Spinback.

Aaron Tracy: Wrote and sold spec script Article III.

Daniel Turkewitz: Wrote and sold spec script Tranquility Base.

Michael Werwie: 2012 Nicholl Fellowship winner, 2012 Black List for his screenplay Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile.

INDUSTRY

Anonymous: Marketing executive at one of Hollywood major studios

Chicks Who Script: Weekly podcast from a female-centric perspective with hosts Emily Blake, Maggie F. Levin, and Lauren Schacher

Mary Coleman: Head of Pixar’s story department.

Ted Hope: Noted movie producer and CEO of Fandor.

Adam Kolbrenner: Manager-producer, Madhouse Entertainment.

Mynette Louie: Independent film producer (Children of Invention, California Solo, Cold Comes the Night).

D.C. Mar: Long-time script reader and story analyst.

Brad Riddell: Screenwriter (American Pie Presents Band Camp, Crooked Arrow), film professor (School of Cinema and Interactive media at DePaul University).

Tasia Valenza: Actor (All My Children, The Bold and Beautiful, The Heights) and voice-over artist (The Clone Wars).