Interview: Brad Riddell

I often get asked about the merits of attending film school. While I do teach one screenwriting course per semester at the collegiate level, I didn’t attend film school, so I always feel hamstrung in terms of what information or insight I can provide. So I reached out to a screenwriting colleague Brad Riddell who has four produced movie credits and has worked on assignment for MTV, Paramount, and Universal, and rewrites and book adaptations for several independent producers.

Brad has also taught screenwriting at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts for six years, SUNY Oswego for one year, and is now an Assistant Professor in the School of Cinema and Interactive Media at DePaul University.

I asked Brad if he could take on a series of questions about film school to provide an informed perspective on the subject and he kindly agreed.

Part 1: “My thesis script, Band Geek, sold to Universal a year after I graduated, and then I rewrote it into American Pie: Band Camp. The original script was a sweet ode to John Hughes that was only modestly influenced by the original American Pie.”

Part 2: “It all starts with character and concept, and my advice right now is to think small for your first few projects. What can be made? What can I actually get produced, or produce myself?”

You may follow Brad on Twitter: @bradriddell.

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