Interview: Jim Stansberry and Annika Tuneld — Part 1
For the next week or so, I turn attention to screenwriters, TV writers, and filmmakers who are on the front edge of making their mark in the business. Their insights, so recently on the outside looking in, reflect the excitement of breaking in, yet the challenges of attempting to carve out a career. Today: The writing duo of Jim Stansberry and Annika Tuneld.
Screenwriter Jim Stansberry grew up and resides along the famous New Jersey shore. He began screenwriting in 2006 and won the NJ State Film Festival Best Screenplay award in 2007. In 2009 he finished as a Finalist in the prestigious Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition. Over the next few years, several of his feature screenplays went on into development with NYC and LA based production companies.
Annika Tuneld was raised in Gothenburg on the Swedish west coast and on an island in the archipelago. With an education in graphic design and archeology, she started a new career as a screenwriter in 2010. Her first screenplay was considered for development with a Hollywood production company. In 2012, she was a finalist with her second screenplay in the Sundance Table Read My Screenplay competition.
Recently I sent some questions to Jim and Annika about their unique challenges, not only as a writing team, but one separated by the Atlantic Ocean.
In Part 1, we dig into how Jim and Annika met, and the genesis of the spec script they recently sold “Wildflowers”:
Scott: How did each of you wind your way into screenwriting?
Jim: I’m a culinary trained chef. I think cooking and writing are actually similar in terms of creativity. In both fields, you pick and blend ingredients — in the right order — until you have something that is enjoyable and exciting. I wanted to try a form of creative writing and as a lover of movies, screenwriting was a natural transition for me.
Annika: I always loved to write but never really felt comfortable with the writing process until I realized writing movies might be my thing. I took my last money, left the kids back home and went to Robert McKee’s STORY seminar in Los Angeles in March 2010. I was sitting among 200 other people listening to Robert saying that statistically no one in the room would ever sell a screenplay. That was a challenge I really liked, so I went back home to Sweden, installed Final Draft and typed my first words in English in May 2010.
Scott: What have been some of the keys for you in learning the craft?
Jim: Reading and writing. I read everything I can find on the internet about screenwriting. I read scripts, follow screenwriting blogs like “Go into the Story” and hang out in all the screenwriting forums.
In 2007, I went to a local seminar given by Joseph Stinson, writer of “Sudden Impact” who created the Clint Eastwood line that became the catchphrase “Go ahead! Make my day.”
He mentioned Stephen King’s “On Writing” as a great book for screenwriters — even though it was not specifically written for screenwriters. I added King’s invaluable book to my growing screenwriting library. King explains in the simplest terms the two things you must do to become a writer…read and write. Following his advice, along with all my reading, I kept writing scripts.
Annika: Being around people, listening to what they say and how they say it. Studying body language and looking for all the things that are not said. That’s where you find the subtext. I don’t watch as many movies as I should, being a single mother takes a lot of my time, but when I do, I prefer older movies. I like films from the 80’s and I always have an Ingmar Bergman movie close. It’s impossible to get tired of his films, and they are a never ending source of inspiration for someone like me who prefers to write minimal dialogue.
Scott: How did you two meet? How long have you been writing together and how many original feature length scripts have you written?
Jim: We both entered the 2011 Nicholl Fellowship. I noticed Annika’s comments on the Nicholl Facebook page and asked her about her writing. Not long after that, we had our first Skype call and talked for 4 hours straight. Within a couple of weeks, we started working on WILDFLOWERS. Since finishing WILDFLOWERS, we hit upon an idea for another story that we began writing immediately.
I also wrote or co-wrote seven feature screenplays. My third script, LONE PHOTO, a JFK conspiracy thriller, became an Austin Film Festival Finalist.
Annika: I got to know Jim through the Nicholl Fellowship Facebook page. After exchanging writing samples I got the question from him — “Wanna write a screenplay with me?” It was an easy choice. Jim’s ability to write action is outstanding and complemented well with my writing style. I also saw a big advantage in being able to write from both a male and a female perspective at the same time. Apart from WILDFLOWERS we have several other projects to work on.
I’ve written two feature screenplays. My first was considered for development with a Hollywood production company and my second screenplay sold. Right now I’m working on three different scripts and I’m more motivated than ever.
Scott: You recently sold a spec script “Wildflowers”. Here is that logline: “When times of financial crisis leaves a new couple with nothing left to lose, they set off on a crime spree, slipping into a romance as hot as the Arizona desert they blaze through. Dom and Stella are in love, on the run and in their 60s.” What was the inspiration for that story concept?
Jim: I always had in my head a latter day “Bonnie and Clyde” type story with the two leads in their 60s, set in present day America.
Annika: I wanted to create a mixture between COCOON (Ron Howard 1985), NATURAL BORN KILLERS (Oliver Stone 1994) and FALLING DOWN (Joel Schumacher 1993). I also wanted to use a different kind of antagonist — in this case the American recession. I’m a big fan of David Lynch so I wanted to add a splash of TWIN PEAKS (David Lynch and Mark Frost for TV 1990–91) to the story. It seems like it worked.
Scott: Why did you think, “Hey, that idea would make a great movie”?
Jim: The theme of family was very prominent in our brainstorming. That later in life, family is what matters most. But what if you don’t have one? We wanted our older main characters to start out alone and come together with an intergenerational group of misfits to form a very real family bond.
Doing research we learned that the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 to 1964) was one of the fastest growing demographics with the most disposable income and their favorite pastime was the movies. We wanted to give them a movie that they could experience “vicarious wish fulfillment “with.
Annika: Ever since COCOON I’ve been wanting to see movies with older people. Very few movies have leads in their sixties, which is sad because many of our greatest actors/actresses are no longer in their twenties. I thought if we do this right we will have a strong hook. The decision to let the main characters be older turned out to be the eye catching part of the logline. Last but not least — because Michael Douglas gives me goosebumps!
Tomorrow in Part 2, Annika and Jim share some details about the sale of their script “Wildflowers” and some of the interesting dynamics that exist in their writing relationship.
Twitter: @jimstansberry, @annikatuneld
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