Interview [Part 5]: Geoff LaTulippe

One of the more active and colorful voices in the online screenwriting community is Geoff LaTulippe. Writer of the 2010 romantic comedy Going the Distance, starring Drew Barrymore and Justin Long, Geoff also has a blog, is co-host (along with Scott Beggs) of the popular Broken Projector podcast, and is quite active on Twitter (@DrGMLaTulippe).

Geoff and I had a wide-ranging back and forth via email about his background, the development and production of Going the Distance, and the craft of screenwriting.

Today in Part 5, Geoff discusses what it was like when the script for Going the Distance sold, getting on the Black List and other projects he’s working on:

Scott: What was it like when you found out Going the Distance made the Black List in 2008?

Geoff: I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t something that I hadn’t hoped for. The script had generated a ton of buzz when it went out and it seemed as though it stuck with people, which is something that still boggles my mind. But I’d also be lying if I said I thought it WOULD happen. So when it did, I was over the moon. I freaked out. It was that Sally Field moment — people like my work, they really like it! Or my agent is just amazing at bribing people to claim they did. Probably more the latter.

In all seriousness, for someone who forever doubted (at worst) and wondered (at best) if he had it in him to write a script in the first place, having it recognized in such a way was, honestly, every bit as thrilling as getting the movie made. For one calendar year something I wrote was recognized alongside some of the best writers working in film today. And no matter how spectacularly I flame out of the industry, no one can ever take that away from me. It’s to this day the coolest honor of my life.

Scott: Could you describe the process of how the movie came together?

Geoff: As we developed, we went out to actors and actresses. After we got a couple passes for various reasons, the studio turned to directors and brought on Offspring Entertainment to co-produce. Together they found Nanette. Shortly after that, the studio was looking to do more with Justin after HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU. He was a big fan of the script and he just seemed completely right for the part (and he was!), so he came aboard. Then, he got Drew interested, and then she came aboard, and shortly after that we got our greenlight from WB.

Scott: Were you on the set for production? What was that like?

Geoff: I spent a long weekend in New York as sort of a courtesy; with so much ad-libbing and freedom on set, there wasn’t a ton to “rewrite” — the cast was really great at figuring out how to toss things up as they went along. I did work a lot on the week of reshoots we did in very early 2010.

Scott: Recently you live tweeted the movie when it played on TNT. I was tracking that and at the end, it felt like that had been a pretty emotional experience for you, sharing the movie with a bunch of folks on Twitter. Can you talk about what that experience was like?

Geoff: There are still times when someone will mention, for one reason or another, that I had a movie made. And most of the time that happens I react like, “I did?” It still doesn’t seem real to me, and I mean that in the most magical possible way.

I was super bummed I didn’t get the chance to be part of the commentary on the DVD — there were so many anecdotes and fun stories to tell from working on it, and I’m still in a perpetual state of delight that it happened at all. So I just felt like sharing that with whoever would listen. In the end, like most things for someone with an ego the size of mine, it was for me more than anyone else. But a few people seemed to have a good time with it too. It was a blast.

I still tear up and have no idea how to react on the rare occasions that someone says to me that GOING THE DISTANCE is their favorite movie. Because I know how precious my favorite movies are to me, and that MY movie is ANYONE’S favorite movie is just an overwhelming concept for me. So doing stuff like live-Twittering the movie helps me to release some of that joy, I suppose.

Scott: Speaking of social media, you’re an active presence on Twitter. You have a blog. And there is the Broken Projector podcast you co-host with Scott Beggs, who is a managing editor of Film School Rejects, an excellent online movie resource. Why are you involved in all of these online platforms and what do you get out of interfacing with the public this way?

Geoff: Well, I’ve already mentioned my ego. I have a lot of opinions. I like to express them. I do so often. I get antsy and weird when I hold things in.

So that’s most of it. But beyond that, I was given a TON of help on my way up. Just hand after helping hand from people who were looking out for me and wanted to make sure I was well-advised so I could make the best decisions for myself. And I feel like there’s absolutely no reason to pay that forward. There’s an entire shadow industry that’s been built up out there to bilk novice writers out of their money for absolutely no return, and that pisses me off violently. So if I can shine a light on it, I feel like it’s my job to do so.

Otherwise, movies are just simply my favorite thing to talk about (after sports, or maybe tied with sports). Anything that gives me an outlet to do so I’m willing to hop on and foist myself upon the world.

Scott: Could you talk about any projects you’re working on now?

Geoff: I’m writing a spec about a specific and historical baseball game at the moment. I’m also in various stages of pitching several projects with different producers and always taking a look at potential rewrites and open assignments. I tend to spark to some really odd stuff, so I always like to know everything that’s out there. I never know what’s going to sink its claws into me.

Hopefully that was generic enough for you. I usually try to say as little as possible about projects until they’re set in stone. I CAN say that everything I’m working on at the moment is a comedy, which is going to be really bad news for the hundreds of millions of people who do not find me funny in the slightest.

Tomorrow in Part 6, Geoff shares his thoughts on several aspects of the screenwriting craft.

For Part 1, go here.

Part 2, here.

Part 3, here.

Part 4, here.

Geoff is repped by WME.

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