Interview: Patty Jones (2013 Nicholl Winner) — Part 5

I only have anecdotal evidence, but it seems to me the Nicholl Fellowship does not often select a comedy script as a winning entry. So when Joe Banks won in 2013, I was excited to reach out to its writer: Patty Jones. The script is funny. Very funny. And as would be expected, so is Patty.

Today in Part 5, Patty talks about the craft of screenwriting:

Scott: You’re good with characters. How do you go about developing them?

Patty: I don’t know if everyone does this. I like to hear actors’ voices in my head. Even if that actor is never going to be a part of this I think, “I’m going to hear this actor.”

I have a character in my current script where I’m hearing a mix of Robert Downey Jr. and Peter Dinklage. It amazingly helps me. I don’t know if other people do this. Maybe everyone does it and I’m like everyone else.

I like to think I’m special, but I’m not. I get into the groove and deep focus, deep underwater…underwater in a good way, I don’t mean drowning, hopefully not drowning [laughs], but really deep focus.

Scott: How important is theme to you? Do you start with a theme or do these things merge as you’re writing the story?

Patty: It becomes more apparent as you go along. You start with something and then it starts to tell you more. With “Joe Banks,” I always knew. I felt that sweetness of father‑son. We talked about identity. I have a feeling that probably you discover more after the first draft.

Scott: How about when you’re writing a scene? What are your goals?

Patty: You might love dialogue like I do, but if it’s not directing towards the plot or towards character development, better get rid of it. I am not very precious. If you chop something out, only you will miss it. You will miss it briefly, and then forget it. It’s like a whisper…you forget it existed. For someone new, they will never know it existed.

Scott: What’s your actual writing process? Do you write every day, or do you go on sporadic bursts? Do you work in private, or do you go to coffee shops? Do you need music or quiet? How do you go about writing?

Patty: I have unpaid serfs to do the writing. I convinced them that it’s an internship where they’ll learn something. Seriously, I have written a ton in airports and coffee shops.

Lately I’ve been writing at home, and I will keep going and going. I’ve had times when people are texting me and saying, “Come out to this club. Hear this band,” and I’m thinking, “No, I’m having fun, doing this.”

Scott: Do you still sing?

Patty: [laughs] I do not sing professionally, but it does not leave my mind that I know how to sing. I would like to write music for a film. That’s what I’d like to do. I could be the complete undercover person who’s the voice for the actor.

Yeah, I do still sing. I sing to myself, but I’ve got a big voice. I’ve got a four-octave range, or something. A lot of people do not even know that about me. That was a while ago that I was doing my Bachelor’s in music. I don’t even mention it to most people.

Scott: Clearly what you need to do at some point is write, direct, do the music, do some singing, do it all… like Woody Allen.

Patty: Yeah, I haven’t heard Woody sing that I can think of. He did have his musical, which I liked.

Scott: And you loved the Coen Brothers ‑‑ not that they sing, but music is a big, big part of their movies.

Patty: Absolutely. Why don’t I have a brother to write with? I’m envious of that relationship, endlessly.

Scott: Okay, here’s a fun one. What’s your single best excuse not to write?

Patty: Being asleep [laughs]. Jeez…we’ve got to be hardcore. There is no excuse not to write. Better write and flagellate yourself, sleep on a bed of nails if you haven’t written something.

Scott: What do you love most about writing?

Patty: Obviously, sometimes it’s extremely hard. When I’m in the groove, I think, “This is a ridiculously fun way to spend some time.” Writing dialogue is insanely fun, and I believe in it. I believe what I’m writing. I believe these characters exist, and I can’t believe I’m doing this.

Scott: Finally ‑‑ and you’re going to probably be getting this more as you move into this career ‑‑ what advice can you offer to aspiring screenwriters about learning the craft, and breaking into the business?

Patty: Never be boring is a big one. I would say, imitating is fine because you will turn out like yourself. That’s better than screenwriting books. Reading a ton of scripts…when I was a script reader, I probably read hundreds of scripts.

I watched movies, and I literally timed when things happen. I’m sure people do this, so that’s probably not a revelation. I’m looking, OK it’s seven minutes in, blah, blah, blah.

I also think that you don’t have to niche yourself. I thought I could only write comedies and comedy dramas, and yet I was working on a crime thriller family drama TV show. Now I’m doing a fantasy adventure, and I didn’t think I could do those things. But the brain is a flexible instrument.

I also should tell you that I have an Einstein quote on my computer which is, “Don’t do anything that’s easy.” [laughs] No ‑‑ I’m looking at my hideously written quote — it’s “One should not pursue goals that are easily achieved. One must develop an instinct for what one can barely achieve through one’s greatest efforts.”

You’d better grow. Better not be in the comfort zone. Yeah, be profoundly uncomfortable. At all times. [laughs]

For Part 1 of the interview, go here.

Part 2, here.

Part 3, here.

Part 4, here.

Patty is repped by Benderspink.

Twitter: @heypattyjones.