As I delve deeper into the lives and works of these extraordinary screenwriters, it becomes increasingly evident that their unique perspectives are not merely derived from books or historical documents, but rather, they are birthed from the rich tapestry of their own lived experiences.
Last Friday, October 19th, EbMaster collaborated with the Santa Fe International Film Festival to honor its selection of 10 Screenwriters to Watch. The chosen 10 met at the Lensic Performing Arts Center for an engaging discussion about their journey into screenwriting and the projects that led them to be featured on EbMaster’s yearly list of burgeoning scriptwriters with the most potential in the entertainment sector.
The discussion at the panel commenced by exploring the movies that sparked their passion for screenwriting – some of these films even introduced them to the notion that writing for cinema and TV was a viable career choice. For instance, Miciana Alise from “Fancy Dance,” pointed out John Huston’s “Annie” as her influential movie due to Carol Burnett’s captivating performance on screen. Similarly, Erica Tremblay recalled the impact of “The Last Emperor.” Noah Pink reminisced about being inspired by “Jurassic Park.” Both Tory Kamen and Nora Garrett expressed their admiration for “Juno” and Diablo Cody’s work, while Patrick Cunnane credited “Home Alone,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and the comedy “Houseguest” as his motivators.
Furthermore, Dan Brier (“Sweethearts”) stated that “Napoleon Dynamite” had a profound impact on his life; Jocelyn Bioh (“Once on This Island”) chose “Coming to America” as it was the first time she saw people speaking in a way similar to her parents on TV or in a movie; Chandler Baker (“Oh. What Fun”) selected “Gone Girl”; Khaila Amazan (“K-Pops”) revealed that an upsetting character death in “Law and Order” sparked her initial scriptwriting; and Cameron Alexander (“Heart of the Beast”) credited “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” for igniting his interest in writing as a career.
Afterward, the screenwriters revealed their personal histories. Bioh explained how her ultimate goal as a child was to be a Fly Girl on the comedy sketch series “In Living Color”. By the time she was 12 years old, this dream had transformed into a career in musical theater. She reminisced about taking a playwriting class and her professor’s encouragement that led her to continue writing. Had it not been for her teacher’s words, she admitted, she wouldn’t be where she is today. In contrast, Kamen found her calling earlier, but under somewhat somber circumstances. She discovered her love for writing as a child and recognized this at her grandfather’s funeral.
She recalled, ‘When my mom was delivering a eulogy, she received a lot of focus, and it sparked an idea in me: I wanted to do the same.’ At just seven years old, I went home and penned down my parents’ hypothetical eulogies… rest assured, they are both very much alive today.
Following a seven-year stint working under President Barack Obama, Cunnane casually penned a television pilot. A chance White House connection opened doors for him to showcase his work. “I encountered someone who was touring the White House and mentioned that political writers could also be screenwriters,” he said, recalling the incident. “I nervously offered my script for him to read. Remarkably, he contacted me… and now serves as the producer on ‘Eternity’.” Similarly, Brier initially aimed to break into Hollywood through improv comedy, but after shifting his focus to writing, he made his initial industry entry via an unexpected connection. “My father is a lawyer, and one of his clients ended up in jail,” he shared. “The imprisoned man said, ‘I know someone in Los Angeles’.
Reflecting on my unique path, I recall the pivotal moment – at 21, I admitted – when I stumbled upon the fact that women, not just men, could create movies, having watched a movie titled ‘High Art’. Seeing ‘written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko’ sparked something within me. “Wow,” I thought, “I can do this for a living?” This realization was quite a departure from my previous job of stripping to make ends meet. Inspired, I vowed that if I could save $2,000, I would drive my Mitsubishi Mirage to Los Angeles. And so, I embarked on the journey, spending several years working as an assistant before making my mark in the industry.
Garrett drew upon her personal work experiences in Hollywood’s bustling environment to shape the foundation of “After the Hunt.” As an assistant for nearly a decade, she witnessed intriguing power struggles. She reflected on these power dynamics, as well as the impact of cancel culture and the tendency to judge people harshly for their past mistakes, leading her to ponder a recurring question: should we be forever punished for our most regrettable actions?
She openly acknowledged, ‘I’m not sure.’ Regarding the main character in ‘After the Hunt,’ she was someone deeply affected by exceptional situations, which led her to struggle significantly with defining and understanding her own identity.
Colleagues shared more details about the diverse influences that spark their creativity. For instance, Alise shared her method: she gathers inspiration by overhearing conversations around her. “I listen in a lot,” she confessed. “I find that if you’re at a café and you hear the conversation behind you about, ‘…oh my God, and her boyfriend dumped her, and do you know what he said?’ You can gather a wealth of character information that way. So I keep a mental log of experiences or things I’ve heard people say that will inspire me.
Pink often crafts stories based on real-life individuals and events, delving beneath the surface details to uncover broader truths. Even though biographies and historical documents offer a wealth of material, he aims to find universal themes that transcend the specifics of one person’s life. “It seems like we’re living through experiences that have happened before,” Pink said. “We tend to forget this due to our cultural amnesia, always feeling as if we’re in a new moment. However, if you take a step back and look at history, it becomes clear that we frequently repeat the same mistakes over again.” He further adds, “It can be fascinating to examine very specific moments from a century ago or even just fifty years ago, and recognize that people are still people.
In the production of “K-Pops,” Amazon teamed up with musician Anderson .Paak. Interestingly enough, he not only oversaw the film but also acted in it alongside his son. As she put it, making this project was like a shared family endeavor, and it had a profound impact on her too. She stated that she felt compelled to let him guide the narrative, saying something along the lines of “How can I make your story authentic?” She now considers this film as a significant part of her personal history. Instead of borrowing someone else’s past for “Oh. What. Fun.,” Baker chose to use her own experiences. Specifically, she conceived a short story about the matriarch of a family who mysteriously disappears after being accidentally left at home over Christmas—a situation that mirrored her own life as she was taking on the role of primary caregiver for her own family during the holidays.
Simultaneously, Bioh’s ongoing project, titled “Once On This Island,” is a reinterpretation of a one-act musical set in the Caribbean, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” While the original material presents a mythology well-known to audiences, Bioh’s unique take mirrors the profound insights that characterize the works of screenwriters on EbMaster‘s list of 10 Screenwriters to Watch. This is because she delved into deeply personal experiences to give the narrative a unique, impactful, and even healing perspective.
She shared her experience of grappling with sadness and depression due to being a dark-skinned woman and finding my own beauty over a long period. I want my story to resonate with another young girl like me, who might be going through a similar journey, and perhaps help them navigate it more swiftly.
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2024-10-23 22:17