BARUH BENJAMINS
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
NYC Your script stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your story and why did you write a script instead of a short story or a novel? There were a few different things that inspired the story of Cul-de-Sac. First, the homeless issue has been growing worse and worse -- and it seems like something everybody hopes will just go away if they ignore it. Then, the Mayor of NYC gave the order last summer to remove the homeless from the streets by taking down their tents in an effort to drive them to the shelters here. I've read that the NYC shelters aren't a great place to stay in, so this seemed like something that was done so that we don’t have to look at them as much (out of sight, out of mind!) instead of something to help improve their lives. Finally, I stumbled upon numerous horror stories about squatters due to NYC's unique squatter laws that acted as the last puzzle piece to the idea. As for why I wrote this story as a screenplay -- it's just the format I prefer. Writing for film is what I'm aspiring to do, so doing this as a short story or a novel was never really a thought that crossed my mind. How long did it take you to write your script...and what is your writing process? Do you outline...use index cards...white board...or just start with FADE IN? It differs from script to script. Usually, I write a pretty detailed outline before beginning the script. Cul-de-Sac was unique for me in that I wrote the outline at the same time that I wrote the script. First, I outlined the first act, then I wrote the first act. Once I finished writing the first act, I outlined the second act -- and so on. Working this way, I finished Cul-de-Sac in about two and a half weeks, which is much quicker than I usually work (it typically takes me months to finish a screenplay). What is your ultimate ambition as a writer? To be able to make a living as one! Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice? It was a full script. I already finished the script, so I figured I might as well submit the whole thing. I also wanted the full script feedback. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why? Impossible question! I like the films of Akira Kurosawa because he is the ultimate storyteller, Billy Wilder because he's one of our greatest writers, Wong Kar Wai because of how he uses atmosphere to tell the story, Werner Herzog because of the sweat and blood he pours into each picture, Andrei Tarkovsky because of his poetic visual style... and so on and so on. But if I was forced to choose -- maybe Chungking Express, mostly because it’s the film I’ve probably revisited the most over the years. Although there’s nothing quite like an old-school Jackie Chan movie when it comes to cinematic comfort food. What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? Focus more on trying to become a better writer than on trying to win a contest. Most screenplay contests are honestly a roll of the dice. I would say contests are a good way to obtain feedback and to get a general idea of the shape your script is in and how much you're improving over time. If you win anything, think of it as a bonus -- it'll be better for your mental health this way. Also, write what interests you, not what’s trending on the market or whatever. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? Just continuing to work on various scripts, hoping to get them onto the big screen someway, somehow. |
