BRIAN NOLIN
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
My main residence through the years has been Vancouver, B.C., (the Hollywood of the North) though we switched it up this winter and took the family down south to the stunning coast of Costa Rica to add some surfing to the plot. One of the benefits of the business is you can bring the joyful agony of writing wherever you go. 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 Eric and I had been watching and discussing the rapidly growing difference of opinions surrounding Artificial Intelligence for a number of years before embarking on this script. One of the many things we found intriguing is how this issue is seen by some as a weapon that is destroying society and by others as a magnificent tool to help build it up. Because so much about A.I. involves the visual realm, especially what we see in the media, we found it imperative that this story be told on the screen. One of the next big things will be home Robots and Holograms which many will find hard to believe even after seeing it. Containing this to the pages of a novel would be the equivalent of trying to describe a painting without seeing it. There is also the irony of the current effects of A.I. on the Film Industry including both the Writer’s and Actor’s Strike as well as the rapid increase in creating its own content. 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? This is the first time either of us ventured into the territory of co-writing a TV Series. The first thing we did was research the current and upcoming technological advances not only A.I., but with chip implants, theories of ancient advanced civilizations, and anything else that would help connect the dots around the reasons for the rise and fall of societies. Then onto the index cards, treatment for the series and so on. What was uniquely helpful about co-writing was we got to pass the rewrites back and forth as if in a relay. This helped for us to have at least one pair of (somewhat) fresh eyes on it continuously. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer? One thing I always appreciate and strive for in a story is the subtle layering that allows everyone to understand and connect on the main level but also includes additional depth for individuals to enjoy if and when they want to look closer. And, of course, writing Blockbusters for the Big Screen. I think my ultimate ambition as a screenwriter would be to accomplish both of these things at once. Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice? We entered the full script because we had a pretty solid draft completed, or so we thought at the time. Once we got the feedback, it was obvious we had a lot more work to do. But at the same time the analysis was so accurate that we now knew exactly what we had to do. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why? The Wizard of Oz and The Outsiders. For me these two films look at the beauty and wonder of life in the most profoundly similar and different ways. Whether being told to ‘follow the yellow brick road’ or just simply ‘stay gold’, both are about the journey of inner growth and the sacrifices that are made to help save those around us. What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? Ask yourself: Is my script an easy read? Is it entertaining? When the answer to both is yes, start the rewrites. When you finish more rewrites than you ever thought were necessary, once you’ve killed all your darlings, do another rewrite. Then put it away and go fishing, or whatever it is you enjoy that isn’t writing. Then, once you’ve gotten the story out of your head completely, pull the script back out and do another rewrite. After that, you should be ready to enter it. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? We have a couple more TV ideas that are connected to Arkadiko. The stories are independent enough to stand alone but include some crossover themes and characters. And then there’s the final story that weaves the three of them all together… In addition to that, I maintain an updated list of available screenplays, social media and completed film links at briannolin.com. I also have a number of scripts available on inktip.com. |
