CAMERON MARTIN
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Shreveport, LA 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? My script truly found its identity when I reflected on the relationship I had with my son, who had been exhibiting many of the same symptoms of autism spectrum disorder that I grew up with. Over the course of writing and rewriting, I channeled many of the same emotions, frustrations and revelations of fathering someone who reflected back a lot of the same insecurities I had for myself, and it helped me craft a story that led to me better accepting both myself and my son for who we were, and I wanted to bring those same lessons to other fathers and sons that go through the same struggles I’ve encountered and continue to struggle through. While this story started out as a screenplay, I actually have written it as a novel as well. Both mediums offer different strengths that have allowed me to improve the product as a whole. That said, I adore script writing for the challenges that come from the inherent limitations, and because my fondness for writing will always be rooted in a desire to operate within the collaborative environment that cinema entails. 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? I would say the first draft took me about a month and a half to finish. The subsequent twelve drafts and novel mixed in there somewhere took an additional year and a half. My writing process doesn’t usually include a novel, but does start with an outline where I identify characters and how they conflict with each other and relate to each other on a thematic level. Then, I plot out my script, starting first with nine major turns in the story, and then expand to about forty or more story beats. Once I have a pretty good idea of what my plot is and can feel excited about most of the beats, I’ll begin writing. I want to finish my first draft as fast as possible, usually in a month or two while working my day job. Of course, once there’s a first draft, the rewriting process begins and I’ll focus on different aspects of what I want to improve in each subsequent draft, such as improving one specific character in draft 4. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer? “Redefined” is a word I want to see in a future bio of myself. While awards would be wonderful to attain, and have been, what I truly aspire for is to have my work talked about in the same way as how films like “The Matrix,” “Star Wars,” and “The Lord of the Rings” are discussed; true reinventions of the genre that came before them, and what everyone wants to make after. Which film or television writers inspire you? Why? If I had to make a Mount Rushmore of artists that inspire me, two whose styles I refer to often include Genndy Tartakovsky and James Cameron. Both are masters at character based action and escalating stakes that both feel natural and grounded to the character’s journey. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show? I’m going to cheat because I refuse to pick just one. M. Night Shyamalan’s “Unbreakable,” James Cameron’s “Aliens,” and Aaron Sorkin’s “A Few Good Men,” are always in the mix of my all-time favorites. What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? Keep writing, keep discovering, keep reading, keep watching video essays, and keep it fun. Aside from those basics, one important feedback strategy I learned was to ask “what are two things I love,” and “what are two things I have questions about?” Limiting your self feedback to only four aspects really helps narrow your focus on what’s working for YOU, and framing your self criticism as “questions” helps to remind you that areas you’re improving on aren’t always problems, but opportunities to bring a more clear version of your artistic vision to life. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? (be sure to include any links you want the world to check out) I’m currently working on writing a three part series, inspired from how “Alien” and “Blade Runner” take place in the same universe. Since it doesn’t look like that crossover is happening anytime soon, however, I’m taking it upon myself to write my own version. While the project that placed in this contest is the first of this series, standing in for “Aliens,” the second will be the “Blade Runner” of this universe, and will touch heavily on the topic of the toxic inner voice and suicidal ideation, while the third project will be the crossover and bring the series’s themes on identity to a powerful finish. Social Media: Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082082183894 Twitter/X- https://x.com/Cameron97826564 |
