CLAUDIA DATO

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Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Santa Barbara, California

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?
As a bisexual woman who has been in a same-sex relationship for nearly 25 years, I wanted to write about the complications of love and sexuality. I thought the selection of the early 1950s as the timeframe also highlighted the societal challenges of a same-sex relationship. I think it is still relevant today given the worldwide struggle for LGBTQIA+ equal rights. I love movies so I wanted to write a screenplay as opposed to a novel or short story. I feel there needs to be more films of this genre that explore the themes highlighted within my script The White Fence.
 
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 have bounced around the idea of this screenplay for some time, but it took me about three months to write and re-write it. I do not use an outline, index cards, a white board, or notes for that matter. I just start out with FADE IN and let it flow. I do research along the way as needed to make sure I hold true and accurate to the time-period setting of the screenplay, as well as to accurately depict elements of the story.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
My ultimate ambition as a screenwriter would be to win an Academy Award, but in the short-term I would be thrilled to sell a script after the WGA strike is over.
 
Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
My entry was a full script. While I really concentrated on the first ten pages as a result of the guidance from The Wiki Screenplay Contest, I wanted to get full feedback since I had completed the entire screenplay.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
This is a tough question because I love so many movies in many different genres. One that comes to mind is Forrest Gump for so many reasons: the power to overcome adversity; multiple levels of conflict; relatability; universal themes such love, loss, death, friendship, empathy and loyalty; the way it weaves in real historical events; the depths of the characters and their overall transformations; the dialogue; the acting and more.
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Buy and read a book on industry formatting like Robert L. McCullough’s book Format Your Screenplay Like a Pro, and invest in screenwriting software such as Final Draft. I also recommend taking your script through several drafts and get feedback from other more experienced writers or through screenplay contests such as The Wiki.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I also recently wrote another feature length screenplay titled A Pill to Die For, which has won several Best Screenplay awards in Los Angeles and New York. Despite its contest successes, I continue to work on rewrites of both A Pill to Die For and The White Fence to make them even better.