DONOVAN CAGE
​

DONOVAN CAGE

How did you discover The Wiki Screenplay Contest and how did you decide to enter this contest among all the others?
We discovered The Wiki Screenplay Contest through Coverfly. As new writers, the opportunity to get our first-ever script read and critiqued was too good to pass up.

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
For now, we call the Southern Rockies in Northern New Mexico home.

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? What inspires your overall journey into screenwriting?
MSG BANGKOK is the first installment of a global franchise we’re building. I served as a U.S. Marine Embassy Security Guard, and my entire enlistment was overseas. Everything in MSG BANGKOK, and across the broader MSG universe, is drawn from that experience. I’m also currently a film school student, majoring in Screenwriting for Film and TV. Kelley, also a world traveler, brings lived-in authenticity to the characters and tone. A proud West Virginia University alum, her college days are packed with chaotic, hilarious stories that fuel the series’ energy and ensemble vibe.

How do you decide which stories to tell, and what draws you to these particular themes?
We pull ideas from everywhere: movies, TV, childhood, family, politics, global news, anything that sparks. If a concept makes us say, “I’d watch that,” it makes our development list. That list spans Features and Series across genres: horror, comedy, westerns, rom-coms, period pieces, you name it. There are no filters on what excites us, so there are no limits on what we’ll write.

What is your typical writing routine? How do you structure your workday to stay productive?
I run my own home inspection business, and Kelley works remotely, so our schedules are flexible. We treat writing as our career, and our day jobs as what supports it. We’re constantly taking notes, building story engines as part of daily life. Some days it’s just one page. Others it’s twenty in a single sitting. We’re still discovering our rhythm, and loving the process.

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?
MSG BANGKOK started as a school assignment. The first draft took about a month, followed by a couple of weeks of edits and polish. We always build the bones first, characters, arcs, set pieces, structure, then write from a broad-strokes outline. Once that’s locked, we hit FADE IN.

How do you handle writers block or moments of doubt (we all have them) during your creative process?
We’re lucky to have each other. If one of us is stuck, the other cuts a path. Collaboration is our cheat code for breaking through blocks.

What tools or software do you find essential to your workflow as a screenwriter?
Final Draft, it’s a game-changer. Grammarly helps with the mechanics. And we’re big on taking notes, I keep a notebook and voice recorder, while Kelley prefers digital notes.

How do you approach competition entries, and what have you learned from participating in these contests? Which contests have you entered...and how has your work been received overall? Have those contests been helpful to you in your writing?
This is our first year entering anything. So far, MSG BANGKOK has placed in every contest:
NYISA: Quarterfinalist
Scriptation: Quarterfinalist
Fade In Comedy Awards: 2nd Prize
Wiki: Finalist
Every contest has helped us refine our script and our craft. If the feedback is honest and constructive, we win, even when it stings.
​

---

Can you share a specific challenge you've faced in your screenwriting and how you overcame it?
Before our first submission, we were afraid, afraid our script wasn’t good enough, and afraid of being ripped off. But once we pulled the trigger, those fears vanished. The confidence boost was massive. School teaches you the theory, but competition forces you into real world growth.

If you are balancing your “writing time” with a “day job”...how are you managing that?
I schedule inspections around writing and school. Kelley’s remote job lets her carve out time during the day. Writing is the priority. Everything else moves around it.

Where do you see yourself in five years as a screenwriter?
If we’re making a living as working screenwriters, we’ve won the lottery. We’re not chasing fame. We just want to build a life doing what we love.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
To tell stories for film and TV that resonate globally. MSG BANGKOK is the first ripple in that larger wave.

The film and television industry is constantly evolving. How do you see the role of screenwriters changing, especially with the rise of streaming platforms and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence? Have you used A.I. in your writing; if so, how have you used it?
We use A.I. for research, brainstorming, and grammar, never for writing. We believe in the craft, and it baffles us that anyone would try to shortcut it. If you call yourself a writer, then write.

Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
Eric Kripke, Rebecca Sonnenshine, Evan Wright, David Simon, Ed Burns, Carlton Cuse, Bill Hader, Shane Black, Jeb Stuart, Derek Kolstad. They write chaotic, layered worlds where characters live in every shade of grey. Their work balances grit, humor, pain, and humanity; that’s our North Star.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
It’s hard to pick one. But if we had to name one from the list above: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang by Shane Black.

What advice do you have for aspiring screenwriters?
WRITE. When you’re happy, write. When you’re heartbroken, write. Even when you don’t feel like it… write! Don’t chase perfection. Don’t be afraid to screw up. Confidence and reps will teach you more than any class or book ever could. Trial and error is the proving ground where real writers are forged.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? (links to your projects?)
We just submitted MSG ATHENS, the next pilot in the MSG franchise, to the June Wiki comp. We’re looking forward to the feedback.. We’ve got a slate of other projects in the works, features and series, all headed for the Wiki pipeline.

Where can the world find you online? (Social media links, etc.)
We don’t use social media, but we’ll be launching a LinkedIn page for our writing soon. In the meantime, feel free to reach out directly: [email protected]