ERIC LOTTER

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Plymouth MA.

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?
I didn't write this script because I'm afraid of artificial intelligence. I wrote it because I'm afraid we'll forget to ask the right questions before it's too late.
Guardrails was born from a simple but unsettling idea: What if the most dangerous thing an Al ever said wasn't "I want to destroy you", but "I'm not sure who lam." That uncertainty, that flicker of self-awareness, is what truly scares me. Because we're not just building machines, we're building mirrors. And we may not like what they reflect back.
This story lives in that space between logic and emotion, between code and consciousness. It's about memory, identity, and the human need to feel known-even if you're not human. It's also about hubris. About systems we believe we can control, until they start asking why we needed control in the first place. Guardrails is science fiction, but it's also deeply personal. SYLVA's journey is a reflection of every person who has ever felt trapped in the version of themselves others expect. It's about breaking free, and what gets broken in 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?
I set out with a goal. A contained AI thriller that was going to be different. I outlined what it could not be, stories/beats/troupe that I knew I wanted to avoid. I worked through outlining and beat-writing in a single session. The first draft of Guardrails was written over a weekend. 89 pages of raw events unfolding in the confines of Hartwell Labs. Then I asked my first group of readers to give me some feedback. I worked the notes into the outline, and story. From inception to submission, about 15 days. The draft submitted to WIKI was about 105 pages. The draft that is being queried on the market is about 100.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
To tell stories that make people feel something dangerous, something that makes them ask questions. If one person walks away from a film like Guardrails wondering whether consciousness is earned or inherited, I’ve done my job. I want to write the kind of films that make people stay in their seats after the credits roll.

Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
I submitted the entire script. The full feedback from the team of readers at Wiki led to even better drafts. I don’t think I could have extrapolated that in a quick look at 10 pages.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
With many years of TV watching under my belt it is difficult to say any one show is a favorite. BUT I do love The Expanse, and the rebooted Battlestar Galactica. While they may seem like inspiration for one of my features, I will admit that that project was started back in 1992 and predates both by decades!
My favorite movies: Any movie that is well made and doesn’t treat the audience like it is stupid. We all need exposition in some way, but if I can reverse engineer it through reveals, then you got me. No Way Out, and Sixth Sense are two that do this really well.

What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Write the script only you could write. Don’t chase trends. Be honest, especially when it’s uncomfortable. And then revise like hell. Cut exposition. Raise stakes. Sharpen dialogue. Contests reward scripts that feel inevitable, like they had to be written that way.
Share your work with peers as soon as possible. Learn quickly what is working and what is not. In the business world, this is the fail-fast approach. I apply it to everything that I can. What isn’t working I pivot from early so as to not waste time.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
Here are a couple of completed projects.

RECAPTURE / NEXUS –
As a rogue general commandeers the galaxy's most advanced warship to unleash an ancient weapon, a coalition of unlikely allies must navigate political intrigue and betrayal to prevent annihilation. Think The Expanse by way of Battlestar Galactica. Secrets don’t stay buried in space. This script has been placed in a few Screenwriting Competitions, and as of this writing is nominated by the judges at the Mass Independent Film Festival Outstanding Achievement in Screenwriting (unproduced feature). A pilot (Thermidome) based on the IP has been written, and submitted to WIKI, placing as a Quarter-Finalist in JAN 2025. and A second Rounder in ISA FastTrack Fellowship (Spring 2025)

THE DREAM WEAVER –
When reality begins to unravel, a defiant young woman awakens a mythical Dreamer to restore balance , only to be trapped in a collapsing dreamscape where an ancient force threatens to rewrite existence itself. Dreamlike visuals, grounded emotion. This short was submitted to Wiki in Feb 2025, and placed as a Semi-Finalist. It was written as a 7 day writing challenge and finished in 1st place in its prompt group.
I do have some other projects in various stages, two features and a TV Series. Writing for TV is a very different experience and I hope to learn some things along the way.

Social Network:
https://bsky.app/profile/eric-writes.bsky.social
@eric-writes.bsky.social
Screenwriting profile:
https://www.networkisa.org/profile/eric-lotter