GARY DEMOSS
How did you discover The Wiki Screenplay Contest and how did you decide to enter this contest among all the others?
The discovery began when I scheduled a consultation with Robert McCullough. Best 60 minutes I have spent in a long time. In addition to a detailed evaluation and Academy Analysis, I learned about Robert’s association with the Wiki, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara screenplay contests. There is no question, his involvement convinced me to enter the Wiki Screenplay Contest. Where do you live (City, State, or Country)? I live on Turkey Point Island on the Chesapeake Bay, just south of Annapolis, Maryland in the small town of Edgewater. 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? For years, I sat next to my friend Steve Eller, in ice rinks up and down the east coast. Our son’s played on the Navy Hockey team. That is where Steve told me about his father. His name was Fred “Fritz” Eller. Fred was the Commander of a notorious POW camp during WWII. I was inspired by Fred’s unwavering determination and ultimate success. Despite his eighth-grade education he rose in rank and was responsible for delivering justice to the worst war criminals the world has ever known. An incredible story of faith over despair, determination over failure. He wrestled with the world’s desire for revenge at a time when the Holocaust had just been discovered. I chose to write this screenplay because Fred Eller’s story will resonate with audiences globally and be more powerful on the big screen. Fred’s humanity in the face of hate and antisemitism is a lesson for us all. Like many of the stories I have chosen to write, I have a connection to the story. Having the ability to reach an audience worldwide inspires my own personal journey in screenwriting. How do you decide which stories to tell, and what draws you to these themes? As Robert Mckee lectures, “Tell the story you know.” Hence, the screenplays I have written, I have extracted from my life and experiences. As a filmmaker for over three decades, I have been fortunate to travel the globe, locations such as Everest Base Camp in Nepal to the Giza Pyramids in Egypt. My exposure to the world has given me a rare glimpse of civilizations through a lens and the ability to tell the stories of the human spirit, overcoming obstacles and achieving excellence. These are the themes that I feature in my scripts. What is your typical writing routine? How do you structure your workday to stay productive? My wife and I have a log home on top of a mountain in Western Maryland. This is my refuge, where I can open the windows, listen to the wind whip through the oaks and evergreens and create from my mind’s eye the stories that develop into my screenplays. I balance my writing with work tending a manicured garden or with a walk through the woods. As a collegiate athlete I learned that discipline and routine eliminate any delay. I use these same strategies during my writing to keep the ball rolling. 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? The script that I submitted took six months to complete. I had several years of conversations to draw upon, B/W photos, maps, and Army research, as well as video interviews with Fred’s son Steve. From those interviews and notes I drafted an outline in Final Draft and then structured the story into a three-act screenplay. Once I had a draft worth sharing, I reached out to Film Freeway, We Screenplay, Coverfly and Blacklist Analyst’s for professional reviews. Satisfied I had received adequate review, the script was ready to sit down with Robert McCullough’s guidance and refine the script into presentation form. How do you handle writer's block or moments of doubt (we all have them) during your creative process? Although I have had very few moments of doubt, the occasions I have run into frustrations are when I begin receiving feedback from industry analysts. At times, the comments can be all over the map. However, learning to embrace this criticism is where the magic happens, being able to take those suggestions and criticism to build a better script. What tools or software do you find essential to your workflow as a screenwriter? When I started writing I used Screenwriter. For the last few years, I have switched to Final Draft. It helps me structure and format a script correctly and in greater detail before I write one line of dialogue. 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? My ultimate ambition to enter screenplay competitions is no different than running the hurdles in high school and college. I must win. When I consider entering Screenplay contests, I am critical of who is reading the scripts. Is there access to industry professionals? I am equally interested in peer review that is offered. Prize money does not interest me. I have had enormous success in placing my scripts as a finalist in many of the popular contests. For instance, “The Cage” (the script I submitted to the Wiki contest) was a Platinum Remi award winner at the Houston International Film Festival in 2024. Winning a contest judged by my peers certainly helps increase my confidence as a professional screenwriter. If you are balancing your “writing time” with a “day job”...how are you managing that? Although I must continue to work in the industry as a Director of Photography to make ends meet financially, I have found that eventually I will walk away from the camera and write full-time. Where do you see yourself in five years as a screenwriter? I currently have a diverse library of marketable scripts and teleplays that I have written. Over the course of the next five years, my goal is to self-produce a select group of my lower budget scripts independently. During that period in my career, I will have acquired professional representation. Hopefully by that time, I will be collaborating with agents, managers and actors, producing quality projects together. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer? Producing my screenplays and teleplays on the silver screen and television. The film and television industry are 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? Adding AI to the world of screenwriting will replace the human experience with machines and will eventually eliminate screenwriters. I think it would be a huge mistake for the motion picture arena to adopt any use of AI. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show? Movie: Forest Gump, Dances with Wolves, The Natural Television: Lost, Breaking Bad, Yellowstone What advice do you have for aspiring screenwriters? You only fail if you stop trying. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? (links to your projects?) I have written an Action-Adventure screenplay entitled, “Ultimate Control” inspired by the ill-fated flight of MH-370 and confidential intelligence. I have also written a Historical Drama screenplay and teleplay entitled “Black Moon Rising” based on the true story of the Osage Indians of Oklahoma at the turn of the 19th century. I have also completed a TV Series pilot entitled “Deep Creek” based on the CIA’s clandestine mind-control experiments during the Cold War. Where can the world find you online? (Social media links, etc.) I can be found via email at [email protected] On Facebook at https://Facebook.com/therealgarydemoss At my company website: https://paradisefilms.org |
