GREG MccABE JR.
 GREG MCCABE JR.
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Midland, Texas 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’ve always been fascinated by apocalyptic scenarios (in fiction, of course), from zombies to aliens, you name it. But I wanted to take the end of the world in a direction that was just plain bonkers. That’s where Cowpocalypse came from: a full-blown global meltdown... led by cows. Sure, it could’ve made for a wild novel, but from the very beginning, I saw it as a movie. The absurdity, the imagery, the scale. It all felt like it belonged on the big screen. Some stories are meant to be read quietly. This one? It’s meant to be watched with popcorn. 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? This script took a few months from concept to polished draft, though the cows had been stomping around in my brain long before I typed a single word. I’m a devout believer in the classic three-act arc: beginning, middle, end. I always start with a list of scenes. If I just sat down at a blank page with only an idea, I’d stall out fast. For me, it’s about building the skeleton first. Once I know the bones are solid, I can have fun with the rest, like dialogue, tone, and twists. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer? I’ve only been writing screenplays for a short time, and while nothing I’ve written has been produced, that’s the dream. A bucket list moment would be sitting in a theater, watching a film that came out of my head. Seeing characters that I created come to life, hearing lines I wrote delivered on screen. That would be surreal in the best way imaginable. Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice? I did a full script because it was ready to go! What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why? Finally, an easy one: Dumb & Dumber. I’ve probably seen it more times than I care to admit, and rarely does a week go by without me quoting it...usually at the worst possible time. It’s also a reminder that something totally ridiculous can still be brilliantly crafted. What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? Finish the first draft. That’s it. That’s the whole secret. You can always come back and make it great later, but you can’t rewrite something that doesn’t exist. Once you’ve got that, you’ve got something real. And from there, anything’s possible. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? I’m just about done with my next script: Bulletproof Balloon Animals. Clowns have gotten the horror treatment plenty, so I figured it was time they got the action spotlight. We’re talking custard pie grenades, tiny car chases, and yes… bulletproof balloon animals. Here’s the logline: In a future where humor is outlawed and comedy is a crime, a has-been standup comic joins a ragtag rebellion of clowns, mimes, and misfits to deliver the one joke powerful enough to bring down a tyrannical regime. |
