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JAMES KAHN

Picture
​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?
I did write the novel first – Matamoros. It was very well reviewed, and got several awards. A Western set on the Rio Grande during the Civil War. I’d always seen it on the screen in my mind, but there was simply too much story to try to squeeze into a feature. So I envisioned it as a television series, possibly a limited series.
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?
It took about a month to write a first draft, based on one of the many arcs in the novel – but that draft went through dozens of rewrites and iterations, which ultimately took about a year to complete. The interlacing plotlines were so intricate, it was tricky singling out a couple clear linear threads – so yes, I outlined the script as far as hitting the major plot points. But I always allow for each scene to declare itself in the writing, and follow where it leads.
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
I’ve written many novels and I wrote for television for years – but my TV writing was always on other peoples’ shows. I want my own series on the air. My own “Created By” credit.
Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
It was the full script, which I thought was a fast read, and really encapsulated what the whole series would be about.
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
I think The Sopranos really changed the game in television. The writing, the acting, the nuances and depth in character motivation – it opened up a new art form – using The Godfather as a springboard, but having the expanse of a series to really develop all those relationships.
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
I used to be happy with a script after a first draft, second draft, and polish. My advice to any writer at this point – including myself – is to keep rewriting, keep getting notes from trusted readers, and then rewrite again.  This one went through at least 20 drafts.
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I have a couple features ready to show, a goofy comedy and a noir crime story. I’ve also been working on my Americana folk music. I released an album, Matamoros, with each track about one of the characters in the novel and script that won the Wiki contest. All are story songs – I’m a storyteller, whatever the medium is. And currently in airplay on the folk radio stations is By the Risin’ of the Sea – an album of shanties concerning contemporary existential environmental crises.

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  • Home
  • Screenplay Contest
  • TV Script Contest
    • Treatment/Bible Contest
  • Short Film Script Contest
  • Contest Results
    • 2024 Contest Results
    • 2023 Screenplay Contest Results
    • 2022 Screenplay Contest Results
  • FEATURED "WALK OF FAME"
    • MARCIA P. SAMUELS >
      • MARCIA P. SAMUELS BIO
      • Marcia P. Samuels Projects
    • Cary Singleton >
      • Cary Singleton Bio
      • Cary Singleton Projects
    • Michael Elliott
    • Gary DeMoss >
      • GARY DEMOSS BIO
      • GARY DEMOSS PROJECTS
    • Caoimhín Mac an Bhreitheamhan >
      • Caoimhín Mac an Bhreitheamhan PROJECTS
    • JOHN RICHMOND >
      • JOHN RICHMOND PROJECTS
  • 2024 "Walk of Fame"
    • CAROL HOFFMAN
    • DREW ATCHISON
    • THORSTEN SCHADE
    • ANTHONY J ANDERSEN
    • GARY DEMOSS
    • ALI HABIB
    • JOE LEONE
    • MUJLI GLASBERG
    • MEGMILLER
    • NEIL WATSON
    • MARK ROBYN
    • GARY DEMOSS
    • DAVID H. FEIN
    • BROOKE DE ROSA
    • COLLEEN AYCOCK INTERVIEW
    • MARCIA SAMUELS
    • Henry Sarwer-Foner
    • DIANE TOMASSIN
    • TRICIA TRIBBLE
    • RICHARD HUTTNER
    • MICHAEL MONTEIRO
    • SEAN ROPER
    • ROBERT BRIDGE
    • JAMES C. BOYD
    • TOM WHELAN
    • ROBERTO S. OREGEL
    • NONO TAMURA-TASHA HARDY
    • BILL WELLS
    • STUART FRYER
    • MICHAEL GOSSETTE
    • KC BIBO
    • JOSH GOLDMAN
    • JASON WHITE
    • KAREN FRANKOLA
    • BILL JORDAN
    • CHRISTOPHER SCHULTZ
    • CAMERON MARTIN
    • CHARLIE SHOUP
    • JOHN ARNAU
    • PAM PRICE
    • ROB MCNEIL
    • SHANNON MCINTYRE
    • John Richmond
    • JEFF WALKER
    • DONALD MORGAN
    • LIZ MAYER
    • EMILY PELPHREY
    • DEBRA TOBIN
    • ANHTUAN DOVENTRY
    • GREGORY GEORGIOU
    • CAROL HOFFMAN
    • C.R. SHERMAN
    • JAMES FREEMAN
    • HANK ISAAC
    • ERIKA STONE
    • TODD HOLDEN
    • RAVEN PETRETTI-STAMPER
    • ANDREW EDMUNDS
    • ERIC WEBER
    • MOLLY FRANKLIN-LEARY
    • MATTHEW NICHOLSON
    • BRIAN NOLIN
    • ALGIS DANAITIS
    • HANK ISAAC
  • 2025 "Walk of Fame"
    • DARIUS WILSON
    • CHRISTOPHER WALKER
    • EDWARD ABRAHAMS
    • ERIC LOTTER
    • RITA REINECKER
    • BENJAMIN H SEHAT
    • DONOVAN CAGE
    • CHRIS LOVELAND
    • LILY SANDERS
    • RYAN CONRAN
    • MICHAEL HERRMANN
    • DANIEL R STEVENS
    • ADRIANO BELCASTRO
    • MITCHELL BOLING
    • MOHAMED MOHSEN
    • GRANT CHAUNCEY
    • JEFFREY PEMBERTON
    • LISA DUFFY
    • CATHY CIMATO
    • JULIE KOROGODON
    • STEPHANIE GOULD
    • LAWRENCE BERGMAN
    • JOSHUA CARTWRIGHT
    • KEVIN HARPER
    • LILY SANDERS
    • DARREN ANDREW NASH
    • SISI LIU
    • Henry Sarwer-Foner
    • KAREN MARGARET MURPHY
    • JANNE PULKKILA
    • RICHARD HOHENRATH
    • ANTHONY VOLLMER & CRAIG HORWITZ
    • Karen Siff Exkorn
    • GREG STELLEY
    • SUZANNE BUI LOC LUTAS
    • CHRIS CHURILLA
    • ROGER HILL
    • ROY EDMONDSON
    • ERIC LOTTER
    • JORDAN DAVENPORT
    • GREG MCCABE JR
    • TASHA HARDY
    • CATRYN BECKER
    • SEAN FOX
    • SHAUN DELLISKAVE
    • GIACOMO GIAMMATTEO
    • ROGERS WILSON
    • KAT-BYLSKA PRIMARY
    • MACK GORDON
    • Kristopher Pierce
    • Jerzy suchocki
    • DJ Alvine
    • KATE REMELIUS
    • VP BOYLE
    • Mohamed Mohsen
    • Frances Mccoy
    • Neil Goodchild
    • TERRY GEHRING
    • RUSSELL PUNTENNEY
    • TEEJAY SMALL
    • MIKE NIELSEN
    • TOM NEWMAN
    • MARIA GOMEZ
    • PEDRO CANAIS
    • MARK COHEN
    • VAL SERVINO
  • JOIN THE "Walk of Fame"
  • 2023 "WALK OF FAME"
    • JOHN THIBAULT
    • RICHARD HOHENRATH
    • BILL ALBERT
    • Dilece Connor
    • BILL WALKER
    • OZZIE LOGOZZO
    • FRANK CHARLES SCOTT
    • MOLLY VERNON
    • DIANE HALL
    • MARCIA SAMUELS
    • NILES WELICKSON
    • JULIA SAUDER
    • DEANNE GITTENS
    • J. thomas Peterson
    • RICHARD JELLERSON
    • LOUIS LEHRMAN
    • COLI B. SYLLA
    • LISA TRIANO
    • KEVEN WICKHAM
    • CLAUDIA DATO
    • STEVEN HART
    • KATREANA BELLEW
    • BARON ROTZA
    • PAUL HUENEMANN
    • JESUS GONZALEZ
    • WILL SADAROS
    • JOHN KUCZA
    • MAGGIE GRANT
    • ROB NIGHTINGALE
    • CRYSTAL STEVENS
    • LASHAWN KELLEY
    • JOHN RAVITZ
    • JIMMY PROSSER
    • SHAMIRA CLARK
    • WILLIAM LIPERA
    • CANDACE EGAN
    • RANDALL HAHN
    • Elija Maier
    • BARUH BENJAMINS
    • MORGAN RUSSELL
    • LEAH POLLOCK
    • NEIL GOODCHILD
    • Luke Duffy
    • Frank Tomasulo
    • Roy Rhodes
    • Mark Wallinger
    • Travis Levasseur
    • Dermot Davis
    • ERIC GILLIATT
    • MARGARET MORGAN
    • SAM SAMORE-MARIA MARSHALL INTERVIEW
    • THOMAS MCCONE INTERVIEW
    • JOAN BARRETT INTERVIEW
    • JASON NG INTERVIEW
    • CATHY CIMATO INTERVIEW
    • GUY PRIDY INTERVIEW
    • CANDACE EGAN INTERVIEW
    • JACK SHERRY INTERVIEW
  • KEYS TO SUCCESS
    • What Writers Say
    • Why this screenplay contest?
    • Screenwriting Inspiration
  • Judges