JOEL BICKNELL
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 PictureJOEL BICKNELL
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Salina, Kansas

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?
Over the past several years, there were two inspirations that came together in this script…. First, multiple friends and family members have passed away. Walking alongside them,
hearing their stories as they reflect on their lives…it was very impactful. Second, I’ve walked two pilgrimages. Those journeys provided the chance to meet 50-60 people, across
cultural boundaries, who were walking for different reasons. Some joyful. Some painful. All grounded in a shared humanity.

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’ve been working on Cleaning the Slate for the past two years.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
To tell stories about humans wrestling with faith and how it plays out in the challenges of our lives. Putting faith into action is messy at best and often puts us at odds with others. I want to bring people together on the shared ground of beauty, grace, and truth.

Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
It was a full script. That’s what I had.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
My favorite movie of all time is “Blue” – the first film of the “Three Colours Trilogy.” The film is a tragic story of an immensely talented woman who deals with the tragedy of losing her husband and child in isolating ways. The economic use of language, the richness of the visuals, and the immersive music creates a cinematic experience that draws me in. The world needs more stories with women as the protagonist. Juliette Binoche carries this film beautifully.

What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Keep going. Soak in every bit of feedback, filter it through your vision for the script, and edit, edit, and edit. And edit.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
Two scripts. First - a period drama about a farmer’s daughter who carries an immense talent, a vocational call, and the pressures of societal and familial expectations. Second – a drama about a middle-aged man struggling with mental illness who’s coming to grips with his family’s legacy of physical and sexual abuse and what he’s done…or not done.