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MAGGIE GRANT
​

Picture
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?
Dark Paradise is a true story. I am always drawn to true stories. I find myself listening more intently and watching with more interest when I see”Based On A True Story” in the opening credits. The story drew me in because of the inner strength that the protagonist found to fight back and win.
​

How long did it take you to write your script?
I spent over 80 hours speaking with the person that the story is about. Once I had all of her information, I dramatized it; for her protection. The first draft took 10 days. There were various rewrites, as there always are.
 
And what is your writing process?
Because I wanted to honor the true story and protect the real victim, this was an interesting circumstance. I wanted to be loyal to the truth and follow the features of a screenplay that make the film engaging and a page turner. Once I had the information and the story in mind, I let the ideas flow. I try to stay out of the way of the creative process as much as I can. I do not self-comment. I free write and then polish. Then I enter The Wiki contest to see if I am on the right track.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
To have a large body of work in film, television and stage.  And of course awards are always nice. I want to make my living as a full-time, respected writer. Writing is what makes my heart beat, I don’t see myself ever stopping or giving up.
 
Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”?
First 10 pages
 
Why did you make that choice?
To me, if you don’t get the first 10 pages “right” there is no reason to continue. I know that if I am not successful in grabbing my reader in the first 10, I have to keep polishing until I do. It sets the tone for the rest of the film.
      
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
Godfather II, Coppola is an incredible storyteller. There are so many intricacies of this film. It is shot beautifully, acted impeccably, edited perfectly and written with the care and detail that makes me watch it over and over. It is the litmus test for the type of stories I strive to write.
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Never give up. Enter a contest like Wiki. It is rare when a contest offers honest, constructive notes, written by working professionals that you can trust. Study the notes, make the changes and keep working on your screenplay until you are proud and ready to enter.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I have just been hired to direct and produce Dark Paradise. I have another feature that I am on co-writer on that I will be directing late 2023 or early 2024.
 
Currently, I am working on five series and four features. I have been fortunate to have two winning series in the Wiki contest.
I just signed a shopping deal with a very well-known producer, for one of the series that won last year in the Wiki contest.
I have a short film that is traveling the world in festivals. It has won over 36 awards and is up for many more. My plan is to write the feature and the television series in the next six to eight months.
This has been a very busy and productive time.
I just created a new series that I am pitching this week. Of course everything is frozen during the strike. But, we are getting everything lined up for when the strike ends. Hopefully, that will be soon.

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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
    • ANDREA MASI
    • Michael Elliott
    • Gary DeMoss >
      • GARY DEMOSS BIO
      • GARY DEMOSS PROJECTS
    • Caoimhín Mac an Bhreitheamhan >
      • Caoimhín Mac an Bhreitheamhan PROJECTS
    • JOHN RICHMOND >
      • JOHN RICHMOND PROJECTS
  • 2025 "Walk of Fame"
    • DANIEL R STEVENS
    • MITCHELL BOLING
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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"
  • KEYS TO SUCCESS
    • What Writers Say
    • Why this screenplay contest?
    • Screenwriting Inspiration
  • Judges