MATTHEW NICHOLSON
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
New York City, but I'll be moving to Los Angeles with my chihuahua Scooby this summer. I'm excited to trade the subway for a surfboard. 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? My script "Love at First Silence" about a disgraced conductor who finds redemption in teaching the daughter of his biggest patron was inspired by the NYC Midnight Screenplay Challenge. I had eight days to write a nine-page screenplay using three random prompts: romance, bandmaster, and memento. I'll admit the bandmaster prompt completely stumped me for the first 24 hours, but I was deeply excited about the prospect of writing in the romance genre. What I didn't expect was having such a great opportunity to work on soundscapes thanks to the once-dreaded bandmaster prompt. Since my protagonist is possessed by the passage of time due to a condition called “chronophobia,” I crafted an internal metronome to showcase that to the audience. I was amazed at how the soundscapes elevated the drama with every TICK of the metronome. The title stems from one of my most cherished moments in the script. The conductor, plagued by this ticking in his head, finds peace (and silence) the moment he lays eyes on the mother of a promising pianist whom he helps prepare for a big audition at Juilliard. This script even earned me second place in my heat and even helped advance me to the finals of the NYC Midnight Screenplay Challenge thanks in part to these characters. I'm really drawn to the power of short scripts as a training ground to work on specific skills like romance or soundscapes. It's difficult to tell a compelling story with a clear beginning, middle, and end in under ten pages. Shorts are especially great when you're working on longer, time-consuming projects like pilots and features so you can flex other creative muscles. I appreciate everyone at WIKI because you offer excellent analysis on short scripts and the opportunity to test whether my scripts are competition ready. 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 wrote the first draft of "Love at First Silence" in eight days. I am big on outlining and whiteboards, so my office is usually a mess when I'm structuring a script. I went back to add some polish to the script after the NYC Midnight Screenplay Challenge was over, so all in all, I finished the project in about two weeks or so. Thanks again for selecting it as a Finalist! What is your ultimate ambition as a writer? Currently, I'm looking for representation to help take my portfolio of scripts to the next level. My portfolio consists of award-winning short scripts and hour-long pilots about the modern-day descendant of Pandora, possessed sculptures, wine-obsessed zombies, live-in caregivers, and octogenarians finding joy in retirement homes. My brand is bringing new twists to old myths and championing stories about family legacy. I hope to one day get staffed in a writer's room. My dream would be to sell one of my pilots and get the chance to bring it to audiences everywhere. Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or "the first ten pages"? Why did you make that choice? I chose the first ten pages because my short was only nine pages, but I've submitted full pilots to WIKI before for the swift turnaround you offer on detailed feedback. WIKI is my litmus test for whether my shorts or pilots are ready for the screenwriting contest circuit. Your analysts always provide actionable notes and generous feedback. I've even used pull quotes from analysis for different screenwriting fellowship and lab applications. What's your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why? My all-time favorite is "The Magicians." I even have a TADA tattoo (inspired by one of the set pieces) on my left arm. Who wouldn't love to discover that not only is magic real, but there's an entire school in New York dedicated to teaching it? The fantastical stories Sera Gamble and all the writers told helped me realize that bold, weird scripts can find an audience if rooted in real emotion and compelling characters. Because of the show, I attended my first ever Comic-Con and got to meet some of the cast and creatives. It also brought me some lifelong friends who have become my close circle of trusted readers who kindly read draft after draft of my projects. What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? I have a trusted circle of friends and two writers' groups who read all scripts. Without their input and support, I'm not sure I'd ever finish a project. It's so important to see how your script Is landing with readers as you go – or whether your rewrites are making a meaningful impact. So my advice is to find fellow writers to read your work – and read theirs! Screenwriting Twitter is a great place to find other writers. When I don't place in a contest, I cheer on the folks who do and ask to read their work. I learn from what they're doing to elevate my craft. If you prefer one-on-one communication, find someone like Morgan who can help refine your scripts or submit your draft here at WIKI for analysis. I recently submitted another short script to WIKI called "Arborglyph" about an enraged Dryad who seeks vengeance on a young couple who carved their name into her bark. The WIKI analyst helped me elevate and refine the dialogue in my mini creature feature, and now the script is ten times stronger for it. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? I'm promoting two of my pilot scripts and applying to different screenwriting labs and fellowships. I'm happy to report that both pilot scripts have placed here at WIKI! The first is a one-hour fantasy television pilot called "New Olympus." It centers around Liz Payne, the modern-day descendant of Pandora from Greek Mythology set in the fictional town of New Olympus, Connecticut. Liz vows to clean up her ancestor's mess once and for all after her mother is murdered. Can she claim her destiny as the new owner of Pandora's box before her hometown is overrun by evil? It's "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" meets "Once Upon A Time" with a mythological backdrop rather than fairytales. The second is a one-hour dramedy pilot called "Care Source," based on my family's real-life experiences with Huntington's Disease (HD) and the 209 nurses my mom employed during her fight with HD. "Care Source" revolves around single mother Nancy Nathanson who must give a once-in-a-lifetime presentation to NASA for her family business when an unexpected and debilitating medical diagnosis not only risks her job but will change her dysfunctional family forever. "Care Source" channels the family dinner drama from “The Bear” (Season 2, Episode 6), the humor and nurse-centric theme of “Nurse Jackie,” and the patient's illness arc of “The Big C,” substituting cancer with HD. WIKI: World's Fastest Screenplay Contest had this to say about the “Care Source” pilot script: "Audiences will root for Nancy and her family to keep their spirits strong despite the inevitable tragedy that will engulf them. The writer succeeds in finding the entertainment value in these serious themes. The characters are charming and unpredictable, which will keep the audience tuning in even when we know what the outcome will be… Though risky in its choices, this is the kind of show that stands out from the usual fare and could appeal to a broad viewership." |
