MIKE NIELSen
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MIKE NIELSEN

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
I live in Los Angeles, CA.

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?
The inspiration for my Christmas feature, Nick’d, stems from many areas of my life. My
love of Christmas movies like Home Alone, Elf and Christmas Vacation. Those are films
my family and I watch every holiday season, and I’ve always wanted to write a Christmas
feature to end up on other individual’s holiday must watch lists. My love of kid adventure
movies like The Goonies, Willy Wonka and Adventures In Babysitting were also
inspiration. And the number one inspiration is my 5-year-old son. While the previously
mentioned films were part of my entertainment as a child that helped shape me as an
individual, I would love for Nick’d to be a part of his.

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 me about a year to write Nick’d. Probably the first draft around 7 months, but with
constant re-writes after receiving notes, about 12-13 months resulted in my current
polished draft. My writing process always starts with a short “what if” logline/sentence.
From there I will start to come up with jokes and scenes that would be fun and
entertaining. Then it’s down to character work. What characters would be the most
interesting to watch in this particular type of movie. I truly enjoy using the “Save The Cat”
method of outlining, which is the next step. From there I just keep adding and adding
scenes and dialogue thoughts to each of the “Save The Cat” steps. Once I have that as my
outline/treatment and I think I have a strong feeling of what is going to happen, then it’s
time to open up Final Draft and start typing!

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
My ultimate ambition as a writer, which I believe is the ultimate ambition for most of us, is
to entertain. Whether I’m writing a family movie like, Nick’d, or a dramedy TV show, it’s
about leaving the audience feeling like they watched something interesting that they were
able to connect with. Even if that connection doesn’t relate to their personal life, the
audience can still feel like they got what I was going for. I would love to have a career
writing films and TV that absolutely entertain the hell out of people.

Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”?
Why did you make that choice?
My entry was a full feature script. I wanted the full script to be judged because of how
much fun the second act is. It’s an adventure for a group of kids and the full journey they
go on to save Christmas was something I wanted the Wiki Screenplay Contest readers to
enjoy.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
This is a tough one. I usually can break down into categories, but it usually comes back to
comedies. For movies I love The Goonies, Big, Tommy Boy, The Sandlot and Wet Hot
American Summer. For TV, I Love Lucy, The Simpsons, The Office, Parks and Rec,
Arrested Development and SNL are the ones that immediately come to mind. I just love
comedy and it’s these movies and TV shows that make me smile and I love the jokes and
scenes from a huge holy s**t moment to a subtle look.

What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you
have?
My advice it to get notes and don’t take them personally. It can be frustrating, when you
receive notes, and it feels like the reader completely missed something or didn’t “get” what
you were trying for. But hearing what others, especially readers who read a ton, have to
say about your script is so important for growth. I also suggest reading in your genre. If
you write horror, read horror scripts. If you write comedy, read comedy scripts. For
Nick’d, I immediately read Home Alone and The Goonies. I really wanted to see the
physical comedy of Home Alone in script form and how the group dynamic of The Goonies
is portrayed. When you have an idea of what you want to write, think of the comps. Then
read those comps. They’ll inspire you and help guide you, especially reading something
that works. Then you make your script work the way the scripts you read worked.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
While I’m enjoying the accolades and attention Nick’d is receiving, a fellow (much
more successful screenwriter) suggested to me that I write another family style comedy
to have as my next project. I’m working on a Liar, Liar style movie about a self-
deprecating middle schooler who gets cursed with having all his personal insults blow
up in his face and must reverse this curse before he heads into high school as the most
social misfit ever.
Socials
IMDB: imdb.me/mikenielsen
COVERFLY: https://writers.coverfly.com/profile/m-i-k-e-n-i-e-l-s-e-n

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