NIEL GOODCHILD
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Attleboro, MA. USA 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 original inspiration for ‘Alive And Well’ was ‘Good Will Hunting’ although my idea was to begin the story where classics like ‘Ordinary People’ leave off. In those films the protagonist and the therapist hug it out and the movie ends. I felt the therapist giving their blessing (without that unprofessional hugging) was a great place to begin the story and the struggle of returning to a “normal” life -if there is such a thing- was where we could really see a character develop. I wrote a script because, back then, I thought screenplays would be much easier than writing a novel. I have since changed my mind on that. 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? Ahahahahaha… my first draft was written in 1997! So, 27 years. There’s been more drafts than I care to count but I don’t mind rewriting a script based on real feedback like the Wiki gives. These days, I come up with a plan using index cards and notes but the much younger version of me simply wrote the first draft the old fashioned way. I made it up as I went along. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer? I’d like to see my name on the big screen, the little screen, the streamers and maybe even a video game. Most of my stories tend towards low budget inspirational films. As much as I love ‘Star Wars’ I think if I wrote it, the whole thing would be set in a few locations and there’d never be single laser fired. But you never know. Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice? I went with the full script. I’d rather hear what they think of my whole story for better or worse. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why? ‘Supernatural’ is my favorite TV show. Especially the first five seasons. The main characters are great to watch and even though they hunt supernatural monsters they are also easy to relate to. Bobby, the surrogate father figure, is probably the best character on the series. I felt he was the father the boys needed as opposed to the one they had and I never tire of seeing a Bobby-centric episode especially Jensen Ackles’ directorial debut ‘Weekend At Bobby’s’. What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? Bruce Lee said “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not.” I’ve had great feedback which is to say heartbreaking and brutally honest notes that I used to make my script better. I’ve also received bizarre feedback that I hope was written by an artificial intelligence (if anyone else ever received a $65 paragraph about “the macro cosmic dynamic” if you know what it means please tell me). I’ve won two contests and won best screenplay at a film festival. The very same draft that won those awards didn’t even make an honorable mention in other contests. Basically, you have to get up more times than they knock you down – which is a hell of a lot harder to do the more they knock you down. But you can do it. Keep re-writing and take the advice you feel is useful – especially if it hurts -and put the macro cosmic dynamic (whatever that is) in the recycle bin. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? I’ve had success with my comedy screenplay ‘Down At The Val’ and now my drama ‘Alive And Well’, like me, is rising out of decades of dust. I’m currently working on a memoir book about my sister Lynn who was killed on September 11th, 2001. I spent 25 years of my life with her and I am coming up on 25 years without her and that seemed as good an excuse as any to sit in front of a keyboard. On the screenwriting front, I’m also working on a horror screenplay as well as a comedy TV pilot which is sort of like ‘The Office’ meets ‘Supernatural’. The intention is to try my hand at every genre eventually. So… I’ll be back, Wiki. Because, trust me, life is just better with writing in it than without. |
