ROB McNEIL
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
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? I was inspired by a tough breakup I went through semi-recently and imagined up a fake scenario as a result of the breakup. I wrote it as a feature screenplay since I have such a love and passion for movies. I tend to think cinematically more than anything. 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 16 days to write the script, and roughly a week to outline it. It was a note in my notes app for about a year until I finally decided to develop the idea further and start outlining it. I watched Mrs. Doubtfire and wanted to model the structure and pacing around the way that film was outlined. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer? I hope to one day become a working writer in TV and/or film. I only want to be able to share my stories with people, however that happens and whatever that may look like. Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice? It was the full script. I wanted to see how it would fare in the screenwriting world competitively and as a litmus test to see where the script was at. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why? My favorite television show is Breaking Bad because I feel it's the show that kept on outdoing itself constantly. Each episode was better than the last until it finally ended perfectly. My favorite movie is Ex Machina because I feel it's a perfect script executed to perfection in my eyes. What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? You have to constantly better yourself every day. Read scripts of movies you love and watch an inordinate number of movies. You also must write as if the next script is the one that leads you to your big break. My biggest piece of advice is to live life and don't afraid to be too personal with your writing. This script was the most personal script I had ever written and it's almost to the point of embarrassment. Be unafraid to overshare and be vulnerable in your scripts. The heart will show through in your writing. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? I am working on a Dramedy series about a quirky wedding company and their raunchy antics and love lives. It will be titled “Who Loves the Lovemakers?” and the Pilot is an award-winning script. |
