CHRIS FELL

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
According to “The Economist”, in the world's most liveable city: Vienna, Austria. We have great wine, too – perfect soil to grow writers.
 
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 my own daily routine as an assassin and parent. :)  Actually, I am working on a novel. But I do enjoy saying a maximum with a minimum of words and a ton of subtext & images.
 
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?
To write: days. To rewrite: weeks. It's only four scenes, though. For features, I use all of the above. Plus, before I outline, I write down notes and ideas that come to my mind for some time. Then, I sort out the mess and work on the structure.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
To find an audience for themes dear to me. Just kidding, the Oscar!
 
Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
With a page-count of 5, it's a no-brainer.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
Many movies are written perfectly well. But to develop a complex story like “Breaking Bad” over 62 episodes is something else!
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Be original and come up with big twists. Readers hate reading the same old stories over and over again. Also, get some quick feedback early on, e.g. from WIKI :)  It might inform rewrites and help future entries.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
Since 2019, I wrote four feature-length scripts: a crime comedy/political satire; a romantic vampire dramedy; a (slightly) romantic spy comedy thriller/satire; and a quirky family road movie comedy.
My very first short script (of 2020) is currently in production, meanwhile the three shorts I entered into the international festival circuit in 2021 have won 14 contests between them (as of July 2022). Once I am done with the novel, I'll work on a mini series I have in mind.

---