RICH LEVINE

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Knightdale, NC, 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?
I was in Raleigh, NC one afternoon, going to lunch with a friend and we saw a building with a lot of ivy growing on it. He said, “You won’t be able to see the front soon.” I said, “Nature always wins.” A couple of weeks later I had the idea
for the script based on those three words. I have always loved writing screenplays. I have a hard time with short stories and novels. My process has kept me in screenplays and I enjoy that more than any other type of writing.
 
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 4 weeks to complete a first draft from the time I started writing. I do outline, but it’s all in my head. Once I have an idea for a script, I don’t do anything with it for two weeks. If the idea is still in my head and I have come up
with a good direction for the plot, I start writing. After that it is a mix of the pieces I had before I started writing and what flows naturally from those first ideas.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
In all honesty, I love writing. I have been doing it for 25 years and I find it is very relaxing for me. I would like to keep it that way for as long as I continue to come up with stories I want to tell. If that leads to full-time writing and making
a living as a writer, I wouldn’t object.
 
Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
I submitted the full script after I received notes for my first ten pages, I believe. The notes were excellent and I found them very helpful. My first thought was, “Ten pages only? Sounds great!” But after making two minor changes in the script, I submitted the full version.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
My favorite movie is “Breaking Away”. It is a wonderful film that I have watched over and over. At first I fell in love with it because it had bicycle racing in it and I was, and still am, an avid rider. When I got older and started my first screenplay
I went back to that film and watched it from the point of view of a writer. The screenplay won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and I analyzed the film from that perspective. I would actually close my eyes and just listen. I
was amazed at the quality of the dialogue; how real it sounded. Also, that every character has their “moment” in the script; the chance to explain who they are, their dreams, frustrations, etc. I have recommended the film to countless people.
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
No short cuts. Take your time and give your characters full lives. Flesh them out so the audience can relate to them, or at the very least understand them.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I am currently working on a feature-length script that I hope to have completed by the end of September. I have the first ten pages if you want to read it. :)

---