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  • KEYS TO SUCCESS
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SUZANNE BIRRELL

Picture
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Chimayó, New Mexico, 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?
For many years I had been working on the idea of an actress being processed by the spirit of the historical character she was playing.  I couldn’t find the story to put the actress into.  After my mother died, my father shared bitter memories.  He felt he had cheated my mother, he was not the man she had married. That man had never returned from Korea.  I realized my father had given me a foundation for the story.  When I began writing, it all fell together.
I wrote a script rather than a short story because my forte is character and dialogue.
 
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?
Once I started writing, this particular script took about nine months with rewrites.  I spend a lot of time visualizing the story before I begin.  I spend time with the characters with a back story for every one.  I wrestled with this story idea for several years to get everything lined up and in order and before I was ready to begin writing.  I do my best thinking in water - a hot tub, lake, ocean, shower.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
At this conjecture of the stars, I would simply love to get a story picked up and produced.  All of my scripts have had table readings—sometimes repeated by request!  Many scenes have been produced as shorts on stage - very exciting.  However, ultimately I would like to write and direct. 
 
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 entire script and paid for the feedback.  I have submitted to many contests and Wiki is my favorite for getting constructive feedback that I can relate to and actually use.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
I love “My Cousin Vinny” by Dale Launer  The dialogue is brilliant.  The misdirections are clever.  The characters are perfectly outrageous.  The pacing is excellent.  Extremely well researched. “My Cousin Vinny” is considered among the most accurate movies made about courtroom procedure and trial strategy. 
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Format correctly.
Get into a scene late and leave early.
Actions speak louder than words.
Read your script out loud.
Edit-Edit-Edit. 
Do a table read.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
•   Working on getting a manager.  I continue to submit to contests in hopes of getting attention.  I write and re-write and am garnering more and more awards.
•   Working on a script deck for a crime comedy series “Sally & Norma.”
Also.
•   Dramedy, “Phishing for Phoebe” just scored an honorable mention on Wiki with some excellent notes. Will be working on a rewrite.
•   Christmas Drama “An Empty Chair” scored an honorable mention on Wiki.  Working on touch-ups.
•    Working on a Mystery Drama “Pearl Fisher” for submission to Wiki.

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  • Home
  • Screenplay Contest
  • TV Script Contest
    • Treatment/Bible Contest
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  • Contest Results
    • 2024 Contest Results
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    • 2022 Screenplay Contest Results
  • FEATURED "WALK OF FAME"
    • MARCIA P. SAMUELS >
      • MARCIA P. SAMUELS BIO
      • Marcia P. Samuels Projects
    • Cary Singleton >
      • Cary Singleton Bio
      • Cary Singleton Projects
    • Michael Elliott
    • Gary DeMoss >
      • GARY DEMOSS BIO
      • GARY DEMOSS PROJECTS
    • Caoimhín Mac an Bhreitheamhan >
      • Caoimhín Mac an Bhreitheamhan PROJECTS
    • JOHN RICHMOND >
      • JOHN RICHMOND PROJECTS
  • 2024 "Walk of Fame"
    • CAROL HOFFMAN
    • DREW ATCHISON
    • THORSTEN SCHADE
    • ANTHONY J ANDERSEN
    • GARY DEMOSS
    • ALI HABIB
    • JOE LEONE
    • MUJLI GLASBERG
    • MEGMILLER
    • NEIL WATSON
    • MARK ROBYN
    • GARY DEMOSS
    • DAVID H. FEIN
    • BROOKE DE ROSA
    • COLLEEN AYCOCK INTERVIEW
    • MARCIA SAMUELS
    • Henry Sarwer-Foner
    • DIANE TOMASSIN
    • TRICIA TRIBBLE
    • RICHARD HUTTNER
    • MICHAEL MONTEIRO
    • SEAN ROPER
    • ROBERT BRIDGE
    • JAMES C. BOYD
    • TOM WHELAN
    • ROBERTO S. OREGEL
    • NONO TAMURA-TASHA HARDY
    • BILL WELLS
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    • MICHAEL GOSSETTE
    • KC BIBO
    • JOSH GOLDMAN
    • JASON WHITE
    • KAREN FRANKOLA
    • BILL JORDAN
    • CHRISTOPHER SCHULTZ
    • CAMERON MARTIN
    • CHARLIE SHOUP
    • JOHN ARNAU
    • PAM PRICE
    • ROB MCNEIL
    • SHANNON MCINTYRE
    • John Richmond
    • JEFF WALKER
    • DONALD MORGAN
    • LIZ MAYER
    • EMILY PELPHREY
    • DEBRA TOBIN
    • ANHTUAN DOVENTRY
    • GREGORY GEORGIOU
    • CAROL HOFFMAN
    • C.R. SHERMAN
    • JAMES FREEMAN
    • HANK ISAAC
    • ERIKA STONE
    • TODD HOLDEN
    • RAVEN PETRETTI-STAMPER
    • ANDREW EDMUNDS
    • ERIC WEBER
    • MOLLY FRANKLIN-LEARY
    • MATTHEW NICHOLSON
    • BRIAN NOLIN
    • ALGIS DANAITIS
    • HANK ISAAC
  • 2025 "Walk of Fame"
    • DARIUS WILSON
    • CHRISTOPHER WALKER
    • EDWARD ABRAHAMS
    • ERIC LOTTER
    • RITA REINECKER
    • BENJAMIN H SEHAT
    • DONOVAN CAGE
    • CHRIS LOVELAND
    • LILY SANDERS
    • RYAN CONRAN
    • MICHAEL HERRMANN
    • DANIEL R STEVENS
    • ADRIANO BELCASTRO
    • MITCHELL BOLING
    • MOHAMED MOHSEN
    • GRANT CHAUNCEY
    • JEFFREY PEMBERTON
    • LISA DUFFY
    • CATHY CIMATO
    • JULIE KOROGODON
    • STEPHANIE GOULD
    • LAWRENCE BERGMAN
    • JOSHUA CARTWRIGHT
    • KEVIN HARPER
    • LILY SANDERS
    • DARREN ANDREW NASH
    • SISI LIU
    • Henry Sarwer-Foner
    • KAREN MARGARET MURPHY
    • JANNE PULKKILA
    • RICHARD HOHENRATH
    • ANTHONY VOLLMER & CRAIG HORWITZ
    • Karen Siff Exkorn
    • GREG STELLEY
    • SUZANNE BUI LOC LUTAS
    • CHRIS CHURILLA
    • ROGER HILL
    • ROY EDMONDSON
    • ERIC LOTTER
    • JORDAN DAVENPORT
    • GREG MCCABE JR
    • TASHA HARDY
    • CATRYN BECKER
    • SEAN FOX
    • SHAUN DELLISKAVE
    • GIACOMO GIAMMATTEO
    • ROGERS WILSON
    • KAT-BYLSKA PRIMARY
    • MACK GORDON
    • Kristopher Pierce
    • Jerzy suchocki
    • DJ Alvine
    • KATE REMELIUS
    • VP BOYLE
    • Mohamed Mohsen
    • Frances Mccoy
    • Neil Goodchild
    • TERRY GEHRING
    • RUSSELL PUNTENNEY
    • TEEJAY SMALL
    • MIKE NIELSEN
    • TOM NEWMAN
    • MARIA GOMEZ
    • PEDRO CANAIS
    • MARK COHEN
    • VAL SERVINO
  • JOIN THE "Walk of Fame"
  • 2023 "WALK OF FAME"
    • JOHN THIBAULT
    • RICHARD HOHENRATH
    • BILL ALBERT
    • Dilece Connor
    • BILL WALKER
    • OZZIE LOGOZZO
    • FRANK CHARLES SCOTT
    • MOLLY VERNON
    • DIANE HALL
    • MARCIA SAMUELS
    • NILES WELICKSON
    • JULIA SAUDER
    • DEANNE GITTENS
    • J. thomas Peterson
    • RICHARD JELLERSON
    • LOUIS LEHRMAN
    • COLI B. SYLLA
    • LISA TRIANO
    • KEVEN WICKHAM
    • CLAUDIA DATO
    • STEVEN HART
    • KATREANA BELLEW
    • BARON ROTZA
    • PAUL HUENEMANN
    • JESUS GONZALEZ
    • WILL SADAROS
    • JOHN KUCZA
    • MAGGIE GRANT
    • ROB NIGHTINGALE
    • CRYSTAL STEVENS
    • LASHAWN KELLEY
    • JOHN RAVITZ
    • JIMMY PROSSER
    • SHAMIRA CLARK
    • WILLIAM LIPERA
    • CANDACE EGAN
    • RANDALL HAHN
    • Elija Maier
    • BARUH BENJAMINS
    • MORGAN RUSSELL
    • LEAH POLLOCK
    • NEIL GOODCHILD
    • Luke Duffy
    • Frank Tomasulo
    • Roy Rhodes
    • Mark Wallinger
    • Travis Levasseur
    • Dermot Davis
    • ERIC GILLIATT
    • MARGARET MORGAN
    • SAM SAMORE-MARIA MARSHALL INTERVIEW
    • THOMAS MCCONE INTERVIEW
    • JOAN BARRETT INTERVIEW
    • JASON NG INTERVIEW
    • CATHY CIMATO INTERVIEW
    • GUY PRIDY INTERVIEW
    • CANDACE EGAN INTERVIEW
    • JACK SHERRY INTERVIEW
  • KEYS TO SUCCESS
    • What Writers Say
    • Why this screenplay contest?
    • Screenwriting Inspiration
  • Judges