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  • 2023 "WALK OF FAME"
    • JOHN THIBAULT
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  • KEYS TO SUCCESS
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  • Judges

VAUGHN ROSTE

Picture
​Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Fort Wayne, Indiana - the Hollywood of Indiana! OK, no, not so much.
 
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 tend to envision things cinematically, and can write descriptively yet succinctly. I also   believe that the screen reaches a greater audience than printed matter these days. In my award-winning sci-fi pilot entitled TRAPPED, I set up a story engine that could be spun   out for a long time (and doesn’t require a big budget or aliens!)
 
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?
I believe outlining is an essential step if you want to ensure good structure - and until you are such an established writer that industry professionals know you and will read whatever you write just because you wrote it - and I am not yet - it behooves newer writers to illustrate that we can master structure before deviating from it. Plus, let’s face it, commencing with FADE IN is out of fashion now and can be omitted.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
I’ve seen my words appear on the screen, and it’s a rush. I’ve been on set where dedicated actors memorized what I wrote into my laptop (I didn’t ever have my script memorized - they did). I’ve met people who I described first on the page, then laid my eyes on - due the great work of a casting director - and it was a bit surreal, as if I had manifested them into existence. It’s a fantastic experience that I hope all writers manage to achieve at some point in their lifetime.
 
Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
I entered a the pilot competition. I feel as if I’ve learned the lesson that you need to give the reader a reason to keep reader after one page, three, five, and ten, and so I just dove in. I was glad I did.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
The Mission - 1986 - has everything - history, action, adventure, character development, universal themes, social justice, fantastic cinematography, unforgettable images,
important message, great acting (my introduction to Jeremy Irons), unbelievable soundtrack. I remain unconvinced that that movie can be improved.
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Read more screenplays - especially produced ones - that teaches you what works. Get quality feedback and employ it - pay for it if you have to. Don’t bother with free screenwriting software, if you want to be a professional, then start using Final Draft like the professionals do.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I have a historical period serial drama limited series aimed at premium streamers about a largely unknown Italian Renaissance composer named Carlo Gesualdo (1566-1613) who lived an audacious life for today, let alone then. He murdered his wife and her lover when he caught them in bed - but that’s only the beginning of his life story. He was a masochist, bisexual, Prince, genius, and recent scholarship has put him at the center of a witch trial. 

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  • Home
  • Screenplay Contest
  • TV Script Contest
    • Treatment/Bible Contest
  • Short Film Script Contest
  • Contest Results
    • 2024 Contest Results
    • 2023 Screenplay Contest Results
    • 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
    • STUART FRYER
    • 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