I have been interested in movies (creating them, not just watching them) since about the Year 2000, while studying a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Teaching. At first I wanted to be an action star (thanks to Arnold) so I hit the gym pretty seriously.
Thinking about it, I figured that my best chance to star in a movie was to make my own. My Grand Plan was to write a ripper action script that was:
- awesome
- cheap, and
- starred me! 🙂
From that point, I virtually abandoned my studies and borrowed every book on filmmaking the library possessed. I devoured books on the many and varied aspects of filmmaking and started making short films with friends. Then, something unexpected happened.
The more I read about filmmaking, the more I was drawn to writing and directing, rather than acting. I abandoned my desire to star in a movie (to the benefit of cinema-goers everywhere) and focused on becoming a filmmaker hyphenate extraordinaire, a writer-director and, if possible, -editor.
My first script was a thriller called The Negative, which I entered in the first Project Greenlight Australia competition. Although disappointed not to win and receive the million dollar budget to make my movie, I soon rationalised defeat into victory. By not winning, I could make a film on my own terms rather than be held to creative ransom by a pushy studio!
Placing in the Top 50 with my first script was encouraging. I figured– rightly or wrongly– that this writing business was something I could do alright in.
I began this blog to write about ideas on screenwriting, and was active for a few years. But in 2013, personal tragedy put a stop to my writing.
For a while.
Like, years.
But I’m now back on the screenwriting bandwagon. A script I wrote called Unexpecting, which details the events of 2013 and the years subsequent was a Second Rounder at Austin, and a finalist in the 2020-21 Kairos Prize.
My Grand Plan, Mk II,is to:
- write and sell a script
- write and sell another script
- rinse
- repeat
- and, eventually, leverage screenwriting success into the opportunity of one day directing my own films.
Good luck and God Bless,
Kenny