patricia burroughs
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TURNING NICHOLL INTO GOLD: A Year In the Life of the Winners of the 2001 Academy of Motions Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Competition, by Paul Watson
PART ONE : ESTABLISHING SHOTS
*originally published
in ScreenTalk
[ january
| february issue 2002 ]
And so the curtain goes down on another successful year at the Nicholl Awards for only five of the 5,500 writers who entered this yearŠ But hang on -- is it all over? Well no, not quite. For the lucky five winners the next 12 months will hopefully prove very interesting with a lot of opportunities being made available to them. What will it take to move their careers further up the ladder with all this sudden attention? We ourselves have been presented with the unique opportunity of observing these winners of this prestigious award as SCREENTALK follows their progress over a one-year period.
So the question is -- what comes after the Nicholl?
As one recipient replied half jokingly over the telephone, "rehab."
From all accounts, it shouldn't get any less hectic. Fellow SCREENTALK staff writer and 1990 Nicholl Award winner, Robert Gregory-Browne reflects on the change of pace in his life at that time. "The sudden, immediate attention it brought me. I had been knocking around, sending out queries and such, and had never been able to get anyone to read my work. After the winners were announced, my phone started ringing like you wouldn't believe. For three or four weeks, I got calls every day -- agents, producers, studio execs -- all wanting to read my script. It was a bit of a shock." I asked screenwriter and author, Max Adams [Nicholl Award 1994] what she sees in store for the current recipients -- "Hmmm. . . . Well, everything in store for them I already wrote down and it filled up hundreds of pages and it became a book [The Screenwriter's Survival Guide Or Guerrilla Meeting Tactics and Other Acts of War]. I think the only thing I left out is -- Wow! Your ear gets sore from rubbing against a phone too much right after you win the Nicholl. So, um, be nice to your ears."
Now, there might be one or two of you thinking, Congratulations to these writers, BUT just what is this Nicholl you keep talking about? Simple answer -- hold up your left hand and count off the top five screenwriting contests in the world today. Somewhere between the thumb and index finger you'll find yourself recommending the Nicholl. As their site [http://www.oscars.org/nicholl] states -- "The Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting program is an international competition open to screenwriters who have not earned more than $5,000 writing for film or television. Entry scripts must be the original work of a sole author or of exactly two collaborative authors. Entries must have been written originally in English. Adaptations and translated scripts are not eligible. Up to five $30,000 fellowships are awarded each year." There's more to it than that and I would recommend you visit their website. Now's a good time as any to look at getting your screenplay written for next years' contest. But be prepared for a challenge. Nicholl Fellowships Director, Greg Beal agrees the competition each year is getting tougher. "When you're speaking about the overall pool of thousands of entries, I would say that the quality has improved over the dozen years that I've been here. I ascribe it mostly to the availability of screenwriting information -- the publication of new screenwriting books, the number of screenwriting magazines and newsletters, and especially the internet screenwriting community."
Think about it. Just five winners out of 5,500 entries. So why do so many fall by the wayside? "The simple answer," says Greg, "not enough story, not enough drama, not enough conflict. And here I'm speaking of the best scripts in the competition each year -- the group of 250 or so quarter/semi/finalists.
So it's tough out there folks. But we're here to focus on the winners and see what's in store for them.
Since we're going to be following the five recipients along the way for the next 12 months in their lives maybe the time is right for them to introduce themselves to us. Please welcome:
Patricia Burroughs;
Garland, Texas; script: "Redemption"
Greg M. Dawless; Los Angeles, California; script: "One Hour Development"
Robert S. Edwards; New York, New York; script: "Land of the Blind"
Albert Letizia; Los Angeles, California; script: "The Northern Lights"
Cameron B. Young; Foothill Ranch, California; script: "Saint Vincent"
Like all good stories we'll have writers dropping in and out of the column. So we'll begin with three of the five winners.
ROBERT S. EDWARDS [LAND OF THE BLIND] I grew up in a military family and spent six and a half years in the Army myself as an infantry and intelligence officer in the States, Europe, and the Persian Gulf from the mid 80s to early 90s. After the service I wrote a novel about the military [the unpublished kind], then moved to Northern California and worked a variety of jobs including telemarketer, private detective, and nightclub doorman before going into grad school at Stanford's Masters' Program in Documentary Film. I've worked as a documentary filmmaker ever since, earning my living primarily as an editor, first in the Bay Area and then in NYC. Right now my wife [Ferne Pearlstein, also a Stanford-trained documentarian, cinematographer, and editor] and I are finishing up a feature doc on sumo wrestling called "Stone Carved Man" that we filmed in Japan and the US over the last three years.
PATRICIA BURROUGHS [REDEMPTION] I'm a fifth-generation Texan. [What? Doesn't that say it all?]
CAMERON B. YOUNG [SAINT VINCENT] Born: Southern Calif. [Orange Co.], made super 8 movies for high school classes, took film classes in college [Cal State Fullerton], joined LA theater group back in '91, did late night theater/comedy sketches.
How did you get involved in screenwriting?
ROBERT: I have always been interested in fiction film, but it wasn't until last year-while Ferne and I were editing the sumo documentary-that I actually sat down and wrote a screenplay.
PATRICIA: It has been called, "going over to the dark side." My agent was against it, citing other novelists she represented who had decided to write screenplays, and years later, hadn't earned a penny at it. I fired my agent, and started writing screenplays, and of course, she was right about not earning any money at it, until winning the Nicholl, at least. But I figured out how to use nine words instead of thirty-seven, and how to use three words instead of nine, and one word instead of three. And realized that I loved it, the process and the analysis and the control involved in writing screenplays. I loved developing "a voice" as a screenwriter, and I have never regretted leaving novels, not for one minute.
CAMERON: Started keeping journal of script ideas about the same time, but didn't get serious about screenwriting until spring of '99. Finished three scripts by spring of this year. ['01]
Have you had any success with screenwriting contests before?
ROBERT: This is the first one.
PATRICIA: I have been fairly successful. I won the Breckenridge Screenwriting Competition the first year it ran. I have advanced in the Nicholl many times, was a finalist last year, and this year won. [I'm the first writer to become a finalist in the Nicholl with two different scripts.] I always entered the Austin Film Festival competition, because I always attend that festival and conference, and would have loved to have received one of those gorgeous trophies! But oddly enough, I only advanced in that competition once. It's a great conference though, and I recommend people attend it. [Those are the only competitions I've entered.]
CAMERON: Entered about a dozen contests so far, with varying degrees of success: placed in top 10 of American Accolades.
What made you decide to enter the Nicholl?
ROBERT: A friend who recently made an independent feature suggested it to me after reading my script as a work-in-progress.
PATRICIA: I heard it was the premiere screenwriting competition via friends on the internet, and needed a deadline to force me to get that first script finished.
CAMERON: Entered the Nicholl because it is THE contest to enter.
What did you do to prepare yourself for this contest?
ROBERT: Lifted weights, ran long distances, did yoga, and ate a strict tofu and wheat germ diet. Found out later that they had eliminated the boxing portion of the competition.
PATRICIA: I've never prepared myself for any contest. I've just written. Written a lot. Gotten lots of feedback. Written some more. Paced, muttered, cursed. Written some more. And when I finally finished a script, I entered it. But I don't believe in writing "for a contest," and my goal was always to sell, not to win competitions.
What were you doing when you first heard you had won the Nicholl Award?
ROBERT: Ferne and I had just returned home from our honeymoon. I was jet lagged and fast asleep on the couch at about 8 pm when Greg Beal from the Academy called.
PATRICIA: I was throwing a surprise party for my husband and had a house full of people. So when I got the call, I was in the fabulous position of being able to walk into a room of friends and family, announce my news, and celebrate on the spot. [And upstage my husband's birthday.]
CAMERON: I heard I had won at work. I had to stuff my fist in my mouth to keep from screaming.
What were your first thoughts?
ROBERT: I was a little groggy, having just woken up. I don't think I fathomed right away what a lucky break this was.
PATRICIA: I was convinced I hadn't won, and was suffering the torment of the damned. So my first reaction was disbelief, and then, relief.
What has been the response from agents and prodco's since winning a Nicholl?
ROBERT: As I say, I didn't realize until it happened what a valuable opportunity the Nicholl is to get influential people to want to read your work. I feel very fortunate that the Nicholl people liked my stuff and that this opportunity was opened to me.
PATRICIA: Amazingly positive.
CAMERON: So far, over 100 calls from agents, prodco's, lit. mgrs, and studios.
ALBERT: I've been approached by a lot of agents, managers, and producers who are interested in reading my script and meeting me. This has all been cool.
How was your day leading up to and the actual presentation?
PATRICIA: Intense. I had a wonderful meeting with my agent first thing, then four more meetings that day. I lost my reading glasses, so couldn't see to read the address for my next meeting, nor could I read the phone number to call for directions. I finally got directions [from my agent's asst.] and made it to that meeting just in time. The guy I was meeting was so great, he walked me to a pharmacy to make sure I had another pair of glasses before my next [and final] meeting of the day. All that rushing about -- and then I had to rush back to the Beverly Hilton and get dressed for the big dinner.
ALBERT: My day was very emotional. The whole week was busy with seminars and social events set up by the academy and then came the day of the awards diner and I just went to the gym, ran on the treadmill, and wept through my 25 minute cardio workout. And then I wept through some lightweight training. And then I wept in the sauna. And then I got to the hotel and began drinking and smoking.
And the highlight of the ceremony for you was?
PATRICIA: It's hard to believe if you weren't there, I'm sure, but each moment was incredibly special. Hal Kanter [THE ROSE TATTOO, POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES, many others, and master of ceremonies] and Stephen Gaghan [TRAFFIC, and our keynote speaker] had us laughing until we were breathless. Fay Kanin and Frank Pearson served as sparkling examples that writers aren't always ignored [she is a past president of the Academy, and he's the current president]. Each of the Fellows had the honor of a committee member saying wonderful things about our scripts, before we had to say a few words of acceptance. And despite the fact that we are writers more accustomed to speaking with a keyboard than from a podium, we were all wonderful, too. Especially Albert, who made us laugh then made us cry, all within two minutes.
ALBERT: What stood out was how nervous I was. I really was absolutely shitting a brick because I knew I had to get up and give a speech and accept this award, etc... So what I did was, as soon as I got up there, I started off with a joke, like a Dangerfield joke [except it's my joke], I said: "So I called my dad and told him that I won a fellowship. And he said, great son, great. Let's get together and have dinner. And I said, Dad, you know I hate prison food." And then that got a laugh and then I gave a nice, quick little talk, 30 seconds or so, and got the hell out off the stage. Mostly I felt really stupid trying to talk to all these big time, established, really cool, confident, Hollywood Movie people. Every time I opened my mouth, I came off like a stuttering, stammering, and idiot. I'm not exaggerating.
Did you get to
meet anyone worth connecting with [agents/prodco's/celebs]? Come on, spill
the beans!
PATRICIA: With all those phone calls and script requests, one thing finalists and fellows alike get is dozens of opportunities to connect. The doors open; it's up to the script to deliver. But during the awards week, we all meet important people -- the committee. And that includes the spectrum of the Academy, an amazing group of people. My special honor was to have Gale Anne Hurd introduce me and my script at the awards dinner, and present my award.
ALBERT: I met Susanna Grant, the writer of Erin Brocovich, and also Steven Gagan, the writer of Traffic. And they were both very nice people. They are certainly both great writers.
Any humorous moments during the awards you would like to share?
PATRICIA: One of my fellow Fellows shared his frog legs with me, while singing "It's Not Easy Being Green" and "The Rainbow Connection." [Maybe you had to be there. Maybe you didn't want to be.]
ALBERT: Yes. My girlfriend and I took some of the flower arrangements from the dinner home...and they had these artichokes intermingled with the roses. And we took them out, boiled them, and ate them.
How did you feel the day after [did you have to pinch yourself to see if you had been dreaming all this?]
PATRICIA: Numb and exhausted. After a five-meeting day topped by "the dinner," the next day I was ready to hang around my hotel room and make follow-up calls.
ALBERT: The day after I felt slightly embarrassed that I got drunk and got up there and told all these strangers that my dad is in prison. I also felt stupid about how I wasn't really able to talk to anyone like a normal human being. I can't stress to you enough what a moron I felt like the night of the dinner. It was sort of like torture for me. And I really don't consider myself to be a shy guy, but this was certainly OVERLOAD. I'm a writer! I sit alone in the quiet room! But it is good be thrown into these situations because they teach you that art is also business and business, any business, is about relationships. Personal relationships.
Any tips you could pass on for those writers who enter the Nicholl next year?
ROBERT: I would concentrate on long slow distance runs as opposed to speed work or interval training, and free weights as opposed to Nautilus.
PATRICIA: Read R.E. Paris's SCREENTALK article on contest readers [READER ROUND- TABLE, part I, & II in this issue]. Read Wordplay [http://www.wordplayer.com] Read scripts -- good ones and bad ones. [http://www.screentalk.org/moviescripts.htm] and [http://script-o-rama.com]. Trade scripts with other people, and listen to their notes, even if you don't agree with them. Their notes may not give you the solution, but they probably will isolate problems you need to solve yourself. And finally, enter. That's it -- don't talk yourself out of it, and don't assume any script is "the wrong kind of script," because all kinds of scripts win the Nicholl.
CAMERON: For those entering next year, don't send the script[s] in until it's done: polish, re-write, and get feedback from people you trust. Make it a page-turner. Remember, the readers will be reading a STACK of scripts; make yours memorable.
ALBERT: The Nicholl Fellowship win has been the most extraordinary thing that has happened to me in my entire life as a writer. I say, just go with it, and be yourself. Actually...don't be yourself. Be better than yourself.
Greg Beal predicts a busy year for these chosen few. He sees, "plenty of professional distractions. Initially, the unrepresented among them will face a battery of meetings with agents and managers and will eventually decide upon some form of representation. Now and later, they will be besieged by producers and execs wanting to read their scripts and wanting to meet with them. For several of them, they might take meetings over a month or two."
So the underlining message here is plan for success. Not only that -- plan after your successes as well.
Perhaps it is fitting to leave the final word of this chapter to Rob Gregory-Browne with his experience of winning this prestigious award. "ALWAYS be prepared. Always. You will be meeting a lot of people over the next couple of months and you must always be ready to pitch stories to them. In my first two months, I made the mistake of being clueless. Not knowing I should be exploiting this newfound heat to the max. I would go to meetings and wait for someone to offer me a job. And, of course, it never happened. After awhile, I realized I had to sell myself. Winning the Nicholl was only the first step in a long, tough process."
Next issue we catch up with our Nicholl winners to see how they have progressed since their awards.
Useful links:
http://www.successfulscreenplays.com
# # #
Paul Watson is a columnist for Screentalk and the founder of Make A Scene 2001.
This interview was originally published by Screentalk. For more interviews and screenplay articles, subscribe online at: http://www.screentalk.org
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