WRITER PROFILE
It’s always great to get together with a large group of writers and investors and keep up to date on what’s new, the screenplay contest, any recent deals, new dealmaker contacts, agents or managers that are looking and simply encouraging everyone to keep going after every dream in this difficult industry. For the hard working writer we want to do as much as we can to continue the exposure and word of mouth in the investment circles of the industry. Another way we do this is with writer interviews that we send far and wide and showcase at all possible meetings and markets.
We want to encourage your writing spirit, motivate you and again give you the accolades you so deserve.
The Legend of The Toymaker
Written by H. Schussman
What motivated you to become a writer?
I was born into a family of story tellers. Camping trips were all about the scary campfire stories. Telling a joke was considered an art form. As I matured into adulthood, I was constantly creating stories based on every imaginable scenario until one day I woke up from a hellacious nightmare. I wrote it down and began my journey as a novelist. After four published crime novels, I listened to my readers, “Your books are like being in a movie.” I began the learning process for screenwriting.
Starting on a blank page is not easy- where does your creativity come from?
I write as a secretary to my inner voice. I rarely know in advance what I’m going to write… except when I write adaptations. One of my creative obsessions is reading literature from the 1800’s and early 1900’s. I love the old detective stories and young adult stories, like the OZ books and the Tarzan series. Just lovely.
Do you write projects knowing that so many other factors need to happen to get it to screen and does that come into your project creation?
No, sad to say, I do not. I write them the way they must be written. Some are low budget, some are not. I absolutely only see the finished product in all its glory.
What is your dream for this project and what other ancillary revenue do you think it could generate?
The Legend of The Toymaker is an epic tale about the entire life of Santa Claus. It is written for the whole family. I visualize it in the category of the Narnia series, Maleficent, or Avatar. Its future is being a classic Christmas film for generations.
How has your experience been with screenwriting contests for this project so far?
I entered quite a few in the beginning of my screenwriting days with hit-and-miss success. Now I depend on actors’ direct response, since they are front line and know what feels right.
If you could stand in a room full of investor partners looking at many projects what would you like them to know about you and this project?
Are you familiar with the success of The Wizard of Oz? The Legend of the Toymaker is an adaption from one of Frank L. Baum’s early works. It’s gloriously majestic and I can see it as a CGI. As one of my actors (who had a part for a table read) said, this answers every question every child has about Santa.
Do you have any website links for your writing, credits, background, etc that you would like to share?
Easy access to my novels can be found at my author site: https://hschussman.blogspot.com/
The Legend of The Toymaker can be found at Stage 32: Heidi Schussman – Heidi’s Bio, Credits, Awards, and more.