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.

Cold Iron

Written by J. Franklin Evans

What motivated you to become a writer?

I don’t really know. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, since I was a little kid. I wanted to be one of those people who created those books, movies, and TV shows that made life worth living.

Starting on a blank page is not easy- where does your creativity come from?

I start by not starting on a blank page. I mean, when I sit down at my computer, I already have what I’m going to write in my head. It’s just a matter of transferring it to the screen. So easy, right?

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?

Not on the first draft. It’s too important to get the first draft written in its entirety. Once that happens I’ll rewrite it with an eye towards other factors, such as saving money or using a particular location. But only to a certain extent. If something is important to the story I leave it in even if it may be extremely expensive or involve a troublesome location. That’s a “we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” situation.

What is your dream for this project and what other ancillary revenue do you think it could generate?

I’d love for Cold Iron to be available on a streaming service, like Netflix or Hulu. I think that there could be sequels and possibly a TV limited series following this one. A graphic novel would be doable as well.

How has your experience been with screenwriting contests for this project so far?

Of the several scripts I’ve entered into contests over the past few years, Cold Iron has been one of the most successful, getting into the later rounds and the finals quite a few times.

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?

Cold Iron is set in what many consider one of the more interesting cities in the US — Savannah, GA — during an interesting time for our country — 1990. Many of the characters, including the protagonist, are LGBTQ in a time where the AIDS epidemic is becoming more and more of a factor in our lives, and another character actually uses his serious mental health issues as a weapon against the antagonist in the story. I lived in Savannah during the time this story is set, and I think I managed to capture the vibe and the spirit of the era.

Do you have any website links for your writing, credits, background, etc that you would like to share

stage32.com/jfranklinevans
www.networkisa.org/profile/jfranklinevans
https://writers.coverfly.com/profile/jfranklinevans
https://www.facebook.com/jfranklinevans