Genuinely, it was by default. I studied directing and that’s where I am at home, but no one just hands you a million bucks and a good script and says: “Go, be merry.” So I started writing. It took a very long time for me to become any good at it too. But I have grown into my own and can feel quite confident now about the work.

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

Anywhere. Conversations with strangers, art, travel, music. I collect and then I fit things into a structural framework of whatever story I am writing. I love drawing from reality and basing things on truth. I believe it’s very important as a writer to always keep your eyes and ears open to anything. For Odium, the script for this competition, I got inspired by a Harvard study on the scale of sociopathy. It just didn’t let go of me. So I continued researching and interviewing until the story took some shape. The rest is paint.

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?

I think it has to. Knowing your audience has to be part of any writer’s mindset. That includes buyers. Especially at the early stages in one’s career. If I write something small with four actors and two locations in a popular escapist genre, then I know I’ll be much more likely to push it up the hill than a high-stakes crime action story during the 1940’s. Although I’m personally pretty genre-agnostic, I’m hyper-aware of what a possible budget is for the piece, staying in that range and then pitching accordingly. It’s also different writing a spec versus writing a polish or an assignment. But in all cases there are restraints on a writer. For me, those actually make me more creative. If I know I have to stay under a certain budget bracket, for example, I have more fun thinking outside the box.

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

For Odium I think it could be a wonderful, dark, and twisted independent thriller people will watch to grip them deeply. If they continue talking about it the next morning and have strong feelings about the film, then it did exactly what I want it to do. Because the budget is so low, ROI recoup is pretty straightforward through foreign markets or a streamer/mixed deal.

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

In general, I’ve had wonderful experiences with contests. I originally got signed through a contest and being a finalist and winner for others has gotten me enough wind in my sails to continue pitching other and bigger projects and get optioned on three different screenplays. I also love the community it can build. I’m friends with some of my contest peers and we read each other’s work. Writing can be a very lonely thing and support truly matters. Someone to think with you makes a world of difference. Meeting up with fellow nerds over coffee is a true blessing. That part has been my favorite of the contests. They also help connect writers with execs which is important for career and relationship building.

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?

I would like them to understand the elements I can bring to the table. Attachments, soft money, agency packaging, and a few others which make this a much lesser risk than other projects of this size and genre. I would talk them through the budget and the creative deck and explain to them where the money is needed and why. I have a wonderful line producer for Odium, who worked with me to make this a tight and concise budget and schedule. I can present an ROI projection with several distribution possibilities. Lastly, I would tell them about my last film, albeit it being a short, it was a very difficult period piece and did a successful festival run and made its money back through international distribution.

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

https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm3339531?ref_=hm_prof_name

I’m signed over at Paradigm and with Jon Hersh for management. Currently, I’m in development on two projects, and a third also just got optioned.