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.
“Forget You?!”
Written by Denis Mortenson
What motivated you to become a writer?
It was a natural transition from being a visual artist to writing stories, but it took years before I wrote my first feature screenplay. I was a quarterfinalist in the first competition I entered, in 2007. Before that I’d written novels, and many TV, radio, and video scripts for a variety of advertising clients.
Starting on a blank page is not easy – where does your creativity come from?
I’ve always been a creative person. I’ve heard you’re supposed to ‘write what you know.’ Some say there are no new stories, just regurgitations of the hero’s journey. However, everyone has unique experiences. I try to tap into the universal themes of love, loneliness, anger, humor, passion, and family. I’m often inspired by conversations with random strangers.
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 don’t let the things I can’t control stop me. I write because I need to write. It would be nice to see my screenplays become films, but that isn’t my motivation to write. I write because I’m a storyteller with a story to tell. I feel that all art should be from the heart, whether it’s a literary work, artwork, or music. Writing might make me rich, but that can’t be my goal. My goal is always to tell an engaging story.
What is your dream for this project and what other ancillary revenue do you think it could generate? Please include script title in reply.
My screenplay, Forget You?! is a viable story that will do well because it touches on emotions many families experience. It’s based on my experience with my father’s Alzheimer’s. When it succeeds it will open the door to my other writings. It only takes one script to succeed.
How has your experience been with screenwriting contests for this project so far?
Forget You?! has had good reviews from several contests. It was a semifinalist in the 2020 Los Angeles International Screenplay Contest. An earlier version of the script was a quarterfinalist in Scriptapalooza. Writing is a process; I’ve rewritten this script several times. It’s ready!
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?
Forget You?! has the box office potential of such comedies as Meet the Fockers. It tells the story of an emotionally estranged son trying to connect with his Alzheimer’s ailing father during the Christmas holidays. It wouldn’t be expensive to produce and will attract known talent. Originally, I thought of Ben and Jerry Stiller in the son and father roles. It has great roles and a wide audience demographic. As a reviewer of the Atlanta Screenplay Awards wrote recently: “Forget You?! is a sweet, emotionally affecting script with a strong premise. The story is very relatable, compounding the pressure of family around the holidays.. . .and dealing with a parent’s deteriorating condition. These complicated subjects are handled with compassion, humor, and heart. I can definitely see it coming to life on screen.”
Do you have website links for writing, credits, background, etc., you would like to share?