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.
“Benny B”
Written by Michael Hogan
What motivated you to become a writer?
This will sound corny, but I was a voracious reader as a young boy; couldn’t get enough of Hitchcock, H G Wells, Stephen King. I was a quiet kid, but with the influence of my favorite writers, I won a creative writing contest in the sixth grade and learned that I, too, could tell stories via the written word. That eventually led to a career that included advertising/marketing copywriting; and, finally, screenwriting.
Starting on a blank page is not easy- where does your creativity come from?
Probably the same place dreams come from. How can a person’s mind make up explicitly-detailed people, places and activities that we’ve never encountered in real life? I dream vividly and suppose my brain is equally active creatively when I’m awake. To imagine is to go beyond our experiences and I draft a one-page outline of any new story ideas or concepts that I come up with that may be script worthy.
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 do consciously consider production implications, commercial viability and other issues when working through the early development process. But I rarely alter a story if I believe the concession will adversely affect the quality or compelling aspects of the 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 dream for “Benny B”, in this instance, is not unique: get produced! As for ancillary revenue opportunities, there seem to be more distribution channels launched every day. But make no mistake, I let the producers, executives, etc. maximize the revenue opps; if money was my leading motivator, I would have given up and chosen another path long ago. I’m driven to tell compelling and entertaining stories.
How has your experience been with screenwriting contests for this project so far?
“Benny B” started the screenwriting competition circuit in late 2019 with a perfect 7 for 7 selections and has, to date, been honored with 15 accolades; including 5 Finalists and 1 Win. In 2020 alone, my screenplays have garnered over 50 awards, including 8 Wins.
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?
“Benny B” is an ambitious, somewhat outlandish but generally entertaining and imaginative sports-meets-sci-fi fantasy adventure, with a good sense of fun, a vivid cinematic eye, and an engaging cast of characters (including its curmudgeon former play-by-play announcer protagonist and kid sidekick). There is a lot to like here and many great ideas.
To eliminate my obvious bias, I borrowed the above description of “Benny B” from coverage received from a respected script analyst. As for me, I’m a fusion of old school classic cinematic storytelling and contemporary sensibilities. And, just as you can quickly judge the quality of most scripts in the first five pages, you’ll understand my value to you within the first five minutes of our meeting.
Do you have any website links for your writing, credits, background, etc. that you would like to share?