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Scriptapalooza Interviews 3rd Place Winner Margaret Dunlap

3rd Place Winner - Margaret Dunlap, "Blood Diamonds"

Scriptapalooza: How did you come up with your story idea?

A: Blood Diamonds sort of grew out of its title. I was in the car listening to a story on NPR about conflict diamonds from Sierra Leone, which someone in the story referred to as “blood diamonds.” That seemed like a title begging for a movie. I didn't feel like I could write a story about African smugglers or arms dealers; it was just too far out of anything I knew. Instead, I made my main character a geologist with ties to the diamond business in New York. The story evolved from there.

Scriptapalooza: How long did it take you to write it?

A:I wrote the first draft pretty quickly, maybe over six weeks or so while I had the summer off from graduate school. Rewriting and revising took place over the next two years in between school and other projects.

Scriptapalooza: Is this your first script that you have written?

A:As good a story as that would make, no.

Scriptapalooza: Have you entered other screenwriting competitions?

A: Entered and re-entered. I try to always have something out somewhere, whether it's for a contest, a contact, or what have you. It's all about insulation from rejection. If X doesn't pan out, at least I can tell myself that Y might still go somewhere.

Scriptapalooza: Have you been successful?

A: Scriptapalooza is my biggest contest placement yet. Blood Diamonds was in the top 15% of entries to the Nicholl Fellowships last year, and is (so far) a quarter-finalist this year. One of my television scripts was a finalist in the 2004 Spec Scriptacular. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed about a few others.

Scriptapalooza: Why did you enter Scriptapalooza?

A: In all honesty, I very nearly didn't. I was feeling kind of discouraged, and I'd missed the early-bird deadline. But I had the script ready; I had money for the entry fee, and ultimately decided it was worth a shot. Needless to say, it worked out well.

Scriptapalooza: Advice to other screenwriters?

A: I think I'm still in more of the advice-getting phase of my career, rather than the advice-giving one. Besides, my writing group will mock me mercilessly if I try to sound like an expert. So, I guess I would say find good mentors for advice ... and a good writing group.

Scriptapalooza: How did you feel when you saw your name as one of the winners?

A: I was thrilled. About two days later, it actually sank in that it potentially meant something beyond having my name on a website.

Updated: 09/09/2005

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