MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter George Ferris

An interview with screenwriter George Ferris regarding the Contest of Contest Winners Writing Competition.

A: At the time I entered the competition, it was titled "Beyond the Horizon." Since that time, I have retitled the screenplay "Skybound." It is a coming-of-age story set in the early days of aviation. In the 1920's a teenager works odd jobs at an airfield used by the early U. S. Air Mail Service with an eye toward becoming a pilot. He meets all kinds of obstacles until he receives help from an unexpected source. In the course of soloing for the first time, he learns life-changing things about himself and about the pilot who takes time out to teach him to fly.

A: I am competitive by nature, and I felt that this script was one of my strongest. I have entered many screenplay competitions and have won six others and been a runner-up or finalist in a couple dozen more.

A: The Contest of Contest Winners is well managed. Frankly it's hard for me to complain about the management of a contest that I've won. First, it's bad manners, and second, in this situation I really have nothing to complain about. They've done everything they said they would do -- although I'm expecting any day now the final notes I was to receive from the contest director.

A: I wrote the first draft in about eight weeks. I did not use an outline -- it pretty much cascaded from the headwaters in my frontal lobes, through my keyboard-dancing fingers, onto the hard drive. The thing really wrote itself. Over the years I think I have written maybe two or three major revisions and about a couple dozen polishes.

A: The last few drafts have been written on Final Draft 6.0.

A: I am not currently writing anything. When I did write, I managed about three hours a day. Around mid-day my creative juices would dry up, and I spent the rest of the day with meetings, lunches, or marketing tasks connected to my writing.

A: I do get writer's block -- mostly when I'm working on a spec script that I'm not really connecting with. I put the script aside when that happens, sometimes never to return. Consequently I have a couple dead-end projects lying around.

A: I was a full-time professional screenwriter for fourteen years. I have an MFA in Film Production from USC's Division of Cinema/Television. I also have an MBA in finance from the Harvard Business School. I spent many years in the securities industry. Aside from that, I must have written thirty scripts or more, five of which have been produced.

A: I lived in LA for fourteen years. There is a growing likelihood that I may return there if my current venture takes wing.

A: I am working with Jon Karas, my manager and business partner, to raise money to put Beyond the Horizon/Skybound into production next summer. To that end, we have formed Sconset Films, LLC and are busy raising funds. Once we've wrapped and finished post, I may well return to writing.

Posted Monday, December 17, 2012