Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Eddie Yaroch
An interview with screenwriter Eddie Yaroch regarding the TLLjournal Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: "A Ghost Story Of Christmas"
The best way to describe it is with my logline: "A Christmas Carol" meets "The Conjuring" when a modern-day Scrooge hires professional ghost hunters, one of them his former fiancee, Belle.
Basically, it's an update on the classic Dickens tale with some goblins from "Pickwick" thrown in. There's also a ghost-seeing dog that helps on the investigations.
A: I loved the low entry fee, plus the reaction I was getting from telling people my logline made me think I could have some success with it.
I've entered nearly 20 contests. It's early yet, but so far I've placed THIRD in the WriteMovies Monthly contest and reached the preliminary finals for Creative World Awards.
A: Jared Dunne done it right. It's funny, every time there's a delay, I win or place. WriteMovies had website issues but I got through eventually and placed third. With TLLjournal, they postponed all the April/May entries until June/July due to not enough entries. But then I won Grand Prize. Here's to delays!
I have received all the awards as promised and quickly, I might add.
A: About three months of evenings and weekends. Definitely had an outline. Plus, having the Dickens tale near my elbow certainly made structure easier.
One draft, but lots of editing as I scribbled.
A: Movie Magic. A godsend.
Q: Do you write every day? How many hours per day?A: Only when the muse is really kicking my ass, going "Write, damn you, write! Don't waste the inspiration! And if you're not inspired, write anyway. Something may pop out unexpectedly."
I may write/stare at a blank notebook for eight hours on a Saturday, but mostly it's three hours in the evening on a weeknight.
A: Walking clears the head and seems to lay a road for ideas to drive through.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: Mostly I am an actor in San Diego; great theatres here. I write screenplays when the muse strikes. So far that's been about seven or eight times over a couple of decades.
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?A: San Diego is close enough. Steady work/meetings/crazy unexpected plans would be the only reasons I could see to move there. Who knows? I do like the ocean temps down here better.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: I want to adapt "A Ghost Story Of Christmas" for the stage this Christmas!
Posted Tuesday, August 12, 2014
