MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Jeremy Carr

An interview with screenwriter Jeremy Carr regarding the Fade In Writing Competition.

A: Perfume & Smoke

Set in the year 1947, "Perfume & Smoke" follows a hard-boiled detective as he searches for an elusive lust murderer, but soon finds himself ensnared in a web of crime and conspiracy, with roots that reach back to his shadowy past.

The style of the script is reminiscent of classic noir films from the forties, but with a more modern and much darker sensibility.

A: "Perfume & Smoke" was a Quarter Finalist in both the Nicholl Fellowships and the Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Contest. I chose to enter the Fade In Contest because it was the only one I could find that actually had a category for "Film Noir."

A: It took a bit longer than I'd hoped, but the awards did come and an article was posted in Variety magazine, as promised.

A: I was given a few pages of feedback which I found to be fairly well thought out and constructive. However, I find the act of interpreting and criticizing someone's writing to be incredibly subjective, and this is the reason that I quit working as a studio script reader a few years ago. Mostly what I gained from the notes was some additional insight on format, which is the bane of every screenwriter's existence.

A: Not yet, but it's probably too soon to tell. Of course, every acknowledgement helps.

A: I've written nine feature length screenplays and directed over a dozen short films. I began writing early on as a means toward directing (learning how to tell a story) and soon found that I enjoy both for completely different reasons. To me, writing is where all of the hard work takes place, and directing is where the fun begins.

I've also written some short stories that have been published, an online animated series, and a stage play that was produced at the NY Fringe Festival.

A: I live in Brooklyn, NY, but am also fond of Los Angeles. The cultures are very different, and what I like about New York is the abundance of independent film production. There also seems to be less concern here with making a profit and more emphasis on making good films.

A: Currently I'm busy finishing up my latest short film "Ice Cream Ants" which is in post-production. Afterwards I look forward to getting back to several new scripts that I've started and hopefully finishing a novel that's been in the works for about five years.

If anyone is interested in learning more about my work, please visit my website:

www.CrutchFilms.com

Posted Wednesday, December 28, 2005