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Screenwriter Interviews
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Jerry Kokich
An interview with screenwriter Jerry Kokich regarding the Fan Fiction Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: Giiligan's Island of The Dead (it was actually misspelled on your site, but, well, these things happen). It's a bizarre reboot of the original series with such updates as The Skipper and Gilligan as a gay couple, Ginger as an African-American drag queen and oh, did I mention Zombies!
Q: What made you enter this particular contest? Have you entered any other contests with this script? If so, how did you do?A: Wildsound is a great site and I'd won a first scene contest with them, with my B-Movie, "Monster Beneath The Ice". The readings they do are a great perk! This was the first contest I entered Gilligan in.
Q: Were you satisfied with the administration of the contest? Did they meet their deadlines? Did you receive all the awards that were promised?A: Wildsound was great. Their feedback is awesome, very detailed, thourough and helpful. They met all deadlines and I got everything promised.
Q: How long did it take you to write the script? Did you write an outline beforehand? How many drafts did you write?A: The pilot script took about a month to write. I didn't use an outline, other than the vague one I had in my head. I rewrote the script several times, but not as a full draft each time. When I rewrite, I fix little things here and there, and don't consider each update a draft.
Q: What kind of software did you use to write the script, if any? What other kinds of writing software do you use?A: I use Final Draft, and sometimes Pages for notes to myself.
Q: Do you write every day? How many hours per day?A: Almost every day. I don't have a set writing schedule. I usually start by talking out dialogue, often in the shower, then start writing. Sometimes I'll put in several hours, sometimes only an hour or so.
Q: Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you deal with that?A: Oh, sure! I go do something else to get through it. I rarely try to fight through a block; that just makes it worse. Since I'm always working on several things at once, if one isn't going anywhere, I leave it and write something else.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: I was a professional ballet dancer with The Joffrey Ballet. I've written a number of scripts for web series, including the multi-award winning "Adventures of Superseven", and "What, Doctor?" a Doctor Who parody, as well as the screenplay "Night of The Ripper" with TJ Glenn, two ballet fiction novels, "The Competition" and "The Finals", and two pulp novels, "Monuments of Doom" and "The Occultist".
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?A: Yup, I've lived here for 17 years. I was born and raised in New York.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: I'm working on a historical fiction novel, a time travel screenplay and a short dance film for an indie producer, as well as a web series.
Posted Monday, December 19, 2016
