“Once I fell in love with screenwriting, I became a huge screenwriting nerd, so when a new spec was sold, I’d be dying to read it and get my hands on it.”
Screenwriter Justin Kremer
Since I spent a few days last week pulling quotes from Oscar-wining screenwriter Chris Terrio—with a dip into questioning the worth of film school—I thought I’d flip in around and pull a couple quotes from screenwriter Justin Kremer who recently landed on the 2012 Black List with his script McCarthy. He attended NYU film school for a year before transferring to Purchase College SUNY. He credits one teacher for script notes that not only landed him on The Black List, but led him to being repped by CAA and Madhouse Entertainment.
“I had an incredibly valuable mentor and teacher at Purchase named Dean Bell, who’s an excellent screenwriter in his own right. He gave me notes and operated as my sounding board. Outside of that, I showed it to a few friends and family, but Dean was the central person that shaped the script in terms of getting notes.”
Screenwriter Justin Kremer
Go Into the Story interview with Scott Myers
And if you read the interview with Scott Myers you’ll learn that part of Kremer’s success was not only his college experience but his internship with Black Bear Pictures in New York where he was a script reader of every genre.
“That was really valuable in terms of understanding the marketplace, and just as a reader, the thing that I found the most that almost nothing surprises you at a certain point. It’s those rare scripts, that few dozen that you encounter out of the hundreds that are so unique, like Graham Moore’s “Imitation Game”, SR Bindler’s “The Bone Game”, Jez Butterworth’s “Flag Day.” They have such a unbelievably unique voice from page one.
As I was writing, I began to think – how do I subvert expectation? How do I write something that will actually stand out? So many of these scripts I read were very well written but so very strictly adherent to formula. I was just looking for a really unique angle.”
Justin Kremer
Go Into the Story interview with Scott Myers
And there is one more thing from Kremer’s interview that stands out—his work ethic:
“I tend to write every day, usually about 11 to six. Music at the beginning to kind of set a tone, but then silence. Sometimes the light’s off if the stuff I’m writing is particularly depressing (as it often is). I try to make it my day as structured as possible because, as a writer, you know there’s nothing easier to do than not to write.”
If you don’t have time to read the whole interview here’s the shorthand version of what helped launch Kremer’s career:
1) Read & write scripts
2) Film school & internship
3) Work ethic (writing seven hours everyday)
P.S. McCarthy was Kremer’s fourth script and here’s a synopsis of the story that helped him “stand out”:
It is 1951. Junior Senator Joe McCarthy feels lost. He’s anonymous, just another suit on Capitol Hill. He craves attention and celebrity. He’s desperate to be noticed, to be adored. Inspired by the response of the American public to the House of Un-American Activities Committee, McCarthy decides that communism will be his defining issue. What follows is nearly unthinkable — national fame, a shocking conspiracy, a sitting President afraid to oppose him, and a torrid journey of self destruction and paranoia.
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The Secret to Being a Successful Screenwriter (Seriously)
Can Screenwriting Be Taught?
Finding Your Voice
Character Flaws 101 (tip #30)
Screenwriter’s Work Ethic (tip #2)