Laurence Bardoff

What inspired you to become a screenwriter, and what keeps you motivated to keep writing?

I live by the mantra that ‘you got to do something with your life’ – so screenwriting is one of my somethings.

Can you tell us about your writing process, from the initial idea to the final draft?

Step 1: Initial Idea.
Step 2 through Step 100: Endlessly rewriting and modifying.
Step 101: Seek rigorous feedback from writing coach.
Step 102 through Step 500: Repeat A and B above. Embrace the fact that it can always be improved.
Last Step: Realizing the story is never truly finished (and never perfect). There is no “final draft”.

How do you approach creating characters, and what techniques do you use to develop them?

Pretend you’re an actor not a writer. I try to think and act like the character I’ve created.

I am currently re-writing Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot using ‘Trump speak’.

What do you think sets your writing apart from others in the industry, and how do you showcase your unique voice?

Having come to screenwriting later in life, I write from decades of real-world, not industry, experience. This gives me a historical perspective and a ‘nothing-to-lose’ boldness that younger writers might shy away from.

How do you balance your personal creative vision with the needs of producers, directors, and other collaborators?

I have worked with some great screenwriting coaches, and they have helped a ton. It’s a lot of work, sometimes humbling and a lot of back and forth but is really helpful.

I have not yet had a similar experience with a producer or director but would love that opportunity. Frankly, I would consider myself extremely successful if I could just get meaningful rejection from a working producer or director.

Can you talk about a particularly challenging moment you faced while working on a project and how you overcame it?

With zero experience, I made a movie. I filmed a trip we took to Italy with my 96-year-old Mother-In-Law. I came home with four hours of just awful footage and parlayed it into a 17-minute movie. I was absolutely stuck for nearly a year having no experience with Final Cut Pro. AI became my tutor and, though still quite frustrating at times, I now have a finished product. I attach a link if you are interested in viewing it.

https://vimeo.com/1109444869?ts=306114&share=copy

How do you see the role of screenwriting in the film industry evolving, and how do you see yourself fitting into that future?

I think AI is going to change everything. For better or worse, it’s coming. It certainly could write a screenplay. It will probably be able to make a movie itself – just feed your screenplay (maybe only a logline) into AI and then see your movie.

Two pieces of advice. First, have a Plan B (or better yet, do like I did, make screenwriting your Plan B). Second, ask for screenwriting advice from someone who really is in the industry (not me).

Finally, what are your long-term goals as a screenwriter, and what legacy do you hope to leave in the industry?

I will keep at it but am pretty sure I will end up a complete unknown.