Mike is an aspiring screenwriter, new to the business as of 2019. He\u2019s been a writer\/editor for over 20 years, across a range of communications fields, including publishing, pharma and consumer advertising, and marketing in the insurance and banking industries. Mike is a lifelong resident of Columbus, Ohio, a place that has taken shape as one of the most progressive and inclusive cities in the country. For which he is grateful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
NY Glam: <\/strong>What projects are you currently working on?<\/strong> NY Glam: <\/strong>What makes a great film for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\nlove anything that holds my attention and makes me feel something\u2014whether it\u2019s\nanger, joy, sadness. My favorite film is \u201cThe English Patient.\u201d I love doomed\nlove stories between flawed characters like Katherine and Count Almasy. This is\nmuch in the vein of \u201cCasablanca\u201d and other films that explore complex\ncharacters that we both root for and hiss at. The afore mentioned gray area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Glam: <\/strong>As a screenwriter, what is the most important aspect\nof building a character?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your\ncentral character needs a goal which he\/she strives for throughout the story.\nAnd they also need a good antagonist, someone in a position of power who can do\ngreat damage to our hero. Additionally, the protagonist needs to be\nrelatable\u2014with human emotions, traits and imperfections with which people can identify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In \u201cBastien,\u201d the protagonist, Racer, has a long history of mental and physical abuse that has left him damaged and feeling unloved. My driving force throughout the story is to overcome this dark past, and find love\u2014both with another person, and within himself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Glam: <\/strong>Do you express yourself creatively in other ways?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\nam a lapsed painter\u2014acrylics mostly. I got this creative gene from my mother. She\nwas a vibrant, thoughtful person who also used her imagination in everything\nshe did\u2014she was larger than life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Glam: <\/strong>What advice would you give to someone who wants to\nhave a career in film making?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Glam: <\/strong>What can we expect from you in 2020?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\njust completed my screenplay for \u201cProject Bastien\u201d and hope to circulate that\namong the various screenwriting competitions, both here in the U.S. and abroad.\nI would love to see Bastien on the big screen someday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\nI have written two screenplays so far. The first, \u201cRainbow in Budapest,\u201d\nfocuses on a gay love affair between a young American ambassador and a handsome\nprince in Budapest, who face a malevolent uncle and an unforgiving country.\n\u201cRainbow\u201d won an award for Best Screenplay in the Red International Screenplay\nContest for 2019. My second screenplay,\nand so far my favorite, is \u201cProject Bastien.\u201d A tale of romance and political\nintrigue and set in Paris, \u201cBastien\u201d follows a hard-living CIA agent to the\ncity of lights, where he falls in love with a Parisian man\u2014who turns out to be\na cold-blooded Russian assassin. A game of cat and mouse ensues as each man\nstruggles with their love affair and the gray area between right and wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nBelieve in yourself and stick with it. And have a very thick skin. You will\nhave lots of rejection. But maybe some successes, so don\u2019t give up! I suggest taking online writing courses and\nimmersing yourself in Facebook groups, like Amateur Scriptwriters and other\nsimilar sights. Build a network of contacts in the business. Also, buy \u201cThe\nScreenwriter\u2019s Bible\u201d by David Trottier. A brilliant book on building your screenplay\nand characters from the ground up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n