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I knew I
wanted to be a filmmaker.......
when I saw the Tim Robbins film DEAD MAN WALKING.
I know I've
succeeded.......
when the audience goes “ooh.”
My inspiration
to write
NO LIMIT: THE EXTREMELY SHORT STORY OF
MY POKER CAREER.......
was the phrase “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” My father always told me that, but I had begun to doubt its value as a personal mantra. Despite repeatedly aiming for the moon, I never seemed to even get off the ground. By writing in the first person and mixing in a bit of truth to the fiction, I discovered (along with the main character) that the truth of my dad’s mantra depends not on my natural ability or luck, but on a new definition of success.
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FilmMakers
Magazine:
What inspired you to write?
Scott A.
Magie: My grandfather, who is the best storyteller I know, and my Mom, who read to me every night. Thanks to her, I grew up in the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkein, C.S. Lewis, and E.B. White.
FilmMakers Magazine: How did you prepare yourself to
write your first script?
Scott A. Magie: I learned the craft of storytelling by reading as a child and writing short fiction as a young adult. To learn the unique craft and format of screenwriting, I went to Montana State for film school and read any “How To” books that didn’t have “idiot” or “dummy” in the title.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Is this your first script and how long did it take you to write
NO LIMIT: THE EXTREMELY SHORT STORY OF MY POKER CAREER?
Scott A. Magie:
No, this is not my first script. The first draft took two days and the second draft took one, but the main character took thirty years to develop.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Do you have a set routine, place and time management for writing?
Scott A. Magie: Yes, but the best ideas seem to occur whenever I’m far away from my laptop, so maybe I shouldn’t sit here staring at it every day from 8 to 6.
FilmMakers Magazine: Do you believe screenplay contests
are important for aspiring screenwriters and why?
Scott A. Magie:
I do now. If you win something it gives you credibility and a reason to update your website. And if you don’t win anything, just don’t tell anyone.
FilmMakers Magazine: What influenced you to enter the
American Gem Short Script Competition?
Scott A. Magie:
I liked the
elimination process because it allowed me to submit two scripts to see
where they ranked instead of just getting a rejection letter.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
What script would you urge aspiring writers to read and why?
Scott A. Magie:
Read the work of other aspiring writers. It will help you critique your own work and either inspire you with its brilliance or remind you of your talent with its banality.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Beside screenwriting what are you passionate about and why?
Scott A. Magie:
God, Wife, Family, Films, Mountains, and Ice Cream, all for obvious reasons.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Who is your favorite Screenwriter and Why?
Scott A. Magie: William Goldman, because he wrote the novel and the equally brilliant screenplay for THE PRINCESS BRIDE. And Charlie Kaufman, because I thought I had a good imagination until I saw BEING JOHN MALKOVICH.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Name the director you would love to work with and why?
Scott A. Magie:
Ron Howard, Joe Johnston, or Frank Darabont (and oh yeah, that Spielberg guy) because they make famous actors seem like real, ordinary people and then they find a way to make the ordinary dramatic.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Name the actor you would love to work with and why?
Scott A.
Magie: Bill Campbell, because he IS the Rocketeer and Jennifer Connelly, because she will always be Jenny Blake to me. (And oh yeah, Morgan Freeman, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Dustin Hoffman, Sam Rockwell, Vincent D’Onofrio, Sean Penn, and Susan Sarandon too, because they make it look easy.)
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Any tips and things learned along the way to pass on to others?
Scott A. Magie:
(1) Good dialogue should not be more than three or four lines long. This is a great rule that I break all the time, but being aware of it keeps me from rambling. Get in, get to the point, and get out! (2) Let the audience write the story. You’re just writing scenes. This concept drastically changed my approach to writing. (3) Use an outline if you want/need to, but don’t stick to it if the characters want to do something else. You can always go back to your outline on the second draft if something isn’t working.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
What's next for you?
Scott A.
Magie:A chiropractor appointment.
FilmMakers Magazine: Where will you be five years from
now?
Scott A.
Magie: I’ll probably have a child or two, which is a scary thought, and the feature I’m developing, called WHEN COTTON BLOSSOMS, will (God willing) be completed, distributed, and seated comfortably on a DVD shelf near you. Here’s to my film career lasting longer than my poker career ever could.
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