SCREENWRITER: Luke Oberholtzer (The Woodlands, Texas)
Q: When did you
write your first screenplay?
A: I finished my first screenplay, Drain Babies (the one entered in competitions), in May, 2014. However, I did rework it some as recently as early 2015. I like to think of it as completed...until changes are needed.
Q: To date,
approximately how many screenplays have you written?
A: Drain Babies is the only presentable
one. I am currently finishing
the rewrite of a script right now under contract.
Q: Which screenwriting competitions have you entered and seen
through to a final result?
A: To name some: Austin Film Festival, PAGE, A Night of Horror (third-place), Hollywood Screenplay Contest (finalist), Story
Pros 7th Annual Screenplay Contest (semifinalist), Slamdance,
Screencraft Comedy, Screencraft Horror....
Q: Approximately how
many screenplays did you write prior to entering your first competition?
A: Drain
Babies was the first.
Q: Did the
competition(s) offer feedback—notes, critique, etc.—on the script(s) you
entered? If so, what was the quality of the feedback?
A: Slamdance offered brief feedback. One
person liked it, the other person didn’t. However, from the notes given I don’t
believe they read it.
Q: Did any of the
competitions you entered try to hit you up for pay-based services, such as
script consulting, proofing, etc.?
A: Yes, a great
number did.
Q: If “yes” to the
previous question, did you take advantage of any of these services? Was this a
negative or positive experience?
A: I have never paid for consulting, proofreading, etc.
Q: If you won or
placed high in a competition, did it have any effect, positive or negative, on
your career?
A: It helps some with the resume but I think it’s only been
positive in my head. I’m still very new to this so I need to build up a better
resume but I am pleased with my start.
Q: What types of
prizes (monetary and non-monetary) have you won from the
screenplay competitions you’ve entered?
A: The only thing I have won—which I believe is
priceless—is the fact I have a little recognition of my work to put on my
resume, and the confidence to know I did something that someone liked.
Q: Have you ever
submitted one of your early screenplays into a competition? If so, is it
something you now regret—and why?
A: The only thing I would change
is not entering as many contests, and [sticking] to the better ones. It was my
first time though, and a great learning experience.
Q: Do you feel that
adding "I won/placed high in the [name of script comp]" to query
letters and pitches prompted any additional interest from agents, managers
and/or production companies you queried?
A: I honestly have
no idea because I haven’t heard back. I know that it has a nice ring to it and
I think, especially with the content of my script, it brings some validity that
it's an actual movie, so that’s nice.
Q: Overall, what do
you feel were the positive aspects of entering a screenplay
competition?
A: Competition is great. It also can validate
the hard work you’ve put into something.
Q: Overall, what do
you feel were the negative aspects of entering a screenplay
competition?
A: It’s subjective. If you get one bad reader,
you’re done. Not everyone has the same tastes. Are you the first screenplay the
reader read that day or the fiftieth? It’s the luck of the draw in many cases.
Q: What is your
current status as a screenwriter?
A: I am currently employed under
contract to rewrite a feature script. It’s being shopped to producers and will
hopefully be made in the near future. I
believe it will get made and be a low budget movie. I hope it leads to bigger
and better things.
Q: Any parting
comments, thoughts, or words of advice for screenwriters considering entering a
competition?
A: Do your research
on festivals and aim for ones that mean something. Don’t take rejection
personally. Don’t let advancing in a competition go to your head. Stay humble
and hungry. Last, I would say network network network and put yourself in a
situation to be successful. I made a short film of the first ten pages of my
feature to show the tone and vision of the piece in order to show investors/buyers what the movie would physically look like. The film is currently in post-production, so hopefully in six months I can have more insight into that process. Always be
professional and putting yourself in a position to win; don’t wait for them to
come to you.
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