One of the main reasons we started this site was to hone our  writing skills (the jury has returned hung on that one) but the real pleasure has been encountering other screenwriters  and their work.  One such fellow is Benjamin Ray,  winner of the Pacific NW Screenwriting Contest for his dramatic feature script "Marcus and Faith," a gritty, love action story. I recently had a chance to get to know Ben and his work through an email exchange. I'll let him tell you about his unique background.

After I graduated from University of Toronto, I realized I made the
greatest mistake of my life. No wonder my friends told me I was lost.
Ever since I could remember, I always had an interest in stand-up
comedy. I tried it, got off to decent start but soon I was  finding it
hard to behave like a LIGHT SWITCH – you know - jump on stage and you have to be ON -happy, happy, happy. Listen, I don't mind being happy, just I'm happy being unhappy, sometimes. It's too exhausting to fake this happiness thing. Well maybe I could fake it real good if I
did drugs which are fashionable in the comedy business.

But I knew if I chose that path I would be dead in the gutter. Screenwriting came to rescue. I caught the screenwriting fever and never looked back. Unlike the previous generation of screenwriters who learned their craft through film school, I'm self-taught and honed in my skills from my days on stage and while juggling three shifts and a family. Consequently, I developed a fusion of controversial pop culture and exciting cinema.

The interview

HIT: Why did you write "Marcus and Faith"?

Ben: I wanted to write a gritty love action story. One that young adults will remember into their retirements and last forever. Something that is very cinematic and unforgettable. Screenwriting is not film-school. It's cinematic angst/passion/stress in motion.

HIT: If they make this script into a movie, why should we watch it?

 Ben: Its visual treat- full of - seedy dialouges/seductive romance/comic mayhem/action and a moral premise that will knock your socks off. A coverage provider from Scriptapalooza told me that my opening scenes grabbed him by the throat and it was very well written. I believe a movie should rarely make the audience work hard. The audience job is to enjoy the adventure and to be submerged into a world that does not
exist in reality. That's the screenwriter's job-- to create life for the audience-they don't want to escape life. They come to the movies to find life.

HIT: Why do you write screenplays?

Ben:  I love visualizing my scenes and then putting them on paper on a technical level. It's too easy to get wordy when writing. But writing a screenplay, that's where you learn to write enconomically. Each sentence has to capture the scene on a visual level. Forget what your English teacher taught you. Screenwriting is new form of writing. It cannot be taught. You have to think like a camera controlled by the director and remember the screen does not lie.

HIT: Have you, or do you, ever experiement with structure beyond the tradtional three-act?

Ben: Actually my first script "Sin so Well" did not have a three act structure. It was more propelled by the art of writing action set-pieces (popular with in the 80s- 90s)  fused with R-rated dialogue and introducing romance with a Hong Kong/John Woo vibe. Most
readers and coverage providers found this too offensive. You should listen to the coverages. One guy from AFI  ripped my script apart. Currently, all my screenplays follow a three-act structure and they're doing better.

HIT: Winning the Pacific NW Competition must have been quiet a thrill. How has it helped in terms of your career? Do agents and producers give your work more time and consideration than screenwriters who have not won contests?

Ben: Yes it was. Producers are requesting the scripts, but afterwards I rarely hear from them. This is the norm and I'm learning to be more creative. The contest made me realize that we have to get established film directors and writers to read our scripts. They can open doors and make us realize that this is a business and to learn the business.
Hollywood is 10% about writing and 90% about the concept.

HIT: How about getting into production? Have you thought about producing/directing a low-budget version of your work?

Ben: Yes. I have converted the feature script Marcus and Faith into a sit-com. I plan to collaborate with a director/friend who has his own equipment and crew. Firstly we will film it like a short  and pitch it as a webisode. Then in the future we will market it to the Studios. Of course this will be piggybacked by our feature script "Marcus and Faith". You know what they say, KEEP WRITING, but above all KEEP MARKETING!

HIT: Finally Ben, the ubiquitous advice question for screenwriters starting out in the game. What can you tell'em?

Ben:  Get as much coverage and developments as you can from reliable and honest film consultants. Rewrite until you have winner. And listen to only 20% of their advice. Stick to your vision. Then tests it in the top five contests in North America. Afterwards, query to Managers and producers. Keep writing and above all keep marketing.

Thanks Ben! For more info on Ben and his work, visit www.hollywoodtoronto.com or email him at brscreenwriter@gmail.com