BROOKS BENJAMINSearch WILDsound
 11 Questions with BROOKS BENJAMIN. A WILDsound SPRING 2009 Feature Screenplay Finalist 1. What is your screenplay about? Hose Jockeys is a comedy about a group of volunteer firefighters who are about to lose their station. The only way they can save it is to find a way to raise enough money to finish building their fire hall before the neighboring town annexes theirs and takes over. With the impending annexation only 8 weeks away, the group finally finds a way-- the 25th annual Firefighter Ultimate Challenge of Knoxville. The only obstacles in their way are finding just the right members to add to their team, and, of course, the defending champions, their rivals, the Taylorsville "Smoke Eaters". 2. Why did you decide to write this screenplay? You always hear "Write what you know". Well, I don't know a thing about firefighting. But my brother, Jason Benjamin, an actor and full time firefighter, does. A few years ago while we were working on a short film we started throwing around ideas for a feature film. I mentioned something about firefighters and the firefighting competitions I always see on TV. We immediately began talking about the comedic possibilities of a movie that dealt with the training and potential characters going through that training, and realized that it simply had to be written. 3. How long have you been writing screenplays? I have been actively writing since I was in middle school. I finally found a screenplay while I was in college and began to transpose some of the stories I had written into the script format. Since then I've never looked back. 4. What film have you seen the most in your lifetime? This has to be a tie between the two most brilliant movies of all time: Ghostbusters and The Neverending Story. Both movies completely blew my mind and sucked me right into that world so fiercely that it's taken over 20 years to find my way back out. And I still go back there from time to time. 5. What artist in the industry would you love to work with? As a writer I'd love to work with Harold Ramis. As a director, I'd love to work with Harold Ramis. 6. Who was your hero growing up? As cliched as it sounds, my father was my hero. He was pretty much everything I wanted to be in life. He certainly wasn't perfect, and he'd admit that openly. However, the fact he tried so hard to be a good example to others and at the same time do what he loved made me proud to be his son. Oh yeah, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
7. Ideally, where would you like to be in 5 years? Honestly, if a single thing hasn't changed in 5 years... I wouldn't feel cheated at all. However, as far as my filmmaking career goes, I'd love to have another movie in the can and writing the next one.
8. Describe your process; do you have a set routine, method for writing? It really depends on what genre I'm writing. For Hose Jockeys, and the other comedies I've written, I always begin with the concept and actually formulate as many potential comedic scenes as I can. I will jot each scene down on an index card and then put them aside. While I begin developing characters and the actual story, I'll begin to pull those scenes from the stack to see if any would fit within the overall story or that character's story. Sometime I can use it, sometimes I cant, and many times it simply gives me other ideas for new directions to go with a character's arc. All of the time, however, they make great coasters for the coffee mug.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? Teaching. I am a full time elementary school teacher in Tennessee. The kids I get to work with each day are fantastic and I'll keep at it as long as they'll tolerate me. Ranking above that would definitely have to be my wife. She keeps me creative, honest, giddy, and never ceases to tell me if something I write or direct is less than what she expects of me. 10. What influenced you to enter the WILDsound Script Contest? All of the shining recommendations I heard from various filmmakers and writers. It's got a fantastic reputation for being a great film and screenplay competition. Having detailed coverage sent back on your script PLUS the chance to have it read by professionals is just a sweet bonus! 11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers? The best advice I can give a writer would be to keep... reading. And not just other screenplays. I've learned so much from people who are far more creative than me.
Brooks Benjamin
|
FESTIVAL INFO
CREATIVE IDEAS
