Jennifer SutkowskiSearch WILDsound  11 Questions with 2010 Screenplay Finalist Jennifer Sutkowski 1. What is your screenplay about? In my "Mad Men" spec, Sterling Cooper markets Enovid, the first Birth Control Pill, which has the office all atwitter and the ad people struggling. This brings up some problems with Peggy's Catholic community. Betty grapples with her father's stroke and mortality. Pete fumbles miserably to deal with his and Trudy's fertility problems. 2. Why did you decide to write this screenplay? I love "Mad Men" and the way it deals with the how society, only a few decades ago, dealt with issues about which we have different attitudes today. The show can be so deliciously infuriating, entertaining and let's be honest -- sleek and gorgeous. The characters and stories are so well written and I really wanted to try my hand putting dialogue in their mouths. Getting Don Draper and Roger Sterling to say anything I want? Pretty fun.
3. How long have you been writing screenplays? I've been writing screenplays for about over twelve years. I also just finished my MFA in Screenwriting at Boston University. 4. What is your favorite TV show of all-time? Oh, this is a tough one! I am a huge fan of "Six Feet Under" (what a brilliant, hilarious and tear-jerking finale!). But I also think "Arrested Development" is a killer, practically too good to stay on the air, in my humble opinion. 5. What artist in the film industry would you love to work with? Joss Whedon, Tina Fey, Michel Gondry, Charlie Kaufman... too many to list. 6. Who was your hero growing up? My siblings, for all of their talents. Also, Andrea McArdle, because I was obsessed with "Annie." 7. Ideally, where would you like to be in 5 years? Creating, working, throwing myself into story meetings and maybe a few steps closer to living by the sea. I'd like to be finished with the book and have a few more recordings done as well. 8. Describe your process; do you have a set routine, method for writing? I write pretty much everyday, but would like to enforce more structure and accountability on my process. 9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? Music, food, reading, figuring things out, being the peace/change I want to see in the world, hippy-dippy as that might sound. And spending as much time with my loved ones as I can.
10. What influenced you to enter the WILDsound Script Contest? It came up on Without-A-Box and seemed like a good "why the heck not" idea. 11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers? William Faulkner said "kill your darlings," which I think is great advice. I like to think of it as trimming hedges. The more writing you do and the more you produce and surprise yourself the more you will be willing to let go of things that may have seemed so important when you were first starting out. Let it happen and don't be afraid to play.
Jennifer Sutkowski
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