KEVIN PARNELLSearch WILDsound  11 Questions with KEVIN PARNELL. A WILDsound SPRING 2009 Feature Screenplay Finalist 1. What is your screenplay about? Raindrop Sketches is a neo-noir set in a world where extraordinary abilities -super powers - are commonplace but costumed super heroes a newer trend much sought after by the city's politicians in order to fight the constantly rising crime rates. But when one of the Mayor's registered superheroes is found murdered, it plunges those investigating onto a twisting trail of corpses. A tough civilian Detective, a mysterious photographer, a flamboyant entrepreneur, and a beautiful jazz singer all clash with each other, the city and themselves, in the search for a true villain among a city of possible heroes. Thematically it questions the old superhero adage 'with great power comes great responsibility'? Should great power mean great responsibility? What if you didn't ask for the great power? The story explores the freedom to choose: to be a hero, to be a villain, or the freedom to choose to not use your power at all, and what makes a hero: an act of heroism or the intentions behind it? 2. Why did you decide to write this screenplay? I had written a couple of spec TV scripts and spec pilots as well as short webisodic work but had never written a screenplay, so it started as a personal challenge. I'm a fan of genre shows and films, mystery, sci-fi, etc. but all my previous writing had mostly been set in modern day reality. I wanted to challenge myself to tackle a genre and set it in a similar but alternate world but keep the reality of the characters as real people reacting honestly to real situations. I had written a version of the opening scene, not intending it to be specifically a screenplay but I really liked the characters and wrote a few more scenes exploring their voices and slowly the story pieced together and I realized it could be a screenplay and went from there. Knowing I had 120 or so pages to tell the story really helped focus it.
3. How long have you been writing screenplays? This is my first, so about three months now. I started writing scripts like spec scripts and pilots about two years ago though in a course on TV writing and producing. 4. What film have you seen the most in your lifetime? When I was younger it was Clue, which I heard is being remade and modernized, and as a kid I watched the Disney cartoon version of Robin Hood as many times as possible. 5. What artist in the industry would you love to work with? Joss Whedon. 6. Who was your hero growing up? Depending on what part of growing up but including: Kurt Cobain, Beck, Johnny Depp, Thom Yorke, Edward Albee, Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, and Joss Whedon. 7. Ideally, where would you like to be in 5 years? Still here in Toronto working as a screenwriter and staff writer or showrunner of a television program. Five years might be wishful thinking, but it's ideal right? 8. Describe your process; do you have a set routine, method for writing? I like to have a large block of time set aside to write, during which I take multiple short breaks and switch up where I write, moving from the living room, to the small office room, to the deck if it's nice. I tend to think best wandering around so when I'm stuck I'll take the dog for a walk to the park and think about the scenes, or grab a snack or go for a bike ride. Staring at the screen with nothing is deadly. I like to drink coffee when writing and usually I have music on in the background, but not usually songs with lyrics, mostly jazz or moody post-rock or minimalist classical stuff. I try to find a set of songs with the write mood for each script I work on. Unless there's an actual deadline I don't set goals like writing ten pages a day or anything. I'm pretty happy if in one day I get one great scene or figure out the right character beat or even just the perfect line of dialogue. 9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? Independent music/bands, particularly local ones. Three friends and myself volunteer our time running Toronto's Wavelength Music Series, which has been happening since 2000. We're a not-for-profit organization presenting weekly pay-what-you-can showcases at Sneaky Dee's, special presentations, a four-day festival every February and some all-ages outdoor summer shows. Next year is our tenth anniversary festival. We're Toronto's longest-running and most influential underground music forum, dedicated to presenting genre-smashing concerts and festivals, building innovative bridges within our city's musical communities and throughout our country's artistic landscape while challenging artists and audiences to broaden their aural perceptions. "Support art locally. Globalize it vocally." 10. What influenced you to enter the WILDsound Script Contest? It was a great deadline to work towards in finishing my first screenplay. I've heard great things about WILDsound and they're great at keeping you updated on what events they're hosting and contests and such.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers? Don't stare at the blinking cursor, it will stare right back, taunting with its blinky ways. Get up and do something else. Do you have a fridge? Go look in it. Possibly it is filled with delicious snacks. Don't have a fridge? Then your kitchen has a large unused space, use it for an art installation and invite the neighbours to your gala opening event. Or walk around the block a few times, or just put the computer away for the day and come back to it tomorrow. Or just write the scene, even if it's full of stilted dialogue and character missteps. If you're standing still you're not going to get anywhere but if you start going the wrong direction you'll eventually realize how to get back correctly, or you'll have gone way too far and can ask the locals if they know a short cut but by then it might be dark already and you'll have to find a motel or a B&B, hopefully it'll include breakfast, an omelette would be nice. And carry a notebook. When you're swerving to avoid car doors in the bike lane or chasing after the dog, ideas can be fleeting, even good ones.
Kevin Parnell
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