RANDY GILLIS
Hello! My name is Randy Gillis. I was born in the tiny town of Troy, NC and currently live in the even tinier town of Sophia, NC. Between the ages of 25 and 34 I lived a quiet life, working as a Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician at a local hospital. When I learned that the North Carolina School of the Arts was starting a film school, my world changed. I "came out", applied, was accepted, and graduated with the Class of '98 with a major in screenwriting. (Being a 34-year-old college freshman in a coed dorm is an experience I....really can't relate to anything else.) Following graduation I returned to Troy to help care for ailing parents. A privilege I will always treasure. During this time I worked as an Emergency Room night-shift Unit Clerk, attained an Associate Degree in Production Craft Clay (a pottery program that many of the Seagrove potters sprang from), wrote and directed a short film, and completed a Medical Coding program. I currently work as a Medical Coding Specialist and have regained my interest in screenwriting. That's it in a nutshell. 11 Questions with RANDY GILLIS. A WILDsound FALL 2008 Feature Screenplay Finalist 1. What is your screenplay about? "Millie and Tilly" is about friendships. Friendships forged over a lifetime and frienships made on the run. It's also about regret and examination as you approach the twilight of your life. 2. Why did you decide to write this screenplay? It seems that films today are so full-throttle. I wanted to write a quiet, funny story with interesting characters. I wanted to write something with older characters that isn't stereotypical or cruel. I wanted to include characters that, for the most part, are dismissed by society and show their humanity. It also seems that gay humor has developed a cruel streak that dips uncomfortably close to misogyny. This is my attempt to couter that trend. 3. How long have you been writing screenplays? Sporadically, about 10 years, with much more focus in the last year and a half. 4. What is you all-time favorite film? (name only one) In my late teens I stumbled across a 1977 film called OUTRAGEOUS! I devoured it! For the first time I saw a gay character that was smart, funny, loyal, and most importantly, not angst-ridden over being gay. It also stands as one of the greatest film friendships of all time. 5. What artist in the film industry would you love to work with? Paul Rudnick is my screenwriting Idol. He helped bring gay humor to mainstream audiences. I'm also a huge fan of Tess Harper and Kathy Bates. 6. How many screenplays have you written? I'm working on my fourth feature-length project. I've completed several short scripts, two of which I've directed as short films. 7. Ideally, where would you like to be in 5 years? I would love to be sitting in a theater, watching the audience react to something I've written. 8. Describe your process; do you have a set routine, method for writing? I love charactes and dialogue. That's where I usually start. Then I think and think. My desk is covered with scraps of paper with funny lines or situations. I rarely outline. I just sit down and start writing. I also tend to talk to myself a lot. 9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? To counter, with humor, the religious stranglehold that has gripped my country for far too long. 10. What influenced you to enter the WILDsound Script Contest? WILDsound was the first screenplay competition I entered with a short script. I've entered several times since and have been very pleased with the feedback and the level of professionalism and respect extened to me in our correspondence. 11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers? Keep writing! Keep writing! Keep writing! Randy Gillis, Randy Gillis, Randy Gillis
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