Interview with Winning Screenwriter J. Logan Alexander (BREAKDOWN)

BREAKDOWN was the September 2017 winning short screenplay.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

Liz and Alec are en route to a wedding for Alec’s boss and arguing about their own relationship woes when they collide with the runaway Bride. Battle lines are drawn when Liz and Alec oppose each other about what to do: Liz is determined to help her, but Alec insists on leaving immediately for fear of losing his job. Things get complicated after the Bride disappears into the woods and an inquisitive Cop arrives on the scene—further dividing Liz and Alec—and forcing them in a predicament: tell the truth and face the consequences, or lie to escape scot-free.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Dark Comedy

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Well, it is a movie now. Breakdown is my MFA thesis film. We are currently in post-production.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Anti-romantic Comedy.

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Boogie Nights or Fight Club.

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Roughly 10 months.

How many stories have you written?

Too many to count. My previous film, Wrung, follows a bull-rider and his dead beat dad. It’s available on my website, http://www.jloganalexander.com.

What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

This Must Be The Place by Talking Heads.

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Film school bureaucracy, minimal budget, record breaking low temperatures in Massachusetts (48 degrees in June), gale force winds, and a steady three days of rain.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Directing. There is nothing I love more than seeing a crew of artists working together to achieve something. I love working with actors. My job is to just get actors in front of a camera.

You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?

The platform is fantastic. Very intuitive.

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I like to get unbiased feedback from festivals after I write a few drafts of whatever I’m working on. Getting rejections from other film fests galvanizes you–makes you want to try harder, be better.

Liz and Alec are en route to a wedding when they turn the corner and hit the runaway bride with their car.

Genre: Comedy, Romance

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Laura Kyswaty
Liz: Lindsay Rolland Mills
Alec: Brandon Knox
Cop: Luke Robinson
Bride: Premika Leo