Interview with Winning Screenwriter Sharon Powers (ENTANGLED)

Get to know the writer: 

 1. What is your screenplay about?

The longline is American environmentalists in Mexico run afoul of a drug-smuggling operation, and reporter Jasmine Peterson comes down to assist, only to stumble onto a whole new story – a merman!

In synopsis, the story is about plucky, capable Jasmine Peterson, the social columnist for a major newspaper, who gets her first ‘real’ news assignment and travels to Mexico to investigate the drug arrest of an American who’s working with a renegade group to protect sea creatures from gillnetting. Jasmine poses as a boat mechanic, hires on to their crew and is immediately at odds with the ruggedly handsome captain, Simon. What she unwittingly stumbles upon is another story entirely: Daniel, a merman with a ‘cause’. While Jasmine’s now pursuing the story of a lifetime, she’s also putting together the pieces of a frightening puzzle. The local tuna-canning factory is canning more than fish and she soon finds Daniel, Simon and herself, becoming entangled in it all. While investigating these stories, she’s falling for Daniel and Simon’s falling for her, and now with her profession, her life and love on-the-line, Jasmine will have to expose the drug trafficking, illegal fishing and decide if revealing her merman’s secret is worth losing her great story and her heart.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

I categorize it as a fantasy romance adventure.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

The fantastical premise, believable characters, and rich environmental themes in “Entangled” will appeal to a very wide audience. It’s very cinematic.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Timely and relevant.

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

This doesn’t mean it’s my favorite, but I have to say “Easter Parade” since I watch it every Easter.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

I wrote the original about 24 years ago. I rewrote it at the time since my agent felt with a merman in the story, it should be PG rated so I toned it down. I marketed it for awhile and then put it away. Last year, I decided it was so relevant and timely in regards to drugs and people’s growing concern for illegal fishing/netting. I decided to pick it up again, the original version, and do a rewrite. A merman doesn’t seem so fantastical now nor does a strong female lead.

7. How many stories have you written?

I’ve written well over a dozen screenplays, a sitcom pilot, a pilot for an hour show, an original book and have also rewritten two of my screenplays into books. I’m self-published and my website is MySeaBuddies.com

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

I love music. Absolutely love it and can’t narrow a song down to one. I usually have a song, or album, that I’ll listen to a lot when I write a story. I carried Elton John’s “The One” in my brain for “Entangled”.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

This story was a blast to write. It really flowed from my mind to the keys. I guess the obstacle is always the rewrite.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Ballroom dancing, cooking, shell collecting, travel, surfing, my family and friends, adventure!

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

I find it helpful to have my projects in one place for submissions and then also easy to see where I’ve submitted them. Anything to help me stay organized.

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

This is a festival targeted to my scripts genre which I like and also the potential to have my story, or part of, read live. I can’t say enough good things about the feedback I received. I take all writing feedback very seriously, but not all feedback is helpful or good for the writers soul – basically, not constructive. My feedback was extremely helpful in many different ways to me and quite inspiring.

Genre: Fantasy, Drama

American environmentalists in Mexico run afoul of a drug-smuggling operation, and reporter Jasmine Peterson comes down to assist – only to stumble onto a whole new story…a merman!

CAST LIST:

Louise: Rachel Rain Packota
Simon: Shawn Devlin
Narrator: Olivia Jon
Kyle:  Allan Cooke
Daniel: Geoff Mays