Interview with Screenwriter Eddie Baca (LOOK INTO MY EYES)

 Matthew Toffolo: WHAT IS YOUR SCREENPLAY ABOUT?

Eddie Baca: IT’S BASICALLY A LOVE STORY ABOUT A CRIMEAN MUSLIM LIVING IN NYC WHO
MEETS UP WITH AN OLDER SOBER GAY MAN. AN INTENSE JOURNEY IN SELF
DISCOVERY.

2. WHAT GENRES DOES YOUR SCREENPLAY FALL UNDER?

ROMANTIC DRAMA AND COMEDY, LGBT, THRILLER, MYSTERY, SOCIAL.

3. WHY SHOULD THIS SCREENPLAY BE MADE INTO A MOVIE?

IT TRULY IS AN OUT OF THE BOX STORY. ONE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD BEFORE.

4. HOW WOULD DESCRIBE THIS SCRIPT IN TWO WORDS?

UNPREDICTABLE, PROVOCATIVE.

5. WHAT MOVIE HAVE YOU SEEN THE MOST IN YOUR LIFE?

VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. YOU ASKED.

6. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON THIS SCREENPLAY?

5 YEARS.

7. HOW MANY STORIES HAVE YOU WRITTEN?

STORIES -5. SCRIPTS -1. SHORTS -1. PLAYS -1.

8. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? (OR, WHAT SONG HAVE YOU LISTENED TO THE
MOST TIMES IN YOUR LIFE?)

FAVORITE – HOME BY DIANA ROSS
MOST LISTENED – HELP ME BY JONI MITCHELL

9. WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU FACE TO FINISH THIS SCREENPLAY?

BECAUSE OF IT’S POLITICALLY SENSITIVE NATURE (A GAY ROMANCE WITH A
MUSLIM) THERE WERE SO MANY TIMES THAT I HESITATED PUTTING IT OUT
THERE. BUT I MET AND TALKED TO THE WRITER\PRODUCER OF MUNICH WHO
TOLD ME HE HAD THE SAME CONCERN WITH HIS STORY BUT WENT AHEAD
WITH IT. IT WAS EXTREMELY WELL RECEIVED. HE ADVISED ME TO DO THE
SAME AND LET THE CARDS FALL WHERE THEY LAY. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I AM
SO SURPRISED THAT IT HAS RECEIVED VARIOUS AWARDS FROM 5 FILM
FESTIVALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

10. APART FROM WRITING, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

STAYING SOBER AND HELPING OTHERS GET AND MAINTAIN THEIR SOBRIETY.

11. YOU ENTERED YOUR SCREENPLAY VIA FILM FREEWAY. WHAT HAS BEEN
YOUR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM SITE?

THEY’RE GREAT. THEY HAVE A COMPLETE LISTING OF LGBT FILM FESTIVALS.
ANYTIME I HAVE CONTACTED THEM FOR HELP THEY RESPONDED QUICKLY.

12. WHAT INFLUENCED YOU TO ENTER THE FESTIVAL? WHAT WERE YOUR
FEELINGS ON THE INITIAL FEEDBACK YOU RECEIVED?

I DIDN’T HAVE A PARTICULAR REASON OR OPINION WHEN I FIRST
APPROACHED YOUR FILM FESTIVAL. BUT WHAT I HAVE VALUED THE MOST IS
THE 3 INVALUABLE SCRIPT CRITIQUES THAT I RECEIVED FROM LGBTTFF. THE
CONTINUED RAPPORT AND ADVISE WITH MY SCRIPT HAS MADE IT WHAT IT IS
TODAY.

 

Watch the Winning Short Script Reading:

Genre: Drama

Gay sober military man meets Crimean Muslim taxi driver in NYC.

CAST LIST:

Karim: Twain Ward
Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Eddie: Peter Nelson
Henry: John Leung

******