Interview with Screenwriter Oliver Warren (THREE DATES WITH BEN)

Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Oliver Warren: Three Dates with Ben is a dark gay romance about a young man’s obsession with his ex, and the devastation it causes over the course of a decade.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

It’s most definitely an Indie Drama, a Dark Romance and in many ways, a Coming of Age story, too.

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

I believe the script speaks a lot to first, and unrequited, loves – many people’s firsts, especially in the LGBT world, are rarely the sweet, clean-cut romances, and they leave wounds that take years to heal. Whilst there’s so much of my own experience in this script, I feel it speaks to the universal desire for love.

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

Dark Romance.

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

So I Married An Axe Murderer.

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

The idea formed in January 2019, and I started writing it in October 2019, completing the first draft by December, and the current draft in January 2020.

7. How many stories have you written?

I’ve written four features, six tv pilots, three radio plays and a handful of short films too.

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

I Love You, by Woodkiid

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

Making time in amongst my career as a fashion film director – particularly as last fall I was chasing Jennifer Lopez around the world for a fashion brand!

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

Writing is most definitely my over-riding passion, but I feel incredibly passionate for directing, as well as collaborating creatively with my partner, Cameron McNee, a fashion photographer, when we create fashion and documentary content with the LGBT community.

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

I think it’s a well organized, easy to use site, with excellent functionality – I do find it frustrating though, that it is so structured around their Red List / Rating system, and that many competition entries (including Wildsound) don’t include the all-important scores to affect placement on the Red List, thus defeating one of the key advantages to the site.

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

Having seen the festival on Coverfly, it felt like a supportive and inclusive festival, which drew my attention to it, initially. The feedback I received was fantastic, both from a positive affirmation perspective, but also with useful critical insight too.

Watch the Screenplay Reading: 

A brutal dumping, and a vow to win back his first love, sends a gay eighteen year old romantic into a spiral of discovery and destruction, but over the next decade, each time the damaged ex resurfaces, his heart is crushed anew, however when the romantic’s latest partner is dragged into this savage love affair, he must finally learn to lay his first love to rest.

CAST LIST:

Narration: Allison Kampf
Radio DJ (M): Steve Rizzo
Ben (M): Manny Pacheco
Fatima (F): Val Cole
GRAZYNA (F): Miram Capper