1. What is your screenplay about?
If the question is asking more than the Logline – it’s about finding yourself and expanding your horizons. Personal growth. But that makes it sound pompous. It’s about chasing the dream and whether you should be single minded or open to life but in the form of a fun comedy. Or… it’s about me.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Comedy. I’m wary of calling it a comedy as it’s not a gag fest as such, but it’s a humorous, good natured movie with a few laugh out loud moments. That’s my British reticence… it’s funny. It’s a comedy.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
It’s got a heart. It’s funny. It’s entertaining. It’s the sort of thing John Cusack should have starred in in the 80’s.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Heartfelt awesome…ness.
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Jaws
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I sort of wrote the rough draft in a two week period in 1998… then stuck in on a shelf, until earlier this year, when I gave it a read, liked it and dusted it down, rewrote it and modernised it! And put it out into the world for the first time this year.
7. How many stories have you written?
Quite a few….
8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
Surely that’s too hard for anyone to answer? Everyone has a dream by Billy Joel. Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd.
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Reliving the trauma of having been an ice-cream van man.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Arsenal F.C – Billy Joel – Genesis – Playing soccer – Watching soccer – Video games – History.
11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
I think Film Freeway is much easier to use than Coverfly and more adaptable and clearly laid out. The trouble is that it’s so easy to use, you end up spending a fortune in submission fees.
12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I entered the festival exactly because of the ‘feedback’ and performance element of the festival. Whether a reader loves or hates your material it’s a valuable lesson to see how your words come across to cold readers.
Watch the Screenplay Reading:
A naive young actor over-shadowed by his drama college rival and facing eviction, is forced to abandon his dreams and get ‘a proper job’. How is he ever going to succeed as an actor, and get the girl if he’s serving ice-cream to school-kids. A comedy about finding yourself and chasing the dream.
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Julie Sheppard
Smelly: Steve Rizzo
Stan: Allan Michael Brunet
Boss Man: Andy Camp
Matthew Toffolo's Summary 