Writer Interview: Emily Sandifer

This is the second in a three part series highlighting writers at different stages of the process.  The second interview is with Emily Sandifer.  Emily is a screenwriter as well as an actress and photographer living in Los Angeles, CA. She is originally from Southeast Idaho.  She has recently finished filming and production on an independent film she wrote, directed, produced, and starred in, Finding Sky.


What made you decide to be a writer?


I don’t think I ever made the decision, it just happened.  When your mother is a published author, it’s just in your blood.  I was writing stories and poems in childhood.  Recently, I read through some old journals and at age 10, I was already plotting out novels, which of course never got finished, but the love for writing was there.  I always knew that the talent to write would help me in the future, and it’s not until recently I’ve come to understand the full extent of that – which is to write screenplays.

What was the first thing you remember writing as a "writer"?


That’s a tough one.  I guess I’d have to say it was a poem I wrote for my grandfather a few months before he died called “The Cowboy.”  The poem is dear to my heart because I read it at his funeral.  I think that was the first time I really understood how powerfully emotional a piece of writing could be.  The poem later got second place in a nationwide contest I entered and that was a big deal for me.

Describe the evolution of the script for Finding Sky.

Last April 2009, I started writing a short screenplay.  It originally was supposed to be 15-20 minutes long.  It originated from an idea that I've had since early college at Boise State, a short story I had written.  It was somewhat autobiographical, not completely, but was based off what my mom said should be called "The Girl in the Red Mustang" - a story about all the strange boyfriends and experiences I'd had in my short 20-something years on the planet.

I moved to California with big dreams and unrealistic goals.  I soon figured out that if I wanted anyone to take notice of me in Los Angeles, that I'd have to create my own characters, my own stories, my own films.  So, I started writing "Finding Sky" as a piece for my reel.

Since then, it's evolved from a short script to a feature length script.  The story has strayed from the “Red Mustang” concept quite a bit, but the theme of self-discovery is still there.  My partner Sergio Bernal is a graduate of Los Angles Film School.  We've worked on several short films together and now produce all our projects, including Finding Sky, under our two production companies, ESP and Outta Tune Productions.

Finding Sky is a short feature, only roughly 65-70 minute long.  Now, looking back at the project, I wish I’d had the time and resources to extend it to a full feature of 90-120 minutes and expand the story, but because it was our first feature, we decided not to bite off more than we could chew.  We’ve produced Finding Sky on literally no budget, using every resource we have, so because of production costs, I had to keep the script shorter.

So, the script was continuously added to. I knew where I wanted to go with the story since the beginning, so it was fairly easy to extend it into a feature because it was already all in my head.

Describe the transition from page to screen.


I could probably write an entire book on this, so I’ll try to simplify it.  It’s the actor’s job to do their research building the characters you’ve written.  They have to take what you’ve written and create a complete human being from it.  The director helps them, of course, making sure they stay on track with the overall arc of the story.  The director and the cinematographer decide how to tell the story visually.  Most camera movement is not in the screenplay, so they create that. I personally think a good editor will make or break the film, though.  They have the biggest job of creating the right rhythm of the story, how it unfolds, etc.  Get a bad editor and your screenplay goes down the drain.  Music and sound design also play a huge role in how effective your story will be told on screen.  So, in a nutshell, all of these contribute to turning your screenplay into a moving picture.

What are the challenges of being a screenwriter?  And the rewards?


The biggest challenge is the industry. Being a screenwriter is just as difficult to succeed at as being a working actor, if not harder.  The studios aren’t taking risks like they used to and they’re going straight to what they know will sell theatre tickets. I ronically, the industry is in the dumps because people are tired of the same old stories and aren’t going to the movies as much.  Another challenge for me personally is that I’ve had to learn that writing a screenplay is structured completely different than writing a novel, for example.  The more lean a screenplay, the better; whereas in a novel, you can take time to be overly descriptive.  I’ve learned to reduce “wonderful wordplay” from my screenplays, unless it’s in the dialogue.  It helps to move the story along to whoever is reading it and envisioning the pacing on screen.

The reward of being a screenwriter is that you can put your career in your own hands.  For me, I’m able to write my own characters that I want to play instead of waiting around for the possibility of someone giving me a chance in their film.  Los Angeles is so supersaturated with wannabe actors that it’s hard to get a break in this town.  So, if you’re able to write your own material, it’s a way to prove yourself.

What's next for Finding Sky?
As of today, we are doing finishing touches to submit it to festivals.  Hopefully, it’ll get accepted to a few, get some sort of distribution, and will be a way for us to continue producing our own work and advancing our careers.

What's next for you, writing-wise?


Right now, I just finished writing a short film, “Cromwell,” that we’ll be filming this winter. I may eventually turn it into a feature-length script depending on how the short film is received. I’m also in the beginning stages of writing my second feature, which is a mystery thriller.  I’m producing a few other projects as well, so it’ll be exciting to see how they all turn out.

You can learn more about Emily, Finding Sky, and her latest projects on her website:
www.emilysandifer.com