Episode 10: Gordy Hoffman - Writer, Director, Producer and Founder of the BlueCat Screenplay Competition
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Welcome to episode ten. In this episode (26:46) we’re speaking with writer, director and producer Gordy Hoffman. In 2001, Gordy was chosen for Fox Searchlab, a director development program at Fox Searchlight, where he wrote and directed three digital shorts. Then, in 2002 he won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival for his script, Love Liza. He made his feature directorial debut with his own script, A Coat of Snow, which had it’s world premier at the 2005 Locarno International Film Festival. He’s the founder of the BlueCat Screenplay Competition, now in it’s 10th year, and also teaches screenwriting at USC School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles California.
Episode Ten Contents:
00:00 Introduction to Gordy Hoffman
00:35 What is the BlueCat Screenplay Competition all about?
04:15 What elements help a screenplay get financed and made?
07:25 What other skills should a writer have to be successful in the industry?
08:55 Where can producers find good writers?
12:55 Are producer contacts a benefit for entering a screenplay competition?
14:45 Did winning the screenplay award at Sundance help bring better opportunities?
17:00 How was balancing the practical and creative sides of producing and directing ‘A Coat of Snow’?
19:30 Do you have plans to direct more features?
19:55 What’s the atmosphere like at USC?
21:35 How important is it to be in Hollywood for creating a successful career?
25:20 Where to get more information about yourself and the BlueCat Screenplay Competition?
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Stay tuned for more valuable information on the development, finance, producing, selling and distribution of profitable feature films.
March 15th, 2008 at 3:58 am
That was fun, informative, and useful. Especially the Q. & A. about the necessity of living in L.A. to be successful at screenwriting. Useful for future entries might be something about the utility of the internet for connecting creative and diverse people in far flung places. I recently read “Two Brads, or Three?” from the founder of MoonDance. These informational and affirmative talks from people who have made it in the film making industry are encouraging and practical to those of us who are still looking upward toward the bottom rung of the career ladder. We reach up, and jump, jump, and jump some more!
Relentlessly,
Brit Chism
March 17th, 2008 at 5:16 am
Thanks so much for leaving your comment. I’ll keep in mind for future discussions, ‘the utility of the internet’ point you were making. Keep on jumping for that bottom rung of the ladder - or even better - create your own ladder; one way or another, we’ll get there.
Cool,
Matt Morreale
Yoga Maya Films
The Film Producer’s Podcast
March 18th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
what a neat innovative interactive website!! Great idea.. a producer’s podcast.. I like anything that keeps us filmmakers communicating with REAL producers.
I like this much better than youtube.. or myspace.. it’s more close to the actual professional in my opinion.
I will frequent this podcast..
Thanks!
March 21st, 2008 at 3:13 am
Thanks for your support.
Matt Morreale
Yoga Maya Films
The Film Producer’s Podcast