BARRY PUTT
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Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Somerset, New Jersey
 
Your script stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your story and why did you write a script instead of a short story or a novel?
Omeed’s Tapestries was inspired by three-dozen firsthand accounts, interviews, and additional research. Screenwriting is a powerful medium that brings stories to life right before an audience’s eyes and can be experienced by many people at the same time. These aspects prompted me to tell the story in that form. A main theme in my work is writing about ‘the other.’ There are far more similarities in people than differences, yet society tends to focus on difference. If we can look beyond difference and recognize the qualities we all share we will be able to value one another and make the world a better place. This concept drew me to write Omeed’s Tapestries which focuses on same-sex love in a country where it is punishable by death.
 
How long did it take you to write your script...and what is your writing process? Do you outline...use index cards...white board...or just start with FADE IN?
I developed Omeed’s Tapestries over a few years. I’m an outliner. Nothing fancy – just a Word document with bullet points. Revisions are done the same way. I also write character bios and explore what motivates each character’s actions. Incorporating these elements into a script enables the audience to understand the characters and see them as three dimensional individuals.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
As a screenwriter, I strive to write feature films and TV series that are entertaining yet give the audience something to think about. Film and TV are dynamic intimate mediums. I aim to use them to bring people together and increase understanding and unity for all.
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
Screenwriter, Tom Schulman, is a big influence. His film Dead Poet’s Society had a big impact on me. The heart of the film is about a person’s ability to pursue their passion and be themself despite social expectations. Schulman’s ability to write in a broad range of genres including his films such as Honey I Shrunk the Kids resonates with me because I write in various genres as well.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
The Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies. The theme of understanding where you fit and who your community is are simple yet essential concepts. People that are able to identify and embody these concepts can have rich, fulfilling lives.
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Embrace feedback. Don’t lose sight of the story you want to tell in the process. Feedback will show you what your strengths and weaknesses are. Lean on your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Doing so will improve your skills as a writer and enable you to craft topnotch screenplays that will place or win contests.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
Jay Michaels Global Communications will be producing an industry reading of Omeed’s Tapestries this fall. In addition to this, I am polishing the pilot script and series bible for a gay-themed, coming-of-age TV series called The Choir Singer. This musical drama blends topics including social expectations, class differences, and the pursuit of dreams while examining what happens when they all collide. I am also working on a road-trip comedy screenplay entitled The Misadventures of Maddie McDougal that follows a pair of social outcasts as they learn to value themselves during a cross-country treasure hunt.

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