BILL TAYLOR
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Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
 
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?
I grew up loving adventure stories about survival in nature that had a profound insight into the inner lives of boys on the verge of crossing over to adulthood.  Unfortunately, these stories were always about straight boys for straight audiences. I wrote the film that my 14-year-old self desperately needed, but never got to. To my knowledge, there still hasn’t been a queer adventure/survival, coming-of-age film made.
 
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 began writing the script years ago and just dove right in, not sure exactly where it was going. I had a basic idea that two boys would meet at camp, they’d run away together and find themselves alone in the woods and need to work together to survive. I knew that once they were isolated in nature, they could become more emotionally vulnerable with one another and I really wanted to show that. We rarely see that on screen among boys this age and I wanted to create a credible circumstance where it felt earned that they would open up and be vulnerable. I think that was all I had in my head as I sat down to write.
 
In some ways, it was a mistake. I wish I had started with an outline and worked out the character arcs before I started writing a draft.  It would have saved me a lot of time. Having said that, there’s something to be said for just going in and writing the vomit draft and not censoring/editing/planning too much.  Just be prepared to pull it all apart afterwards.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
I’m devoted to this idea that audiences still want to see films about flawed, but ultimately good people who discover something profoundly human on their journey through life. I truly loathe the anti-hero trend that has permeated so much of our culture for the past 20 years. I find it unhealthy to spend so much time at the altar of characters who aren’t inherently good. I just want to write interesting characters that audiences will root for, whether they succeed or not.
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
Kenneth Lonergan is a big one for me for his humor and pathos.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
 Survivor!
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Don’t waste your money on a script that isn’t ready. Get notes from trusted sources or pay for script coverage services before you spend a penny on a contest. Let them help you get it to a place where it is ready to be read by the industry.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
The Running Edge - In the glittering world of elite figure skating, Kieran, an ambitious but insecure loner from a humble background, discovers his true potential when a fledgling coach takes him under his wing in Toronto. As Kieran rises to the pinnacle of the figure skating world, he also finds love in Basil, a dancer. Through the highs and lows of his Olympic journey, Kieran's relationship with Basil is tested, and when tragedy strikes, he must confront his demons, betrayals, and the quest for a new life beyond the competitive ice, in this queer coming-of-age drama set against the backdrop of the relentless pursuit of greatness.

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