DAVID RODERICK
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​Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
 New York, NY, USA
 
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?
“OLVIDADO” was inspired by “Dangerous Crossings,” an NBC News documentary I produced for MSNBC INVESTIGATES IN 1999.  Having been fortunate enough to have worked in the film and television industries for many years, it was easier for me to tell the story through a visual narrative.
 
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 was able to write the first draft of “Olvidado,” within 6 months, but since I wanted to tell the story from the point of view of 4 principal storytellers, it took close to a year to give a voice to each story and interconnect them in a believable manner.
Being a visual person, I used, “Agile,” a methodology used in business to create my ‘yellow brick road,” a kind of scene road map for the characters to follow through each act.  The wall of my office became wall papered with multicolored index cards and post-its I could just step back and see where my story was going.  
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?   
While I enjoy the creative process of writing, ultimately I write to fulfill my passion for directing.
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
Jim Jarmusch, Stranger Than Paradise, Mystery Train.   Paul Haggis, Crash
Lina Wertmuller, Swept Away, Seven Beauties, Akira Kurosawa,  Kagemusha 
are just a few of the many writers and directors whose work has and continues to inspire me.  These directors created engaging characters giving them an indelible connection to their narratives.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
The Wizard of Oz.  The Fugitive.
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? 
Ultimately, it’s not just about winning. It’s about the journey a writer takes and what they discover about themselves in the process of writing.  
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I am currently researching and hoping to write a story about Oscar Micheaux, the first African American filmmaker who wrote, produced and directed several successful award-winning films in the 30s at a time when it was virtually impossible for a filmmaker of color to secure funding or distribution for films about people of color. 

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