DAVID SANDERS
​

​Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Philadelphia, PA
 
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 cared for my father during his 10-year descent into Alzheimer’s disease – a great challenge but also a great gift to be able to give back to him in that way. While this script, THE NEW MOON IN THE OLD MOON’S ARMS, is not about that experience specifically, it was certainly influenced by it, and it was based on a short story I wrote with the same name.
 
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 wrote and revised the script over much of a year, which went quicker than usual because I was working from my existing short story. And yes, I use outlines, index cards, white boards, a variety of software programs, long walks, and anything else that helps!
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
To keep deepening my skills, insights, and craft – and of course ultimately to see a screenplay of mine be made into a film.
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
SO many! But I’m particularly gob-smacked by Jordan Peele, who brings such integrity and creativity and insight to such a wide range of projects.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
Oddly, as my work is nothing like it at all, I’d say the old film, “The Court Jester,” with Danny Kaye. Brilliant, silly, heart-felt fun.
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Just keep writing and submitting and improving. The numbers are woefully against us, but I do believe quality gets recognized. And pay attention with an open mind to the feedback you get.

---