Francesca Scotti-Goetz

Short Film Script Winner
​
"Undecided"

 Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
I’m based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and I have been living here for almost two years now.

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?
 Thank you, it is so flattering and humbling to hear this, especially as a first-time screenwriter! The inspiration came to me at the Cannes film festival in 2021—I’d gone for the first time to the festival as a film enthusiast, and I was energized by the myriad of driven and passionate filmmakers around me. Annabella, my friend and the producer of the short, brought a story to me by Ernest Hemingway called “Hills Like White Elephants.” She told me that the story had spoken to her on a personal level and that she was looking for someone to translate it to a modern context, and turn it into a short film. I’d never written a screenplay before, mostly short stories and articles, but the energy in Cannes inspired me and I decided to take on the challenge!
As the writing process continued, the cultural milieu around abortion rights in the United States became more and more prevalent, and that became a further driving force behind the script, especially now since the move to overturn Roe v. Wade. I also began to fall in love with the characters as I wrote, which made me feel more and more connected to the real people having similar conversations all over the world. This was particularly moving at such a pressing moment in the reproductive rights arena as this one. I am inspired to animate this story for the screen in hopes of reaching a wider audience, and of contributing to the much-needed dialogue surrounding the issue of abortion today.

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?
 From start to final product, the writing process took about 4 months, with about 3 or 4 drafts in between. This being my first script, I had no idea how to start! Honestly, I googled “How to write a screenplay…” and then I signed up for WriterDuet—an efficient script-writing software—upon the recommendation of a friend in film school. From there, “FADE IN” propelled me forward. I found that writing directly into the software helped me to take the script more seriously; to get past first-timer insecurities. It was stimulating to type the words directly
onto a page that was already formatted and script-ready; like I was really creating something that would translate to the screen some day.
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
 To keep doing it. That’s it. I don’t necessarily need it to be my source of income—though that would be fabulous—but I want to stay motivated with it. It really is what drives me: to put my thoughts to page; to explore other worlds and go deeper into my own. My ambition, really, is to connect people who may never meet, or who might not relate to each other on a more superficial level, through art; to encourage people to share in their like experiences—be they neighbors or worlds apart; to inspire people to contemplate the titillating existential and cultural dilemmas that make life terrifying, weird, funny and lovely. I simply want to remind people that we are all here on this floating rock, trying to understand what that means; how exciting that can be, and how comforting it is to know we are not alone.
Writing also serves me, as a form of self reflection, and as my own personal research project into the human experience. I never want to forget how much I love to observe, reflect and tell stories, no matter where I end up in life. After writing Undecided—after seeing how fulfilling it can be to initiate a project through the written word that ties in so many other motivated individuals who help bring it to life—I am absolutely motivated to continue writing within this medium. It is an interactive way to write as I have never experienced before. Perhaps the writer comes up with the story, but once it is shared with others, that’s when it snowballs into a collaboration brimming with new ideas and personalities. This seems to be what is so special about film as a medium.
I also aim to be a part of elevating those who continue to be a minority within this industry, and to highlight characters who might speak to those who don’t often see themselves onscreen. Working within a mainly female-identifying, queer, and non-binary production cast and crew has shown me how challenging it can be within this industry. When my producer, Annabella Fazio, director, Sofia Kunz, and I share our story with people, they are often surprised and inspired to hear that we started this project on our own. I hope to be a part of the movement that is already and will continue to normalize and highlight the many wonderful non-cis male-driven projects within the film industry.
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
For some reason, lately, I am very inspired by various Scandinavian films and television series. Two in particular that stood out to me in the past months/year are Love and Anarchy, a Swedish series created by Lisa Langseth, and Home for Christmas, a Norwegian series written and directed by Per-Olav Sørensen, along with Miriam Larsen, Mattis Herman Nyquist, and Fredrik Høyer (both are available on Netflix, check them out!) These, along with my new favorite film, The Worst Person in the World, a Norwegian film directed by Joachim Trier and written by Trier and Eskil Vogt, touched me to my core! Not only do they make me cry and laugh, but they break the boundaries of acceptable/normative behavior in Western society. They played to my inner weirdo, showing audiences that we are not alone when we have strange thoughts that we want to act upon and barriers we may want to break, as well as the little moments and conversations that
mean the world to us. The dry, raw, human language used by these writers is relatable and infectious. It’s witty and enthralling without being other-worldly; we see ourselves, our friends, and our families in these scenes, and are reminded of who we are and what we want.
I am also forever inspired by Richard Linklater and Julie Delpy, whose dialogue-driven films stir something in me every time I watch and rewatch. The Before Sunrise trilogy was the first to give me the screenwriting itch, with such a focus on the little things, and the conversation between strangers that turns into the conversations between lovers that make and break the relationship, over and over again. Delpy’s 2 Days films, and her more recent series On the Verge have a similar feel. Like the Scandinavian writers above, Delpy manages to touch upon the darkest, most intimate qualities in her characters and make them relatable, charming and even laugh-out-loud funny at times. I am still personally hesitant when it comes to writing comedy, but my time is coming, and Delpy will continue to serve as my idol on the wall guiding me into the laugh light.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
Since I saw it, The Worst Person in the World is definitely competing for my top film of all time. However, I’m a sucker for the physical and sardonic comedy of TV shows like “The Office,” and “Friends” has been my comfort show since I was 12 years hold.
I also recently watched Ricky Gervais’ “After Life,” which, similarly to the other films and shows I’ve mentioned, balances comedy into a dark and twisted story in such a relatable and human way that it is absolutely is making its way up the list, as well.
I realize that I’ve listed more than one…but come on, we all know how impossible this question is for film enthusiasts!

What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
 The biggest piece of advice I have is to write! Just write that script. Truly. I have friends who’ve reached out to me since I wrote Undecided who shared that they’ve been inspired by seeing that I completed a script and that I am bringing it to fruition by submitting it to festivals and turning it into a film. Of course, placing or winning in a contest won’t always happen over night, but if you write that story that you just need to get out, the one in your heart that expresses something inside you that can’t be held in, that’s a great place to start. Authenticity never hurts.
Also, don’t be so hard on yourself. It took me a long time to realize that I wanted to be a writer because I saw the people around me who were doing it and compared myself. I saw those who were succeeding and juxtaposed myself to them, and this stopped me from even starting. But the only way to succeed is to start. And to not censor yourself! That’s the most challenging but also the most important truth. If you think about whether your writing is good or bad, you’ll halt the process before you have a chance to tell your story. Take yourself seriously! You have just as much of a right to write as anybody else, whether they’ve placed at the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards or received an Oscar nomination, they all started with one thing: the desire to write a screenplay. The difference between them and everyone else is that they wrote one! And continued writing. I’m still very new to the industry, but I’m learning more and more that confidence and believing in oneself is the main thing that those who succeed have in common. And “success,” is subjective. For me, with this film, success means writing something that I’m proud of, that speaks to me, and that I can look back on as a project that reflects my values.
And another thing: surround yourself with people who believe in you. The friends who are happy for you, who want to read your work and hear your story, they are the ones to hold onto. In this industry, working with and alongside people who trust you enough to give you the space to experiment, try new things that challenge you; who take a chance on you…that will make you soar! I am so lucky, and so grateful for Annabella and Sofia, two people who have been in this industry for a lot longer than I have, who took a chance on me and trusted my writing process. They are truly in this field because they love what they do; they want to tell stories that matter, and they want to have fun! These are the kinds of people I want to continue surrounding myself with, in work and in life.
The film industry can be a challenging place, so when you come upon individuals who see a film project as a shared artistic experience, rather than a place to compete; people who want to share the limelight, and who will stay with you when that light dims—snatch them up quick!

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I have a new short film in the works about turning 25 that, you guessed it, reflects my own mid-twenties crisis. I’m experimenting with the comedic aspect of the human experience, and diving deeper into the less-explored and more taboo themes that aren’t always shown in the stories about young people.
I’m also speaking with my producer and director about a future project, one that may work the above short film concept story into it, about “Zellenials”: those on the cusp between the Gen Z and millennial generations. We’re looking to turn some of the stories and ideas that have come to us surrounding this theme into a television series that highlights the weirdest and most awkward parts of this age group during this day and age.
 

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