Jill Hargrave
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Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Originally, I grew up in England. Today, I reside in Vero Beach, Florida. Other places where I’ve lived are Tarrytown, NY; Las Vegas, NV; Huntington Beach, CA, New York, NY; and South Brunswick and Lambertville, NJ.
 
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 was thrilled when I was informed that the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards – Fall 2021 recognized both of my screenplays, “The Bottom Line” and “Fields of Grace,” as finalists.
 
As a documentary producer, I prefer the visual medium to tell my stories. “The Bottom Line,” is a fictionalized version that depicts the era when corporations were acquiring the networks in the 1980s and demanding that news divisions operate as profitable businesses rather than a public trust. “Infotainment,” such as celebrity gossip and gruesome murders, as well as biased reporting began to infiltrate newsrooms, ushering TV News as we know it today. This story is loosely based on my experiences when I worked for ABC-TV News in 1987 and found myself walking a picket line over job security and cost cutting.
 
“Fields of Grace” is an adaptation of a novel. The author, Wendy Waters, was looking for a screenplay writer and after reading her novel, I fell in love with her characters and their journeys. We signed a Letter of Agreement, which gave me exclusive rights to the screenplay in perpetuity. “Fields of Grace” is an epic coming-of-age and love story set in the 1930s that encompasses the lifestyle of the West End theatre district populated by actors like John Gielgud and Peggy Ashcroft. As the story unfolds, it addresses social issues of the day such as the criminality of homosexuality and the rise of Hitler and his persecution of German Jews.
 
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 started “The Bottom Line” back in 1992, but put it on the shelf because I went to work as a Documentary Producer for New Jersey Network Public Television (NJN). Because I knew the story from my own experiences, I did not outline the first draft. In 2019, I dusted it off, polished it and sent it to some competitions. The Big Apple Film Festival recognized it as a semi-finalist – Summer, 2019. Since that time, I have received notes, rewritten and submitted it to competitions. It received accolades as quarterfinalist in several competitions, including Scriptapalooza and Outstanding Feature in 2021 and The Script Lab and Screencraft Fellowship in 2022. Coverfly currently rates “The Bottom Line” in the top 8% of its posted screenplays.  
 
For “Fields of Grace,” I read the novel several times and made copious notes of what I wanted to include in the adaptation. I then wrote an in-depth outline before writing the first draft. From the time I signed the Letter of Agreement in August 2020 to the time I felt the screenplay was ready to enter into competitions, it took me about 10 months to complete. It received accolades as Semifinalist, Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards – Summer, 2021; Quarterfinalist, Screencraft Drama Competition 2021 and Quarterfinalist, Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay competition 2022. Coverfly currently rates “Fields of Grace” in the top 12% of its posted screenplays.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
My genres are drama, biopics and adaptations. My ultimate ambition is to option my features and see them produced for either the Big Screen or Streamers.
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
I admire feature film writers who are able to move me emotionally and at the same time document aspects of the world we live or have lived in. One of my favorite movies is “The Crying Game” by Neil Jordan. Not only did it use the Irish Troubles as the backdrop, it also made the viewer understand that love is universal and shouldn’t be characterized as only valid for a man and woman.
 
Recent films that transported me into the story and the periods they depicted are “Green Book” written by Nick Vallelonga and Brian Hayes Currie, which educated viewers about racism in America in the 1950s, as well as how once people connect with each other, they can overcome racism.
 
“The Last Duel” written by Nicole Holofcener, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, captured the 14th Century and the roles of men and women during this era and how an accusation of adultery was handled, which forced the wife’s husband to defend her name. The fact that this was a biopic interested me. I was pleased to see that the leading lady went on with her life independently after her husband was later killed in the crusades.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
My all-time favorite feature and television writer/director is David Lynch. I loved his version of “Dune” and was glued to my TV every week to watch “Twin Peaks.” Very disappointed when it was canceled after only two seasons.
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Believe in your screenplay and the story you want to tell, but be willing to send it to readers you trust to provide you with notes. My advice is if the notes resonate with you, rework your screenplay, but you do not have to accept all of the notes. Screenplay writing is very subjective so only change what you think will strengthen your story.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
Currently, I’m working on two feature screenplays – a biopic, “Unsung Hero of the American Revolution,” which tells the story of how one man’s regiment helped save Washington’s Continental Army in the early years of the American Revolution. I’ve also completed a treatment for a family drama, “The Two Shades,” loosely based on my life as a teenage pop singer in 1960s England and the highs and lows of trying to succeed in a very competitive arena. The protagonist at sixteen runs into many problems and makes some dubious life choices as she gets caught up in the lifestyle of sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll that impacts her family.

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