MARINE MONDELOT
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​Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
I live near London in the UK, in a city called Reading.
 
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’ve always loved inventing stories, but they come to me first as images and scenes. Images always precede words in my creative process, so when I write my stories down, they naturally take the form of a screenplay.
 
I’m also passionate about history and always on the lookout for historical events that can be turned into movies or TV series. The idea of EON blossomed when I came across a historical documentary about the ‘chevalier d' Eon’, a famous 18th century cross-dresser. Most of the ingredients for an amazing show were there: comedy, swashbuckling adventures, as well as drama and social questioning.
 
What I liked the most about this story is how modern and relevant in today’s world it was. EON touches on topics such as social mobility and gender identity. Despite not having been himself gay or transgender, the chevalier d’Eon has become a symbol of the LGBTQIA+ movement. The intent of the series is to explore the theme of gender identity without specifically focusing on sexual orientation. In the show, the protagonists want to live by their own rules, regardless of the characteristics and behaviors associated with their gender, be it the one they were assigned at birth or not.
 
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 don’t know if it’s just me (and it may sound a bit weird) but I first build the entire story and scene structure in my head. I will scribble a few notes here and there, particularly when I think of a good piece of dialogue that I don’t want to forget, but mainly it is a mental process. As I said, the images come first, then the words. Once everything is in place in my head (the overall structure, not every detail), I sit down and write, scene by scene.
 
For EON, I think I mulled the story and structure over for a couple of months, then wrote it in a couple of weeks. There has obviously been some level of rewriting and tweaking after that, but the overall structure of the current draft is pretty much the structure of the first draft.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
I’m currently juggling a job as a senior manager and my screenwriting passion, but aspire to become a full-time screenwriter. And of course, my ultimate ambition is to see the movies and TV shows I create and write being produced.
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
I’m French and get my inspiration from a lot of French movies and TV series. I also love writing dramedies, so I’m particularly inspired by writers who manage to find that sweet spot between comedy and drama, like French screenwriters Danielle Thompson or Luc Besson.  I will also never cease to be amazed by the Pirates of the Caribbean Film series’ screenplays, and Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio’s ability to craft dialogues that perfectly fit the time period of the movies whilst being incredibly modern and funny (something I tried to emulate in EON, but probably not with the same level of mastery!).
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
There are a few contenders, but I think my all-time favorite movie is ME, MYSELF AND MUM by French writer, actor and director Guillaume Gallienne, which delves into a theme that can be found in nearly all of my scripts: finding one’s true self among -and despite- society and family’s expectations.
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
I think getting feedback as early as possible in the writing process is critical. Criticism, even constructive, can be hard to handle as a screenplay usually feels deeply personal, but taking all feedback onboard is immensely important. On the other hand, it is equally important not to inhibit your best instincts as a writer to please your readers. If you get contradictory pieces of feedback (as often happens) or if it doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and stick to your guns!
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I’ve been working on a few different projects, but the one which, along with EON, is getting some traction is a TV comedy drama called MY GOD PARENTS. The series follows immortal goddess of wisdom Athena and her dysfunctional relatives, a family of self-exiled Greek deities who try to live a normal life.

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