SARAH KENNEDY

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Dallas, Texas, 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?
My husband and I were road-tripping down a dusty Colorado highway when we passed a brown historical marker that read:  Ludlow Massacre. I “googled” it and was stunned and, honestly, haunted by what I learned. I felt it was a story that needed to be told before it was lost to antiquity—a story as relevant to culture today as it was 100 years ago—and the best way to reach the most people is through a successful film. I cobbled together the story using public domain resources, including congressional testimony, and tracked down an incredibly knowledgeable Colorado mining historian named David Harris who provided input that kept the recounting of this tragic story authentic.
 
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 had an opening scene in mind (that got cut and sent to the trash folder at least three times) and then just went from there.  My son, Daniel, also writes screenplays and tends to be methodical and iterative. My approach is more like an initial fire hose, then the process of editing begins and, honestly, never ends. 
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
I want to tell stories that inspire people to walk in someone else’s shoes. 
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
Recent inspiration came from a low-budget short I ran across called Punch-Drunk written by Liam White—a 12-minute perch on the edge of your seat showcasing what happens when a clever script intersects good acting. My adult children, two film majors and one who works the business side of media, also inspire me with the joy they find in what they do. I’m coming at this later in the game, but so very grateful to be here. 
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
My family jokes that I love “dreary films with subtitles.”  While that’s true, it underlies a desire to encounter realities outside my own life experience.  I love to feel convicted and inspired on the other end of a movie, and sometimes inspiration comes to us in packages that aren’t neatly wrapped in pretty paper and bows.  
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
I would suggest that you find a successful screenplay that resonates with you… from a movie you love… read it, analyze it, tear it down to the studs of the story until you understand how it hangs together and, importantly, why you love it. Then, fire up that laptop and start telling the tale that’s crept into your heart. There are wonderful communities out there that will help you along the way, including free resources that can inform everything from basic formatting to story structure and marketing. Be open to the input of others and just keep at it. I read somewhere that screenwriting is a war of attrition. Many hang it up after a first rejection, perhaps not realizing what feels like “failure” is a step closer to success. I believe in life we can learn and grow from the challenges even more than the triumphs and screenwriting is no different.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I have another screenplay called Fulfillment based on a true story about the brutal reality of working in a product fulfillment center. Like Ludlow, it’s a story that needs to be told. I’ve also written two short scripts dealing with personal loss that are ready to roll and I’m hoping to find a production dream team.

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