Tennessee Martin

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
 Los Angeles, California
 
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 grew up in the hills and valleys of Tennessee, with two disabled parents and nine siblings. I was a queer kid, in a poor family, raised in a drug-riddled community, and that type of environment inspires a slew of stories ripe for the silver-screen.
 The only time my family really spent time together was when we were watching television. TV and Film bring people together in a way that books can’t always do, so telling this story as a series made the most sense me. Especially since stories about the south aren’t always the most inclusive. I intend to change that.
 
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’m not a stationary writer, so boards aren’t always the most sensible starting point for me. I usually start with a color-coded outline. All I need is my computer and my brain. I take my laptop with me, and whenever I have a spare moment, I pull it out to write. Boards are great for helping you envision the overall structure and arc of a story, so sometimes when I’m stuck with an outline or even a draft, I’ll force myself to go back, board the story, and shift things around. It’s all about perspective, so whatever helps me see my story most clearly.
 
Sutton Holler took about two years to conceptualize, but only two months to write after I started putting those thoughts to the page. The re-writing process was longer and took another year or so to get through 3-4 rounds of notes. During that time, I wrote multiple other scripts, including a Hightown spec for the Starz #TakeTheLead Writing Intensive. I believe in rotating projects to spark fresh ideas and avoid writer’s block.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
 I want to be a household-name creator and show-runner, moonlighting in feature writing, and create an esteemed brand for myself that spans across various mediums.
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
Shonda Rhimes, Tanya Saracho, Ryan Murphy, Mike Flanagan, Courtney Kemp, Greg Berlanti, Katori Hall, Lena Waithe, Mindy Kahling, Taylor Sheridan, Rebecca Cutter, and more. They’re all phenomenal storytellers, who have made it to the highest levels of their craft and defined the last decade of television.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
 It’s a tiebreaker between Fried Green Tomatoes and League of Their Own (film and TV show.)
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
 Don’t submit the first draft. Spend time re-writing every script until satisfaction. And then, be strategic about where you submit. Coverfly does a great job of highlighting what types of scripts succeed in most of the competitions on their site, so get in where you fit in. Spend your money wisely on application fees, but still cast as wide of a net as your budget allows.
 Also, don’t rush through your applications. Carve out a few hours when writing your bio, artist statements, synopsis, etc. And save all the questions and answers in a word doc so you don’t have to start from scratch every time you submit.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
 I’m currently looking for financing for a queer holiday feature called Drag Me To Christmas. It’s a modern twist on the classic A Christmas Carol, where Ebenezer Scrooge is a self-loathing lesbian, and all the Ghosts of Christmas are drag performers. In the writing phase, I’m on the third draft of a time travel feature, Wild Child, that captures the complex relationship between a mother and daughter who don’t fully accept each other.  Finally, my short film Hangry will premiere on Gunpowder & Sky’s platform, Alter, on March 15th, 2023.

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