Interview:

Tim Upton is from Dayton, Ohio. I was born in Ft. Worth, TX and raised all over, as my father was in the military. I’ve lived in Texas, Kansas, Ohio and Germany spending the majority of my life in Dayton, OH. My hobbies include vintage cars and hotrods, collecting vinyl records, writing and playing in my punk band The Give-Ups.

Adam Reed is from Columbus, Ohio. I was born and raised in Ohio and I haven’t left yet. I’ve lived in every major city in the state, but feel most at home in Columbus.  I spend my days working as a projection manager at a theater. I’ve been married for five years to my high school sweetheart. My hobbies include collecting and watching movies, getting tattoos, playing poker, and writing.

Is LIFE DUDES your first script? If not, what else have you completed?

Yes, Life Dudes is our first script.

Why did you write “Life Dudes”? And how long did it take you to write it?

Tim: It was an idea that I came up with after someone told me and a friend that we fight like a married couple. I quickly replied off the cuff “Hey, this is my Life Dude! I’ll yell at him all I want.” So, the idea of what a Life Dude is started to formulate in my head.

Adam:  When Tim told me about LIFE DUDES I thought the concept would make a great movie. I said to him “We’ve got to write this!”

Tim:   Adam understood the idea to a “t” and we became writing partners. He was the driving force behind getting the ball rolling on a rough draft. Without Adam the script would never have seen the light of day. Due to our schedules it took roughly a year to complete. We started sometime around May 2007 and finished in June 2008.

Describe your process; do you have a set routine, method for writing?

Our writing process is usually to hang out at Adam’s house for  the weekend, drink some beers and feed off of each others’ ideas. We’ll discuss some of our ideas for a while and then jot down the good ones. After that we just start writing and edit things as needed. We usually try to set a finishing point for the session and stop there. Then we’ll sit on it for a while and re-read it later. It’s a rewarding process and most of the time we end up laughing so hard we’re in stitches!

What inspires you to write?

Tim: First and foremost, I have a natural tendency to be a storyteller. Secondly, I have many hobbies and interests, so I end up traveling a lot and meeting a bunch of interesting people. Combine these two together and I feel the need to always tell people about my adventures and encounters. At some point in my life I realized that I should probably start documenting these experiences and writing seemed like the most logical way to do so.

Adam:  My love of movies and my desire to succeed and entertain.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Tim:  Collecting vinyl records, working on my classic cars, playing and recording music, screen printing, following baseball and hockey, and spending time with friends.

Adam:  My wife Erin, we’ve been together since she was fourteen and I was fifteen. I’m now twenty eight and I can’t imagine life without her. I’m also passionate about watching movies and staying up to date about current and upcoming films.

What influenced you to enter the Movie Script Contest?

The fact that comedy had its own category.

Do you feel that screenwriting contests are worthwhile for writers and why?

Yes, they are worthwhile because it gives unknown writers a starting point. They enable writers to obtain feedback and gain industry exposure.

Who is your favorite screenwriter or writer and why?

Tim:  Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant. Reno: 911 is consistently funny and something I can put in and watch anytime.

Adam:  Shane Black and Kevin Smith for their hilarious dialogue. And Lloyd Kaufman for writing, producing and directing movies that no one else would ever touch.

Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?

Don’t make excuses.  Keep writing. Even if you’re not happy with where the story is going, get your ideas down and finish the first draft.  After that, worry about re-writing.

What’s next for you?

We are currently working on an action adventure script and a rock ‘n roll comedy.