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I knew I
wanted to be a screenwriter.......
When I learned my
father passed up an acting career to marry my mother and raise a
family. Being the youngest of four children, the gauntlet is passed to
me and, since I'm 40, it's high time I get it done!
I know I've
succeeded.......
when my first script is made and I hear
the audience APPLAUD.
My inspiration
to write
FAT CLUB.......
was based on a
true-life humbling experience at a doctor's office and his #@#$#@#$
scale.
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FilmMakers
Magazine:
What inspired you to write?
Bob Heske: My vivid imagination and the fact that I'm happy at a computer
keyboard.
FilmMakers Magazine: How did you prepare yourself to
write your first script?
Bob Heske: I
had a very, very bad relationship. One bottle of Scotch and I was
ready to write a tragic comedy.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Is this your first script and how long did it take you to write FAT
CLUB?
Bob Heske:
No, I've written 5 features and 17 shorts. This short
took me two weeks to write.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Do you have a set routine, place and time management for writing?
Bob Heske: Since my wife and I just had our first baby, time is
limited. So I cheat and write at my freelance job at work and during
my lunch hour. I also try to write 2 hours a night when I can get the
baby to bed.
FilmMakers Magazine: Do you believe screenplay contests
are important for aspiring screenwriters and why?
Bob Heske:
Absolutely.
I'm a big fan of contests. They give us hope, feedback, and a sense of
accomplishment. There's a huge gap between sitting down and writing
your first script and the thousand rejection notes along the way.
Contests give us friendly pats on the back to keep us going.
FilmMakers Magazine: What influenced you to enter the
American Gem Short Script Competition?
Bob Heske:
It's one of
the best and most entered short script contests out there. After doing
well in other contests, I felt I was up to the challenge.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
What script would you urge aspiring writers to read and why?
Bob Heske:
The Usual
Suspects. A masterpiece for the genre. For comedy, I'd probably
recommend Back to the Future.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Beside screenwriting what are you passionate about and why?
Bob Heske:
Being a screenwriter (which, by definition, makes me a
pseudo-masochist), I am also a fervent Red Sox and Patriots fan. For
over a decade it was the perfect screenwriting experience - constant
let down and rejection. The recent success of the Red Sox and Patriots
- and this screenwriting contest - bode well for my screenwriting
career.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Who is your favorite Screenwriter and Why?
Bob Heske:
William Goldman. Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Marathon Man. All the President's Men.
The original Stepford Wives. Magic. 'Nuff said.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Name the director you would love to work with and why?
Bob Heske:
Ron Howard, because he has a tremendous portfolio and he seems like
such a nice guy.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Name the actor you would love to work with and why?
Bob Heske: For Fat Club, it would definitely have to be Alec Baldwin. There's a
scene that's based on his character's outburst as he dresses down
underachieving salesmen in Glengarry Glen Ross. He showed up an
all-star cast in one brass-ballsy scene. Fantastic!!!
FilmMakers
Magazine:
Any tips and things learned along the way to pass on to others?
Bob Heske:
I've made tons of mistakes. The best advice? Never, ever pay someone
to read your script.
FilmMakers
Magazine:
What's next for you?
Bob Heske: Hopefully, in the next few weeks I will option 3 of my features. I am
currently in negotiation with producers now. And, if I get paid, I
will divert some funds to pay for an animated short called A DEMON
TALE which I've collaborated on with a fantastic animator named Dany
Boom (The Triplets of Belleville). And my next feature script is a
comedy for which I've already written the treatment and that I've been
contracted to write by an indie producer.
FilmMakers Magazine: Where will you be five years from
now?
Bob Heske: Some place warm, by the ocean, in a bigger house, driving a better car,
with a healthy family, and the job description: professional
screenwriter. Oh yeah, and 20 pounds lighter. |
