A.S TEMPLETON
 A.S TEMPLETON
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
West Seattle, in America’s great Pacific Northwest. How did you discover The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards and how did you decide to enter this contest among all the others? FilmFreeway has decent search tools for zeroing in on suitable filmfests and screenwriting competitions. I prefer to submit my works to those that provide feedback, whether included or as paid add-ons, for such feedback suggests that one’s script is actually being read. Your script or media entry stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your project ? I like to write characters who hold different, neglected, or even stubbornly ignored points of view on controversial topics. Ka Piko tackles a highly divisive issue without taking sides, preaching to the choir, or lecturing the audience. Told from the grounded perspectives of two young women, it is meant to bridge the divide from both sides, not to widen it. How long did it take you to write your script or produce your pitch deck/sizzle reel/trailer...and what was your development process? Development on Ka Piko began in April of 2024. For each of my stories, I thoroughly research the topic, employ the String of Pearls method for identifying and arranging the key events, and develop the screenplay accordingly. I usually co- develop the screenplay with its novel or short story, stage play, audio drama, or a graphic novel equivalent—sometimes all four. The co-development process pushes back into the screenplay, to the benefit of all realizations of the story. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer or filmmaker? Seeing my works produced and presented to audiences worldwide, whether on the screen, page, or stage—why not all three? Throw in audiobooks and audio dramas, too. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show? In general, movies and TV shows with a fairytale timelessness, written to appeal to broad viewerships. Not a fan of “topical” or “message” media which lecture or alienate mainstream audiences, and which quickly go stale and often become unwatchable. How do you approach competition entries, and what have you learned from participating in these contests? Adapting a feature or pilot to meet a given competition’s submission requirements—page counts and clean vs. risqué language and themes—can be challenging, but is always good practice and essential to honing one’s mastery of the craft. Some contests provide actionable feedback that beneficially informs the next draft, and a win, place, or show in any contest is always heartening. What advice do you have for others hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? One word: persist! What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? I have four other shorts, two pilots, and two features in script development, all of which have been raking in awards and accolades. The co-developed novel versions of three of my works are in submission to agents and publishers. Where can the world find you? (Website, IMDB, etc.) International Screenwriters’ Association: https://www.networkisa.org/profile/astempleton IMDbPro: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm11131917/ |
