GUNNAR GARRETT
Winner 2024 Best Media Entry: "Fostered"
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Oakdale, CA, USA Your script or media entry stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your project? I have two sets of identical twins, and I promise you, there’s nothing more creepy than walking past one only to see the other in the dark around the next corner. Seriously though, I have a twin daughters who I wrote the project for, but have since aged out of the roll How long did it take you to write your script or produce your pitch deck/sizzle reel/trailer...and what was your development process? I wrote the screenplay several years ago and finally got tired of waiting for someone to find the film, so my wife Jodie and I financed and produced the film ourselves. I directed with the help of a long time friend, Ritchie Greer. The feature itself has been completed and the trailer was submitted to help us drum up interest in the film itself. As for developing the project, I called in just about every favor I had, asking both cast and crew to work at an insulting rate, but with the script itself being as strong as it was, everyone jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the film, and process. I can honestly say it was the best set I’ve been on. The comaraderie was amazing and the willingness by everyone to do whatever they had to for the project was unparalleled. |
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What is your ultimate ambition as a writer or filmmaker?
To continue to make one film after another, regardless of budget. A great film is what the cast and crew make it, not the dollar amount that’s thrown at it. (Although the extra dollars do help eliminate some problems). Which film directors or screenwriters inspire you? Why? M. Night has easily been one of my favorites, as he leads you down a path, and you knowingly follow, with the expectation that whatever it is you think will happen in the story, will more than likely be incorrect. I love films that when I try to figure out the twist, the writer and director have done their jobs, making the twist incredibly difficult to decipher. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show? My all-time favorite movie is the 1963 film with Paul Newman, called “HUD”. The fact that there’s no happy ending, but just a moment where life continues, with or without you, is far to great of a reality check that I can’t help but relate to. Plus Paul Newman, isn’t exactly a slouch by any means. What advice do you have for others hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? Don’t worry about the prize… Do what you think best represents your film… If your project is something that you’d watch, then more than likely others will also. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? As a member of both the US Air Force, and Army, I’ve shot a short film called Twenty-Two (That you can find on my You Tube Channel) that I’ll be making into a feature once I have the funds. It’s incredibly important to me that people understand the struggles our veterans deal with upon the return from war. Most of the time these struggles are far too much for the veteran to deal with alone, but are too proud to find help for. Where can the world find you? (Website, IMDB, etc.) https://www.youtube.com/@ranchhandfilms https://www.instagram.com/gunnar_garrett/ |
