JAMES TUVERSON

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
I live in Coronado, California. After years in Los Angeles, I wanted a calmer rhythm that gives creativity room to breathe — without losing sight of the industry’s pulse.

How did you discover The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards and how did you decide to enter this contest among all the others?
I discovered the Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards on FilmFreeway. Since my work often digs into unsettling, thought-provoking themes, I was drawn to a contest connected to Palm Springs — a place known for celebrating bold, standout stories. It felt like the right arena to put my voice to the test. I’m sure glad I did!

Your script or media entry stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your project ?
The inspiration for My Dirty Secrets came from the brutal reality that today’s kids are being hunted in spaces we once thought were safe. Online predators can exploit cracks in a teenager’s world, turning curiosity and loneliness into weapons. With my protagonist, 14-year-old Sport McAdams, I wanted to put a face to that danger — a boy who’s forced to make adult choices long before he’s ready, torn between survival and protecting his younger brother, Oliver. It’s not just a thriller; it’s a story about what happens when innocence collides with exploitation—and how far you’ll go to fight back when monsters try to mess with somebody you love.

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’ve been writing My Dirty Secrets for years, and in a way, I don’t think I’ll ever stop. Every draft sharpens the story and brings me closer to the truth I’m trying to capture. This isn’t just a script I want to finish — it’s a story I’m determined to see on screen. I
won’t stop writing it until it becomes a motion picture.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer or filmmaker?
My ultimate ambition is to see my feature screenplays made into films. I’ve written four very different stories — spanning thriller, horror-comedy, drama, and animation — but they’re all connected by a core theme: how broken boys and men can find hope and redemption by trusting their families (either natural or “found”) and digging deep to rediscover their guiding light. That throughline is the heartbeat of my work, and what I want to share on screen. I think there are people out there who would like to see this.

Which film directors or screenwriters inspire you? Why?
I’m not really a film buff, and I don’t keep a long list of screenwriters or directors I idolize. But a few voices have stuck with me. Quentin Tarantino, for the way he makes dialogue crackle with danger and wit. James Cameron, for proving you can tell deeply
human stories inside massive spectacle. As an author, Cormac McCarthy showed me the power of stark, unflinching truth, while George R.R. Martin reminded me how myth and intimacy can live side by side. I’m not trying to emulate them, but I humbly hope my work carries a similar mix of raw honesty, emotional depth, and volatility.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
My all-time favorites are a mix of the outrageous, the epic, and the heartfelt: Rick and Morty and Archer for their razor-sharp wit and wild invention; Game of Thrones for its world-building and moral complexity; Aliens, Kill Bill, and Inglourious Basterds for the sheer intensity of their storytelling; and films like Avatar and Titanic for reminding me that spectacle can still carry deep emotion. On the lighter side, The Office and Parks and Rec showed me how comedy rooted in character can be both hilarious and unexpectedly moving. Together, they’ve shaped my sense of storytelling — big emotions, bold risks, and always a human core.

How do you approach competition entries, and what have you learned from participating in these contests?
I approach competitions as checkpoints, not finish lines. Each entry is a way to test my work in front of new eyes and see how it resonates beyond my own head. I’ve also learned to be clear-eyed about the contest world: there are more competitions than ever, but only a few can truly move the needle on a career. Some feel more like businesses built on the hopes of new writers than pathways to opportunity. The challenge is recognizing which contests matter and then using them as motivation to sharpen your craft. Win or lose, every result still pushes me to raise the bar.

What advice do you have for others hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
My advice is to stop assuming your script is ready after five or six drafts — it isn’t. If you’re serious, you have to be willing to go deeper and push harder than you think possible. Contests can serve as a reality check, showing you where your work actually
stands. But keep in mind, not all contests are equal. Many employ readers with little or no real industry experience, grading your screenplay on rubrics they themselves couldn’t pass. That’s why the only thing you can truly control is the writing. Do the extra draft. Then another. That’s the work that cuts through.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I’ve built a small, focused body of work, and each screenplay tells part of a larger story I need to share. My Dirty Secrets is a grounded psychological thriller about survival in the age of online predators. The Hours Before is an intimate two-hander about friendship, complicity, and mercy on the eve of a planned school shooting. The McSatans is a dark horror-comedy about a misfit Satanic family who must band together to fight a demon. The Viking Way is an animated coming-of-age adventure about grief, myth, and brotherhood set against a Viking apocalypse. On the surface they’re different, but together they form a single vision about how we find courage, connection, and light in the darkest places. That’s why I write stories. That’s why I won’t ever stop.

Where can the world find you? (Website, IMDB, etc.)
Website -- https://jamestuverson.com/
IMDB -- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2340592/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
Thank you!!