Welcome to the Screening Room of...
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JOHN McCARNEY

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Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
I live in Phoenix, Arizona
 
Your script or media entry stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your project ?
I was in the U.S.  Air Force stationed at Clark A.F.B  in the Philippines which was the launching point for Operation Babylift as Vietnam collapsed in 1975. I was assigned to the Newborn Nursery as a Medical Corpsman. Because I was so good at taking care of premature babies, I wasn’t involved with the actual flight that ended up crashing, killing many orphans, crew members from our base. I always felt guilty that I was safe while many others from my base perished. A cathartic writing experience some forty plus years later, made me realize that the true story of Babylift had little to do with me, but instead the heroics and plight of others… This is the story of a few of them written with some  creative liberty but an overwhelming amount of truth as well.
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 script over about a year in 2016, but rewrote it recently to include a birth mother and daughter thread. It placed in the Nicholl’s Fellowship in 2018 and also just won the 2023 ISA Best Action Adventure screenplay competition.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer or filmmaker?
To pursue the process of writing and share my stories with those who find them interesting and entertaining.
 
Which film directors or screenwriters inspire you? Why?
Quentin Tarantino because of his unique approach to writing and directing and Aaron Sorkin because of his dialogue.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
My favorite movie is Braveheart and my favorite television show is Breaking Bad.
 
What advice do you have for others hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Do not rush it. Rewrite and rewrite and get coverage notes.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I was awarded a WGA Veteran’s Fellowship this year and the screenplay I am developing with my mentors is titled: “The Yips” It is about my son, who was a gifted baseball player who suffered from mental health issues and turned down signing a professional baseball contract to get help and went on to found Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression Foundation (aaadf.org) providing free therapy for anyone who needs it.
 
Where can the world find you? (Website, IMDB, etc.)
JFMWRITES.COM  and under John McCarney on IMDB.