LYNNE NEWTON
 Lynne Newton
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Los Angeles California USA Your script or media entry stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your project ? The inspiration for my project Illumination Paradox stemmed from my absolute abnormal fascination with Egyptian culture. From the great pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, artifacts, sarcophagus and mummified human remains, I am all in all the time. It was very ambitious, but I knew that what I wanted to write as my first feature would somehow involve ancient Egyptian characters. Hence the Illumination Paradox script, Pitch deck, Graphic Novel and Short Proof of Concept was born. How long did it take you to write your script or produce your pitch deck/sizzle reel/trailer...and what was your development process? It took me 3 years to write the feature script for my project Illumination Paradox. I co-produced and collaborated with another producer who's also a graphic designer on the Pitch deck. And it took 6 months back and forth to get the perfect essence of what we were trying to convey to convey I also wrote, produced and shot a short proof of concept to accompany the feature script. The development process consisted of saving money as most of the production was self-financed along with some crowdfunding over a period of 3 years. I also purchased props, researched and secured locations, purchased costumes and just about anything else I could do to prepare up until the actual production days. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer or filmmaker? I have 3 projects/goals that I would like to accomplish over the next 5-10 years I would love to pitch 3 projects in hopes of either selling the script or having it produced and distributed. Feature Sci Fi-Action-Thriller script Feature Holiday Christmas script Feature Environmental Thriller script Which film directors or screenwriters inspire you? Why? Oh my there are so many! At the moment I would have to say Robert Eggers (Nosferatu) Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) and Takashi Yamazaki (Godzilla Minus One) Let me be clear, I am not a horror fan. But because I was on a nominating screening committee, Nosferatu was one of the films that I had to watch. The ensemble cast was outstanding and the way it was filmed was very cinematic and intriguing. But the main reason I am now a Robert Eggers fan is because he was able to very successfully take a 1920s character and bring it into current times while staying true to the original story. The character Orlok was similar in demeanor and looks to the original but with a added twist making it an absolutely horrifying encounter. Robert Eggers raised the bar when it comes to what being terrified should feel like. Horror writer/directors coming up in the ranks behind him should take note and refer to his vision as a reference point. If Nosferatu doesn’t win any awards this season I would be very surprised. What can I say about Ryan Coogler? I think Black Panther is one of the most innovative and probably my favorite Marvel movies of all time. I am most impressed and inspired with Ryan's vision and creative insight. Writing and creating a fictional world that feels real and believable can't be easy. Not only that, I would have never thought in a hundred years that there could be a superhero movie with an predominately black cast. From the high octane action to the beautiful and well-crafted Academy Award winning costumes of Ruth Carter, to the amazing ensemble cast, to the awe inspiring set design it just all came together so beautifully. I am truly in awe of Takashi Yamazaki for again going back to the original origins of Godzilla. He was able to create the essence and feel of the original Toho storylines while making the picture look very cinematic and current. It reminded me of when I was a kid growing up watching the old Godzilla movies. I also imagine writing a compelling human story around a very big monster must be difficult to do. It's no wonder why Takashi and his team won an Academy Award for Best Special Effects and has already been given the green light to write/direct the next successful Godzilla movie. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show? My all-time favorite television show is Columbo. When I don't know what to watch on TV or I'm burned out on all the current shows, I find myself always going back to my boy Peter Falk. I'd have to say my all-time favorite movie is The Matrix Trilogy. A film way ahead of its time with a concept that is truly original. I hope to someday work with the fabulous Lawrence Fishburne. My other all-time favorite movie is Cliffhanger with Sylvester Stallone. The movie is older but has ALL the elements of a great story that keeps you guessing. What advice do you have for others hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? My best advice for anyone entering a contest or Festival is to not have it in your mind that you are going to win every single time. You have to have the mindset of it being an opportunity to get your project in front of other people, get other eyes on it and build your brand and repertoire. You certainly DO want to be selective in who you're submitting your project to, but it's not always necessarily about winning accolades. It's about exposure. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? I am currently working with a company that helps published book authors with screenplay adaptation. We are collaborating to create a two-minute trailer of my book "High Yellow: A Creative's Memoir" now available for purchase on Amazon. The ultimate goal is to get the story of the book in front of potential producers and investors for it to be produced and filmed. Where can the world find you? (Website, IMDB, etc.) LINKTREE https://linktr.ee/lynnenewton IMDB Imdb.me/lynnenewton High Yellow: A Creative's Memoir amzn.to/3GLCy41 |
