Screenwriting advice from the Pros

Phillip E. Hardy is back on The Mighty Dragon!

It was a pleasure to catch up with a writer buddy of mine, Phillip E. Hardy. Phillip was previously on The Mighty Dragon back in 2020 talking about the enduring fascination of Dracula (link below in Resources).

It’s a great time to catch up as Phillip has just adapted Hemingway’s Sun Also Rises into a screenplay. We talk about this and his upcoming movie Purgatory Station starring Bob Gunton as Horatio Grimes. Phillip also manages a Facebook screenwriting group, Screenwriters Talking Shop. This is a super-friendly, helpful and supportive group and a great resource for all writers serious about their craft.

While I had Phillip I grilled him on best practise as a screenwriter and the question we all want to know, how to get your script read as an un-repped writer.

Question’s posed

You have recently adapted Sun Also Rises into a screenplay, is this the first adaptation you have done?
What are the challenges of adaptation?
Have you much licence to change the narrative in adaptations?
You have a movie coming out too! Purgatory Station, can you tell me more about this?
As a writer I have known for years, what have you learnt the most about the writing profession?
You have a Facebook writing group, what sets this apart from other writing groups?
Do you think writing competitions are worth the money?
Which writing festivals are the best ones to enter in your opinion?
Should a writer try different genre, or stay within the genre they feel most comfortable?
What’s the best advice you could give to writers who are not represented in getting their work read?