Interviews

The Spec Script Library
Screenwriter : Robert Schoen

Robert lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Why?
He likes living in old places.

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What is your passion?

Some I won't tell you, but as far as writing goes,
putting down on paper exactly
how I see things.

What is your pride?

My children, my wife, and my art.

What is your greatest fear?

Y 2K. Get out your umbrella, folks.
But if we make it through the next few years,
2005's gonna be outta sight!

What does adversity do to you?

Pisses me off, and makes me work harder to get things right.

What is your best quality?

Persistence of vision. Doing something truly original.

What is your worst quality?

Too much pride.

What irksome habits do you have?

Sporadic inertia, and messiness,
while in the persuit of my enthusiasms.

If you could have your time again, what would you do that is different?

Learn the piano.

What would you like to change about yourself? About others?

Have a fuller head of hair.
I wouldn't want to change others, maybe just make them
see things differently through my writing.

How important is goal setting to you?

Very. I literally will all my creations into existence.

What goals do you have?

Four new scripts in the works,
and keeping after my agent to keep after the producers who've been
holding onto my scripts for months now.

What is your ultimate goal?

Reincarnation into a better body. Just kidding.

What heroes do you have?

Michelangelo, Picasso, Hitchcock, Beethoven, Art Bell, and the Dandy Warhols

What inspires you in others?

Those who do things exceptionally and in an ethical manner.

What inspires you in yourself?

Endless curiosity and the ability to learn new things.
The excitement of seeing things actually getting done.

What will be written on your headstone?

"He'll never be another Hitchcock."
But since I carved marble sculpture in Carrara Itlay for a decade,
I'll most probably come up with something better by then.

What does success mean to you?

Doing exactly what I'm doing now,
and feeling lucky to be able to do it.

How do you measure success?

With enlightenment.

What are your pet hates?

American Politics.
We're the "Evil Empire" now, as far as I'm concerned.
The violent mindless entertainment that makes up
a lot of Hollywood fare.

What are your pet loves?

Reading, Jogging, planting trees, collecting art.

What do you think of pets?

Frankly, raising kids is a far better expenditure of affection.
And there's no vet bills!

When are you happiest?

With my kids.

What has been your most embarrassing moment?

Someone watching me swing a golf club.

What's the most exhilarating thing you have done?

Traveling 'round the world, climbing mountains,
sailing down the Nile in a faluka, carving a fourteen foot tall man
out of marble.

What is it about screen writing that gets your fired?

Going head to head with Hitchcock, Kubrick or a Billy Wilder.
Having a shot at making a movie as good as theirs.

What screenplays have you written?

My latest is" Atlantis Rising" a sci fi thriller I'm very proud of.
"Hitch and Alma," my tribute to Hitchcock, which I'm proud to say
was read and highly praised by Martin Scorsese himself.
"Broken Eternity" is the story of young Michelangelo's struggle in Rome
to make make it. I carved marble sculpture for a decade in Italy,
and besides being my idol, I actually discovered Michelangelo's lost" Cupid'
in 1984, and this script explains why it was never found.
"Loveweb," is a romantic comedy between husband, wife and internet sex
(a quirky retelling of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro) !
"Centuries" is a classy atmospheric horror story set in my favorite city, Venice. An animated feature "The Marble Boy," that tells the story about
finding Michelangelo's lost Cupid right in the center of New York,
which nobody recognizes. I wrote for my kids. And a few others
you'll see listed here in a few months when they're done!.

What is your favorite pastime?

I don't pass time, I burn it.

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If you would like to contact Robert
please mail him

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