Writer Profile: Edward Santiago

I met Edward at Shriekfest in 2014.  We were both screenplay finalists and have kept in touch since then.  It was a true pleasure to be present when Edward won the Shriekfest prize for best screenplay in the feature Fantasy/Sci-Fi category for his script "Knights of the Valiant Heart".
 
I had a chance to ask Edward a few questions about his writing process and about the path that got him this far in his career.

TED:
Edward, many who write have a seminal moment when they knew that writing is what they wanted to do.  Did you experience that and, if so, could you describe it?


EDWARD:
During my life, I had many moments that I realized that I wanted to write and create stories, mostly film and graphic novels, to entertain people. My journey has had many points in which I almost lost sight of who or what I wanted to be. I always loved film since I was a kid, growing up with Horror and Science Fiction films.
If I could say that there was one moment when I realized that I wanted to create something, I would say when I was presented a copy of Fangoria magazine in the early 80’s. At the time, I was so scared of horror movies back then that I would hide behind the couch just to avoid seeing the movie. My older brother bought me that magazine, and there was this article about make up effects. This is the point that I realized that these were gags! It was fun to be scared, and the movies were a fantasy.  I realized that from that point on that I wanted to create these awesome fantasies and come up with ways to have fun with the audience.  Hence I decided that I wanted to write these stories and have fun!



TED:
I think the toughest time in a writer's career is the period just before a publisher, agent, manager, contest etc. recognizes your talent for the first time.  In my case, it felt like trudging through a dark wilderness with no sense of direction.  What was this pre-recognition period like for you?

EDWARD:
Up to this point, that is still a feeling that I have, not only as a writer but also as a person. You’re wondering how you’re going to pay bills, buy food, healthcare, and all the basic day-by-day living expenses. It’s a scary feeling, knowing that you have a talent and that it’s very difficult to find people willing to look at your work and decide to take a chance on you.
This past month I’ve called about 65 different production companies. Out of these, about 10 requested a query letter. So far I’ve got only three requests for the script. I guess perseverance is your greatest ally. Of course you have to wait what would be the possible outcome while still try to survive the best you can with what you got.

TED:
So what specifically was your first success?


EDWARD:
My first success as a writer was to finish my MFA in Creative Writing at Full Sail University. This gave me the push to work for my dream. This had led me to win the 2015 Shriekfest Film Festival screenplay competition for best fantasy script.

TED:
What was the experience of winning like for you:

EDWARD:
It was a great surprise and what made it special was that I enjoyed being among peers and friends to celebrate that moment. It's wonderful that a story that I wrote was enjoyed by the judges and other readers.

TED:
What advice would you give to a screenwriter who is starting from scratch today?

EDWARD:
I would say to read books like Syd Field's "Screenplay" or Chris Vogle's "The Writer's Journey". Learn structure, read scripts, watch movies. Listed to great dialogue and find out why it works. Never stop learning. If you can go to school to learn it, great. if you can't, then look for seminars. Be with people who encourage you. Just fight for it. Don't let anybody else tell you that you can't do it. If you listen to them, then you won't make it.

TED:
What's ahead for your writing, Edward?

EDWARD:
Right now I'm working on developing my next script, 135 Rue St., a horror comedy about a Reality Home Improvement TV Show crew that they end up in a house with an evil spirit inside. I also want to explore different genres, maybe a musical drama about the pressures of being an all-female rock band and how friendships would be tested by the pressures of fame.
I hope that I'll be able to make a sale soon. It's been hard work, and a lot of disappointments, but I'm still here hanging on!(that's a hard one lol) I'll be honest. Sometimes it's very hard. I recently had a "no" from a very promising contact. It hurts. It really does. But It will pass and I have to move on. Dwelling too much is counter productive. Just let it pass, get up and try again.

TED:
Thank you, Edward for an insightful conversation!