Michael Alter

What inspired you to become a screenwriter, and what keeps you motivated to keep writing?

I’m a 57 yo ICU doctor and I started screenwriting during the pandemic during breaks in my long shifts. As a teen I wanted to be a filmmaker but was encouraged to pursue a more tangible career. Years later, I chose screenwriting because it was one of the elements of filmmaking that I could do while still keeping my day job.

Can you tell us about your writing process, from the initial idea to the final draft?

Once I have an idea, I develop a working logline, create character sketches for the main characters, then an outline (sometimes a step outline) and start writing. I see every first draft as a vomit draft and once I’m finished I’ll start the rewriting to polish it up.

How do you approach creating characters, and what techniques do you use to develop them?

I have a list of 14 items (I won’t list them all here) that range from the name of the character, to the character’s greatest flaws and the final item is just a verbal rant from the character about anything and everything. This was provided to me during a 10 month long screenwriting course I took through UCLA 2021-2022.

My latest project, not the one I submitted to the BISF, is a RomCom that is essentially the story of how my wife and I met and all the cultural obstacles we had to overcome.

How do you balance your personal creative vision with the needs of producers, directors, and other collaborators?

I’m an unrepresented writer so I have yet to approach this balance since I haven’t worked with producers or directors. I will say as someone who didn’t formally attend film school, I’m always very open to what others suggest probably because I work under the assumption that their recommendations are really good. One of the situations I might not implement a reader’s notes is when it’s clear they either haven’t read the full story or they don’t understand the scene. It’s happened a few times but not often.

Can you talk about a particularly challenging moment you faced while working on a project and how you overcame it?

Since I’m unsigned, unrepresented I don’t have to (yet) concern myself with other’s input but if I’m stuck when writing (and this doesn’t happen often because my approach is to just write something, even if I know it’s not the best I’ll just keep writing) but sometimes I’ll lie in bed and think about the story as I fall asleep. What results is I may come up with a solution, sometimes I won’t be able to fall asleep, and sometimes nothing comes of it.

How do you see the role of screenwriting in the film industry evolving, and how do you see yourself fitting into that future?

As an industry outsider, I keep my expectations low, tell myself that the chances of getting a screenplay sold is along the lines of making an NHL team.

Keep your expectations in check. Don’t get disappointed and keep charging ahead.

Finally, what are your long-term goals as a screenwriter, and what legacy do you hope to leave in the industry?

My long term goal is to hopefully break into the industry and continue to write on Spec since I am still working full time as a doctor. I am not sure how I would work as a hired writer and continue with my day job. Ideally I’d like to transition out of medicine and into full time screenwriting but that may be more of a dream than an achievable goal.