Interview with Benjamin Christopher - Roadmap's 182 Writer Signed

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Interview with Benjamin Christopher

You just signed with Kaplan Perrone. How did that come about?
It all happened really fast! Joey Tuccio sent my latest logline to Ben Neumann at Kaplan Perrone. Ben requested the script, read it, shared it with Aaron Kaplan, and the next day we were all on a call. I could do all the market research in the world, but it wouldn't compare to Joey's intuitive grasp of what people are looking for and who would be a good fit for what material. So it's all thanks to Joey.

Tell us a little bit about your writing background. How did it all begin?
My parents are both copywriters, so I grew up wanting to write. I also grew up concocting elaborate stories for TV shows and movies on the playground or with my action figures. So all the pieces have been there as long as I can remember. It was really just a matter of waiting for my writing abilities to catch up with my imagination.

What are you most looking forward to about working with your rep?
Having a team. People who can not only help determine what the best next step for me to take is, but who also have the resources, experience, and track record to help make it a reality. Add to that the fact that they're invested in my success. That's what a team is, really; people invested in each other's success. When one person succeeds, the whole team benefits.

As a storyteller how do you infuse your voice into your work?
Screenwriting is interesting because no one is reading it like prose. Your job is just to convey what characters are doing and saying on screen. And your audience is extremely busy, inherently skeptical, and probably reading four scripts simultaneously while doing pilates. So it's that pressure of- don't lose this person's attention, don't confuse this person. I think my voice is just a natural byproduct of that sense of urgency.

Who are your writing influences?
Oh gosh. I don't know. I'll just say Raymond Chandler, JD Salinger, Christopher McQuarrie, Damon Lindelof, my parents, and William Goldman.

Having reached this new milestone for your career, what is one piece of advice you know now, that you would tell yourself when you first started out?
One- Do things you're afraid of, and do them often. Two - Meet as many people as you can. And not in a, What can this person do for me? type way. Just find people with similar interests, doing cool things, and make some friends!

How did you first discover Roadmap?
I did their pitch competition at the Austin Film Festival in 2019. I met Alexandra Davies at a post-Austin get together in LA and we connected and I picked her brain about Roadmap. I was sort of skeptical, because it seemed too good to be true. Screenwriting is maybe 60% writing. The rest is pitching, networking, getting notes, getting your material out there, etc. It's a lot to navigate on your own. So I can't tell you how excited I was when I finally found Roadmap. It's an incredible resource.

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