by Pearl Chen
HLS:
Hollywoodlitsales.com (Interview by Pearl Chen. See bio below.)
CY: Cathy Yuspa
JG: Josh Goldsmith
Interview:
HLS: How did you
decide to write together?
CY: We met
through mutual friends in New York one night several years ago. For some reason, we were all going
out to a place called Webster Hall where people dance in cages. We both reacted with the same amount
of irony about it, and knew we would get along creatively. We decided to write together because we
have the same perspective on things and like working together in a male-female partnership.
JG: I thought a
woman would make me more hireable because sitcom staffs don’t usually have a need for another male
Jew.
HLS: Do you
recommend film school?
CY: Film school
was great to give us time to write, polish samples, and that kind of stuff. We also met a lot of
people who were good contacts. It was great for us, but on the downside, it’s pretty expensive, and
some of the same things can be achieved by working with and meeting people in the industry.
JG: I agree with
Cathy.
HLS: How do you
split up writing? Is it different for features as opposed to television?
CY: We often do
split up scenes when writing and then rewrite each other’s scenes. Or sometimes, one person is
diligently writing and the other person is annoying that person by doing nothing. At some point, we
always come together and go through drafts. We work the same way in TV and film, although with film
there’s a lot more time spent walking around the block, figuring out structure and angst-ing.
HLS: What’s a
typical week on "The King of Queens"?
CY: We have a
’table read’ with the actors on Monday, get notes from the network and studio, then rewrite Monday
night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night. The director ‘blocks’ the show on Thursday, meaning he
choreographs the cameras with the actors. Then we see rehearsals and shoot the show on Friday nights.
We’re also ’breaking’ upcoming stories and writing drafts of upcoming episodes during the week. In
down time, there’s a whole lot of gambling, mostly gin rummy.
JG: Also,
sometimes we’re off writing episodes. Or at work having free food.
HLS: Tell me about the pitch for "13 Going On 30."
CY: We had a new idea for a movie that was a pitchable kind of movie, i.e., a clear premise with funny scenes, and we developed it with producer/manager Gina Matthews. When it was worked out into a pitch performance -- about twenty-five minutes covering the storyline, the characters, and the humor -- we set up meetings with various studios. Luckily, Greg and Todd at Revolution liked our new pitch, which is now called "13 Going On 30", and bought it.
HLS: How much
research do you do?
JG: We enjoy
meeting and talking to people who are in the professions and worlds that we write about. We think it
provides a lot of detail that we wouldn’t otherwise have. Also, because we usually write romantic
comedy, our own relationship comes into play a lot as well.
CY: We also
watch our friends and family a lot and then write down the things they say when they leave the room.
Nick, the lead of "What Women Want", is based on a really good friend of ours, who’s pretty happy
that Mel Gibson is playing him.
HLS: What
percentage of your writing is spec versus assignment?
CY: Since we’ve
been working on "The King Of Queens" for a few years, most of our writing is assignment. Our pitches
have been spec. We like working on spec in film because we get to come up with our own ideas.
HLS: Do you ever
work as individuals?
CY: We always
work as partners.
HLS: Are you
represented by the same people?
CY: Yup, we’re
represented by the same people (Bob Broder at
Broder/Kurland/Webb/Uffner).
HLS: What are the characteristics of a successful
screenwriter?
CY: I don’t
know. I don’t think we’re there yet, but probably a lot of hard work, attention to detail, and
ability to figure out movie ideas from every day things and/or interesting things you read about or
think about.
JG: I would say
the most important aspect is a sense of commitment to finishing what you started.
HLS: Why do you
write?
CY: Hmmm... I
think it’s the intersection of everything I love -- watching and thinking about people,
entertainment, comedy, and I like words – crossword puzzles, e-mails -- and love a whole lot of other
film and TV writers. Then, to see things get made and to entertain people is a thrill.
JG: I like to
write because... I don’t know exactly why, but there’s something incredibly rewarding about
expressing things and seeing them enjoyed by people. It’s really an incredible rush, and it’s a
really fun working environment, too.
HLS: Where do
you see yourself in a decade?
CY: Hopefully,
writing things we like in TV and film.
JG: Writing at a
little place called Echo Lake -- the summer camp where I used to be a counselor... with my lady and a
special cabin built for two.
HLS: If you
could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?
JG: I wouldn’t
have wasted time trying to pursue fruitless writing assignments. Have faith in your own ideas and
just write them.
CY: I think
that’s great advice. In my limited experience, that’s the way to create exciting, energized
stuff.
Pearl Chen is an actor, comedian, and writer
currently appearing in the film "Quest For Life" at the Kennedy Space Center. Her most notorious
credit is an American Express commercial. She graduated from Stanford University and has a
certificate in Screenwriting from UCLA Extension. She also performs stand-up comedy in Los
Angeles.
