Interview - Screenwriter Andy Epstein

Andy Epstein is the writer of Hollywood Genre Comedy Screenplay contest winning script, WHAT'S A ZAYDE. Logline: A rebellious Jewish teenager and her stubborn, tradition-bound grandfather clash over their cultural values and generational expectations, leading them on a heartfelt journey of rediscovery, reconciliation, and love.

After the competition win, we spoke with Andy about the story and the journey to this win.

How did you first become interested in a career in screenwriting?
Well, I can’t say I have a “career in screenwriting.” I’ve been a lawyer for (gulp) 36 years, and once my youngest child went off to college, I felt the urge to exercise some creative muscles that had lied dormant since I was in college. As a long-time lover of comedy -- in all forms, but especially movies – I had always dreamed of writing a screenplay, but a busy family life and a solo law practice didn’t really allow for that. But the combination of an empty nest and COVID solved that problem. So I bought a how-to-write-a-screenplay book, downloaded some software, and dug in.

Who or what inspired you to write this particular story?
My father-in-law was, simply put, was one-of-kind – and perhaps the sweetest, gentlest person I have ever known. He and my daughter had an unusually close bond that transcended the typical grandfather-granddaughter relationship and grew stronger as she became an adult. An illness required him and his wife to move in with us, and that experience offered plenty of material for a screenplay. About five years ago our extended family gathered together on the anniversary of his death, and the wonderful and funny memories started flowing. I knew then I had the story for my script.

What movies or filmmakers would you consider your greatest influences as a screenwriter?
I would have to say Judd Apatow. His films resonate so deeply with me because they wrestle with the relationships among loved ones, emotional vulnerability, and the challenges inherent to growing up. And, unlike anyone else (in my opinion), he is able to strike that delicate balance between being both hilarious and heartfelt. Ben Stiller is also an inspiration for me, as his films tend to focus on the complexities (and dysfunction) of family life, often incorporating a Jewish element.

With its themes of family expectations, traditional and cultural clashes, and personal growth, several people have called What’s a Zayde a “Jewish My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” and I find both apt and incredibly-flattering!

How much planning and outlining went into your process of writing this script?
I really didn’t outline at the start. Before I even started writing I found myself thinking about the screenplay throughout the day, and I was so afraid of forgetting those thoughts that I would write them down on whatever was handy: in my phone, on post-its, on the backs of receipts. It certainly was not easy or efficient digesting those notes and getting them into the form of a screenplay, but after spending so much time thinking (and fantasizing) about it in the form of a movie, I had a general outline in my head.

As drafts began to take shape, I would occasionally take a step back and try to get a sense of how the scenes in each act unfolded at a macro level. I know Final Draft (the software I use) offers tools to help outline, but I (probably, mistakenly) did not use them.

What advice would you give to aspiring screenwriters who are working their first script?
Far be it from me to offer anyone advice, but I’ll say two things: (1) find one or two people whose sensibilities you trust who you know will provide honest, constructive feedback; and (2) be obsessive about rereading and revising. I am currently at version 41 (over a span of almost 5 years), and there’s very little content in the current draft that appeared in the earlier versions.

Congrats to Andy Epstein on his winning screenplay!