Interview - Screenwriter Stan Evans
Stan Evans is the writer of the Action Screenplay Competition winning script, BILLION DOLLAR BOUNTY:
A man's quiet life in New Mexico is shattered when his estranged tech tycoon father offers a billion-dollar bounty
for his death. Now hunted by everyone from ruthless assassins to everyday citizens, he must survive the onslaught,
travel back East and confront the one person he fears most - his father. But why would his own dad want him dead?
The Fugitive meets The Purge.
We spoke with Stan about his background as a screenwriter leading up to the win.
How did you first become interested in writing for film as a medium?
Growing up with a single mother who often forgot where me and my twin brother were and couldn't afford a babysitter, I found myself at the theater for hours on the weekends and some weeknights. My twin and I watched, with wide-eyed wonder, all kinds of movies, dramas, period pieces, action, comedies. Movies were a place where I could escape the uncertainty of my home life. Like many who choose to write screenplays, I found myself wanting to create stories inspired by these memories. And to pass on the joy that helped me through my childhood.
What inspired you to write this story?
The number one nightmare scenario most people dream about is being chased. I had awakened from a particularly bad nightmare where that happened. The whole world was after me. I could trust no one! And as I regained my senses, I thought, what scenario in real life could bring about such extreme circumstances? Had we ever seen the entire world chase one person in film? I went through the day thinking about this and the story grew from that seed. And I kept looking over my shoulder.
What movies or filmmakers would you consider your greatest influences as a screenwriter?
The movies of the 80s inspire me the most. It was a decade of high concept excitement from "Back to the Future" to "The Road Warrior" to "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Fun, well-crafted action movies.
How much planning and outlining went into your process of writing this script?
This script was a bit of a monster. I wanted to make sure the action scenes worked and were fresh while paying homage to beloved films of my youth. It took me a solid month of planning, outlining and spitballing ideas. Cleaning up the spitballs were the worst part of it.
What advice would you give to aspiring screenwriters who are working their first script?
Be prepared for a long haul. Take kernels of encouragement where you can. I always look to see if the reader likes the concept. If they do, you can always rewrite. But getting the right concept can take time.
Stan Evans' Bio: Stan Evans is an Emmy-award-winning writer/producer who considers himself a story teller primarily. His first audience was his identical twin brother, Jimmy. They tried to make each other laugh almost as soon as the zygote split. While his twin went to work for Big Pharma after college, Stan used his brother’s contacts to get a job as a roadie for the Viva Viagra Band. But he kids. In reality, Stan moved to LA and performed standup at the Comedy Store. From there, he landed his first TV job, writing jokes for Greg Kinnear on E!’s “Talk Soup.” Then he developed the syndicated hit, “Blind Date.” During this time, he also wrote screenplays that went nowhere for such disparate types as Paul “Police Academy” Maslansky and Paul “Taxi Driver” Schrader. For the last decade, he’s been living on the mean streets of Burbank, working on bad reality shows you’d be proud to say you’ve never seen. And getting the odd screenplay optioned. Stan enjoys writing sci-fi, action and dramatic features. And if he can get his twin to laugh at a logline, he knows he’s onto something.
A big thanks and congratulations to Stan Evans!