Write On: WGAeast Mentors Andrew Bergman and Caroline Kaplan and NY Screenwriting Fellowship Mentee Irina Rodriguez

“Just write a story you want to tell and don't try to write
something which you think you can sell to somebody because that
way is madness. You have to write what you want to write whether
it works or not for other people. But if it's not authentic to
you, it's doomed at some point along the road. So stick to your
guns!” says award-winning writer, Andrew Bergman about writing
your first spec script.


The Writers Guild of America East has again partnered with
FilmNation and Final Draft for the NY Screenwriting Fellowship
that fosters underrepresented New York screenwriters to help get
them career mentorships as they navigate their way into the
business. On today’s episode, I speak to two of the program’s
mentors, award-winning screenwriter Andrew Bergman, best known
for his script Blazing Saddles, and producer Caroline Kaplan,
known for the recent Oscar-nominated animated film, Marcel the
Shell with Shoes On. I also speak to their mentee, Irina
Rodriguez about her journey as an emerging writer and what it’s
like to get guidance from these two accomplished
filmmakers. 


“I have always just felt like mentorship is such a big part of
the independent film community and what we all do – it's really
such a supportive community in that way,” says producer Caroline
Kaplan, adding, “This program is really exciting because of how
that they create it, both from an artistic mentorship and sort of
a business mentorship so we can holistically help somebody… I
think connection and community is what it’s all about.”


To hear more advice and what Andrew learned from working with
director Mel Brooks, listen to the podcast.