Today we’d like to introduce you to G. Scott Gehrs.
Hi G. Scott, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Just a few short years back, I was on vacation with my family in Mexico. They were all asleep, but I was wired up on Mexican Coffee and just stayed up watching the Black List. I thought that was pretty tight writing, the high concept was brilliant, the plot solid, characters well written and the dialog was engaging to say the least. I was hooked. I thought to myself “Well this looks pretty interesting, I wonder if I could write something like that?” And so I began to give myself a series of challenges: Write a feature script, and finish it. Once that was done I realized I didn’t know what to do next, so I gave my old film professor Dr. Drew Casper at USC a call. I said “What’s next?” and he made it very simple: “Now you get an agent.” And so I did. And I kept giving myself these challenges saying “Scott, if you’re any good at this, now get a deal” and so on, and so forth. Now, several years later I’ve worked on seven features, with three more in progress, and six television shows. I just completed a pilot for a terrific new show entitled “Frame of Reference” with the extraordinarily talented Jaimie Engle who I wrote Shell Game with. I am a WGA member, and I have a wonderful team; My fabulous agent George Baker, and my creative and talented manager Will Swift keep me centered, creating and working.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
While I wouldn’t say the road has been smooth, it has been an interesting journey to say the least. Juggling a family and a day job along the way is always a struggle, but my family has always been super supportive and interested in my writing. Some of the struggles have centered around just dumb luck, for example I had a deal offer on the table a while back for one of my tv pilots and my first agent passed away. Other things have just been bad timing: I was working on a deal and the union struck, so I put my pen down. Covid, studio budgets, you name it. Not to mention project delays, and all the normal day-to-day ins and outs of any business. But, it’s always been interesting and fun to go to work everyday.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love thrillers and I love comedy. The tense plot and tight pacing of a thriller is a great challenge. The protagonist in the fight of their life to figure out who’s trying to kill them, or to defuse a situation before it blows up their world, and the higher the stakes, the better. And comedy, I love comedy. Likely the best time I have had writing a screenplay is when I penned Bad Rabbis. The story of two Rabbis on a roadtrip across the country who get into one hysterical situation after another. It was a joy to think up and a true gift to write. Yep, thrillers and comedy, that’s where I live.
What makes you happy?
Well, aside from my family of course, with regard to work, I love the blank page. It might sound odd, but the potential and promise of a story “to be written” gives me the most joy. In my mind, the story is as good as it can possibly ever be, including on the screen. My challenge, goal and joy is to get it as close to the story in my head as I can. It all comes down to touching another human being. I get great satisfaction from telling someone a truly good story that transports them into the world I built, and gives them the opportunity to explore and experience. When I write something that accomplishes that, that is a really good day.
Contact Info:
- Website: email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm9901996/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scott.gehrs.1
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/g-scott-gehrs-a6949817b
- Other: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm9901996?ref_=nm_nv_usr_profile
