Today we’d like to introduce you to Craig James
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My dream at a young age was always to be an actor. It wasn’t entirely in the plan for my college education, as I was directed towards a business degree by my parents. I say this lovingly because even though I felt a calling in my heart, they come from a practical world experience and just wanted the best for me. Many of the courses I took in the business college, from accounting to operational management to even finance didn’t really click for me. You can almost say they gave me dread. Call it divine intervention or bizarre luck, it was only when I had a life-threatening accident (burnt on 51% of my body) from a summer job that I inevitably was able to lean into a clearer path. After a semester off, the college admin asked me what I wanted from my life, and, funny enough, they created a degree just for me. I was the first person to ever graduate from Entrepreneurial Management at Northern Illinois University. (SIDE NOTE: Robert Zemeckis also attended here, graduating many years before me. You can imagine my surprise when the university presented a filmmakers from NIU article, and I was featured right next to Zemeckis, even though I had only done a low budget film. Impressed my friends for a few weeks. 😊) The Entrepreneurial degree just made sense, because, although I couldn’t complete enough credits to get an acting degree, working at a local pizza place from the age of 15, I was always intrigued by running my own business.
From there, the first stone was laid. By 26 I was a partner in a small mortgage company that earned me enough money to finance my first independent feature film. It wasn’t a fortune of money, but it was enough to lay the foundation for the future. Shooting that film, awful as it may have turned out, was one of the best experiences of my life. I wrote the script knowing that moving to Los Angeles with just a background actor’s credit on The Untouchable series that shot in Chicago wasn’t going to be enough. So, I gave myself a juicy lead role in a semi-true story about a friend of mine who cheated on his girlfriend and convinced himself he contracted HIV. The psychological turmoil he went through during the 2 weeks it took in those days to get the test results nearly destroyed our friendship. It was a compelling first story idea but not great delivery.
However, it did plant the bug. While I waited on the edit of that first film, I wrote another screenplay. During my 20’s I was living in Lakeview, an adjoining neighborhood to Boys Town in Chicago. With all my struggles to find a girlfriend and always single, some friends, and even random people I met or occasionally dated, questioned whether or not I may be gay. It was such a common question that was even asked of me at weddings. Living in that area and seeing many very happy gay couples, I started to wonder. Could people see something in me that I didn’t know for myself? So, I gave it a go. I started to date guys and experimented with my sexuality. The experience led me to another interesting idea for a screenplay, and the rom-com Experimental Me was born. This time I took my time with the script, received a bunch of notes, and tried to really craft a story anyone could enjoy. My friends and I pooled our money, my share coming from my parents who had ironically set aside cash for the day I got married (to a woman). But they trusted in me enough to use it for my film. The struggle this time was finding a director. Having no experience but the entrepreneurial spirit, I decided to just direct it myself. To say that I was falling in love with filmmaking was an understatement. Although it was the most exhausting experience of my life, it was by far the most incredible. People came out of the woodwork to work on this film, providing favors anywhere and everywhere, because yes, this was still very low budget. I was touched by so much generosity. When the film was finally completed, we four-walled the premiere at a local theater in Chicago. It was not a perfect movie, some cheesy lines, some bad acting and the cinematography predated HD by just a year. But that didn’t matter, the crowd seemed to love it. I was so proud of this film, and knew I was onto something. Next on the list was a short film called Contract Killers that I wrote upon waking from a dream. It’s the story of a person adopted into a mafia family, and as he comes of age he must perform his first hit. Turns out it’s a puppy. Yes, a comedy. This short got so much attention at local film festivals that Steve Zacharias (writer of Revenge of the Nerds) who was on a judging panel contacted me to see how he could help. Well, ironically, I had already produced an independent TV pilot called Wrigleyville after meeting a random person at the dog park. He loved Contract Killers so much that he decided to write a check and fund the show. Again, very low budget, but one thing led to another which led to another and before you knew it, we had just enough to shoot the project. Take a look at some of the cast, a bunch of them went on to make nice careers for themselves. Steven Zacharias then led me to his manager who then repped my show to some major companies. And although that manager wasn’t able to sell it, I was able to get the show hip-pocketed by a major agency when an agent-in-training from Chicago brought it to her boss. You’d think with all this momentum something good would come of it, but that show got pushed aside once the 2008 writer’s strike happened. The reps told me that they need to put their money-making clients back to work first. Bummer, but that was okay because the ISA (International Screenwriters’ Association) was born!
Through all those filmmaking experiences the one recurring comment to me was “keep writing”. So, in 2008, having been ripped off by some shady acting schools, and not wanting that to happen as I pursued developing my craft of writing, the idea came to me to create a one-stop shop for writers to find trusted resources to improve their scripts. There is no one-size-fits-all path, and it was clear to me that we all connect to different educators, so why not create a space where all educators could find and inspire students of all ages, races or backgrounds. If we can present writers with different teachers, they could find a suitable mentor. We started with a simple site, posting ad banners, classes and resources. We expanded into promoting screenplay competitions and pitch events. From one person to hiring a second, rebuilding the website 3 times, we ultimately grew our member base and the staff to where we are today. The truth is that the ISA started with an idea, and I like to say $50 in my pocket. Almost 17 years later, we have relationships with some of the biggest companies in the world. Our focus is mostly on education, with the ISA Insider providing writers with many free resources and tools to develop their craft. We offer many free events and classes, introducing writers to execs in the industry willing to share their insight on the business or the craft. Additionally, we run fellowships, a Diversity Initiative, retreats and most recently launched a Student Fellowship that is free to apply to. Our goal is to discover unrepped writers and open new doors for them through our mentor relationships. These include Diane Drake (What Women Want), Pen Densham (Backdraft,Harriet), Damien Chazelle (LA LA Land, Whiplash), Gabriele Utsey (Part Timers), Jim Hart (Contact, Hook) and more. We have our writing gigs page where we post requests for screenplays and writing assignments from the many production companies, networks and studios we are connected to. Those relationships range from agents at ICM and CAA to execs at Amazon, Disney+, Miramax, Lucky Chap, and Netflix. We have our Development Slate which acts as a de facto management company, providing emerging writers with additional support until we find them an agent or manager or help them get their scripts sold. It’s no easy journey breaking down doors, but slowly we’re getting more writers into rooms with executives that can change lives.
Our plan is to continue to expand the website and improve features making it even easier for our members to connect their voices to the industry. With reading over 25,000 screenplays per year, we’ve learned one undeniable fact. It’s not easy to write a perfect screenplay, BUT there are so many incredible emerging voices out there that need the right community and support to develop their craft. Our goal is to make sure no writer finds themselves discouraged by the gatekeepers but to feel inspired to keep at it. It’s not an easy road, but success can be achieved, you just need someone who has your back.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well, you can read some of the challenges above, but I think as of late the biggest struggle has been the conflict in the industry. With the strikes and the fallout from those, I think we’ve seen a lot of emerging voices find themselves discouraged by the business. It appears more and more difficult for undiscovered talent to break in, even though execs at most of the companies we speak to state they get sent the same writers over and over and are turned off. This is where we come in. We can be a bridge to these companies, providing them with a unique perspective from unknown talent. We sort through the thousands of screenplays we are sent, so they don’t have to. And when we find someone innovative or willing to develop, we can help connect them. There are many aspects to this industry that give writers the wrong impression. Often, we see the same contests, fellowships, writing programs, job posts, OWAs, etc. that writers think may be their only path forward. When highly developed writers are competing for the top places in those programs and many of these programs don’t provide feedback, those undiscovered writers give up. They are not getting the right direction and, in most situations, no guidance on how to improve their work or how to get the attention they deserve. It certainly starts with the craft, but if there’s no one there to guide you, if you feel utterly alone, or worse off, rejected by the industry just because you have not made it into one of the top programs, fellowships, writing assignments, etc., it’s easy to walk away. We don’t want that. We want to inspire both sides, writer and industry executive, to know there is another connector. The ISA.
As you know, we’re big fans of International Screenwriters’ Association (ISA). For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I believe what sets us apart from others is that our team LOVES writers! We love storytellers, and we are inspired by them all. It’s no easy task to get through all the material and yes, most writers are not really ready. They want to believe they are because the truth is writing a screenplay is a huge accomplishment. But a screenplay is a blueprint for a director to present in a visual medium. Some stories may appear great on paper, but they don’t always translate to the screen. Our team genuinely takes the time to help writers develop so they have a fighting chance. Because, let’s be honest, it’s not even always about perfect writing but finding the perfect match with a director or producer OR the perfect time to produce it. Many projects like Brokeback Mountain, Schindler’s List and The Queen’s Gambit took years to get made, decades in some cases. Many of our stories come from the heart, and that’s what we should certainly follow, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the world is ready for that story. You have to have patience, receive proper guidance, and have the love for writing so your inspired project can find a home. I believe our team presents this philosophy and provides that type of support.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Networking is always tricky. My philosophy is talk to everyone you possibly can. You just never know who may inspire you. And the truth is, mentors come from all aspects of life. They don’t just have to come from within the industry. My first mentor was a mortgage banker. He gave me the confidence to believe in myself. I was only 26 when he asked me to partner in a mortgage company with him. And although we had these day jobs, we both wanted to do something creative; I wanted to be an actor, and he wanted to write a novel. When we sold our company, we both went on to pursue those dreams. You never know who will direct you on your path. I know it’s cliché, but I think it’s best to just trust the universe, or your gut. The more I do, the more I find myself being at peace with speaking to anyone I can about what I’m passionate about. That has led me on the path I’m on today and building the ISA. I think we draw people in because our intentions are sincere. The key is to never “need” something from someone but to give what you can to help them first. Mentorship shouldn’t be a one-way street. When we reach out to executives, it’s always to provide them with some value before asking any favors. The entire film industry only works if it’s from a collaborative spirit, so think about what you can give before you ask to receive. Executives are human too. 😊
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.NetworkISA.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/networkisa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NetworkISA
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/networkisa
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGDrTITqw7cdJkKEUHlvL6g
- Other: https://pro.imdb.com/company/co0390945/
