Interviewer: Hello, everybody. Today in our studio we have Karen Jones – the world-famous film producer and script consultant. Hello, Karen!
Karen: Good afternoon, thank you for inviting me. It`s a real pleasure being here.
Interviewer: Your workshops on screenwriting are visited by hundreds of scriptwriters annually.
Karen: Yes, because every screenwriter`s goal is to have their project bought by a production company or studio and get a green light to have it produced.
Interviewer: Can you tell us what red light moment are and give us a few examples?
Karen: Red light moments can happen whenever there is a change of personnel of the top or because the studio network or production company is undergoing a merger or an economic restructuring. When a new head of production comes in, they may have a totally different outlook on what is needed to move the company ahead. Usually, it is a thinning out of projects which may not fit into the new regime`s program.
Interviewer: You work a lot from home. What is your favorite room in your home?
Karen: I do believe it`s important to have a place where you can unwind, find peace and relax, even if it`s for a few minutes. In the winter I love curling up on a comfy sofa in my family room next to a fireplace with my cat snuggled up next to me. If the weather is nice, I love reading and relaxing in our patio. On one side of our backyard my husband planted beautiful Japanese maples next to a small stone temple. On the other side of the patio is a soothing European style fountain surrounded by azaleas and other flowering plants.
Interviewer: Do you have any special quotes or saying that you keep visible in your work environment to help inspire, motivate and encourage you?
Karen: There`re so many quotes that I find inspirational, but here are two of them that come from rather diverse sources. The first one is: “When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace” by Hendrix. And the other one is: “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think” by Winnie-the-Pooh.
Interviewer: What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?
Karen: I`ll be doing a talk on family entertainment for the Torrent`s children`s book authors at their local border store on August the 24th. On August 25th I have the pleasure of co-teaching a special class on TV careers with my dear colleague Ellen Sandler at the writers` store in Burbank. This fall I`ll be teaching a workshop in France for the Marseille festival “Do Web”. In late January I`ll be travelling to India to the international film festival to do a three-day workshop.
Interviewer: What do you think attendees will find most useful?
Karen: Writers who attend will certainly gain a fuller, more expansive outlook on the complete process of screenwriting with information, advice and suggestion from more than dozen industry specialists whose clients include several award-winning writers, producers and agents.
Interviewer: Tell us why screenwriters should attend any writing conferences?
Karen: In between the panels the organizers usually arrange for everyone to have an informal dinner from several of LA`s famous Gourmet food trucks, it`s a great unstructured opportunity to talk with authors as well as fellow screenwriters and directors – what a fantastic way to build and expand a screenwriting community I just mentioned. I`m looking forward to answering authors` questions.
Interviewer: Thank you very much, Karen!
