FENELLA GREENFIELD

Fenella co-founded Euroscript and runs its annual Story competition. As script doctor and lecturer for Euroscript, she reads and edits hundreds of scripts a year – a couple of which are now in development with her production company Rocket Room Films.  She's written comedy for BBC radio, plays for LBC radio and episodes for BBC TV soaps.  She's made two short films, most recently PILL.  She freelances as a TV trailer maker for UK broadcasters and has won gold Promax awards in both the UK and US for her work.

Check out her promo website here and her YouTube channel here. 

Q:  Who is your favourite director?

A:  Steve McQueen because, although I found 'Shame' excruciating to sit through, it's a masterclass in its depiction of a character whose darkest antagonist is himself.  'The Master' starring Joaquin Phoenix and 'Sherrybaby' with Maggie Gyllenhaal are similar films and I love them both almost as much.  

Q:  What’s the most memorable line of dialogue?

A:  When I watch films, or read scripts, with interminable backstory speeches, using on-the-nose dialogue to describe childhoods scarred by the obligatory violent father and bi-polar step-mother, I cheer myself up by reminding myself of the gold standard in backstory exposition from 'Escape From Alcatraz' . . .

Charley Butts:   What kind of childhood did you have?
Frank Morris:    Short.

Q:  What is the first film you ever remembering seeing?

A:  I was with my dad and little brother.  We queued round the block for the Saturday matinee of the original Batman and were thrilled by its cutting-edge special effects enhanced by curls of thick cigarette smoke wafting from the chain-smoking audience.  When I saw it again recently I was shocked to discover the shark is clearly plastic and the batcopter is actually a helicopter covered with batman stickers glued on all crooked.  That said, the opening sequence still makes my heart race.

Q:  Who’d you like to be seduced by?

A:  Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Phoenix.

Q:  Who’s your favourite cartoon character?

A:  Maximus, the horse in Tangled.  If I were a horse I'd be in love.