[Watch the video interview on Youtube here]
Film Courage: You made a video on your Jay Fingers Youtube channel entitled “Why my latest screenplay rejection is actually a good thing.” Can you talk about this?
Jay Fingers, Screenwriter/Author/Youtuber: When I had first started querying I was sending out Potter’s Field actually and in sending that out I was just nervous this was going out with the log line, the script that I’d worked on for a very long time. I’d put my heart and soul into it. I was really nervous about the type of reception that I would get and so I was pleased to get a response from a manager. That response was a rejection but the thing about it was it made me realize that okay the log line worked because he read this, he read the email and he read the log line. His response referenced the script and explained why it wasn’t for him.
The other thing was that well my name, as we’ve talked about, it’s memorable and even though he passed on the script, my name is now on his mind. It might be in the back of his mind but it’s seen, it’s come across his screen. He knows who Jay Fingers is. I’m very sure that if he sees my name again he’ll think back because it’s an easy name to remember. I’m sure that he’ll think back on that. That’s why I took that rejection as a positive thing.
You’ve got to take the positives from the rejections. Everything that could be perceived as negative that’s why I was really happy with that, it’s just okay. I’m doing something right. Let me adjust but still stay on the same path.
Film Courage: Have you always looked at things like that or is this a new Jay Fingers?
Jay: I’ve always tried to look at the positive. It gets difficult sometimes but I do always try to remain positive. Sometimes it takes time for me to realize that Oh okay, that was a positive. I shouldn’t have been upset about that because things worked out in a completely different way or I was shielded from something that would have been even more disastrous. I’m working on that. I’m working on trying to remain positive in all things.
Film Courage: Why do you believe you can sell a screenplay?
Jay: Simply because I can. I honestly believe that I’ve got the talent. I honestly believe that I’ve got the work ethic. I think that I’m the type of person that people would want to work with. They say that that’s a very big thing. People would rather work with an okay writer who’s a joy to be around as opposed to like a stellar writer that’s a pain in the a**. I would like to think that I’m a joy to be around. I just believe I can do it. I believe I can do it and I’ve seen so many people succeed. I just feel that the opportunity is there for so many of us…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
BIO:
Jay Fingers is a novelist, journalist, editor, and emerging screenwriter. He grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, before attending film school at the University of Miami. After college and working in Miami Beach’s nightlife scene for several years, Jay moved to New York City — Brooklyn, specifically — where he wrote four books: Guestlist, Kisses for Tati, Orange Mound and Manhattan Sweetheart. Deciding to fully pursue his lifelong screenwriting ambitions, Jay relocated to Los Angeles, where he currently lives and has been tirelessly working on spec scripts.
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