Writing THE RIFT (2012)

The first script I wrote that actually paid was a scifi short Robert Kouba of Vantis Pictures commissioned back in 2010. He had an idea but needed help fleshing it out and turning into a first draft. I worked on that for about 2 months, swapping ideas back and forth over email until Robert was happy with the story. I then went off and wrote a first draft.

A few revisions later and the job was done. 

When the short film came out a year or so later, I noticed that top credit (the credits on screen before the film starts) went to Robert and two other screenwriters whom he had brought on to re-write my original draft. That stung a little, especially considering how much of my initial draft remained, but such is the way of things. My first screen credit came at the end and I'm still thrilled every time I see it.

The film is really good, and the changes the new screenwriters made certainly improved the story, turning it from the darker version I had written and giving it more an Emmerich feel.

But I had fun working with Robert in fashioning the story and writing the script. You can watch The Rift by Vantis Pictures on YouTube.