Discover the Force behind George Strayton's "The Skywalker"

George Strayton is a talented and prolific screenwriter centered in both Los Angeles and Edinburg Scotland. His dramatic George Lucas episodic biopic wowed our Season 10 - TV Pilot Awards judges, enjoy some stellar input from this star-bound writer below.

1) How long have you been writing?  

I’ve been writing for over three decades across film, television, and publishing.

2) What screenwriting training have you received?  

I earned an MFA in Directing from Columbia University. But most of my creative development came through trial and error (a LOT of error).

3) What writing habits work for you? Do you write in short or long shifts, at scheduled times?

I can’t write anything until I understand the emotional spine of the piece. Once that’s clear, I work in focused blocks, anywhere from four to ten hours a day every day until I complete a draft.

4) What is your current day job, and how does it influence your writing & project choices?  

I’m a writer-director developing original IP and trying to get my first feature film made. When I’m not doing that, I teach in various programs.

5) Our judges loved your biopic TV pilot The Skywalker. How would you describe the project to our readers?

THE SKYWALKER is a character-driven biographical drama about George Lucas at the most precarious moment of his life — when AMERICAN GRAFFITI is on the brink of collapse, his career is nearly over, and STAR WARS exists only as a fragile, half-formed idea. It’s about creativity under existential pressure.

6) How did you decide to move forward with writing The Skywalker? Are you a fan of Lucas, and do you have any connection to him or his work?  

I’ve always been interested in George Lucas as an artist rather than an icon, particularly his struggle with creativity and control of his own destiny as an artist. In the late-1990s, I worked in STAR WARS publishing as a writer and continuity expert, which led to brief professional correspondence with Mr. Lucas. That experience, combined with long-standing respect for his work, informed a more grounded, human approach to the story. Like many filmmakers of my generation, STAR WARS lit the fuse that ultimately led me to becoming a filmmaker.

7) What are you working on now? What do you plan on writing in the near future?

I’m currently developing an original science-fantasy feature titled THE STAR CYCLE to be shot entirely in Scotland. We’ve just completed the animatic and camera tests, and the project is moving toward production. At the same time, I’ve been working on finding a producer for THE SKYWALKER.

8) Where would you like to be writing-wise, and industry career-wise, in three years?  

That’s a great question. My goal has always been to write and direct original epic genre films in the tradition of STAR WARS and THE LORD OF THE RINGS, but with full creative control (one of the reasons I have so much respect for Mr. Lucas, who is one of the few filmmakers in our lifetimes to achieve it).

9) Any advice for those about to write their first TV project?  

Focus on the core relationships first. If those are alive and truthful, the plot will take care of itself.

Congratulations once again to screenwriter George Strayton, our Season 10 TV Pilot Awards Winner. All contact and script requests for Mr. Strayton will be forwarded to his attention. Please feel free to follow this talented writer at his production company website HERE!