Molly Vogel is a talented and prolific L.A.-based writer, and Winner of Filmmatic's Comedy Screenplay Awards Season 7 for her adult animated comedy TV project "Time Pod". Some Q&A with this up and coming talent:
1) How long have you been writing?
I’ve been scribbling away at stories since I was six, when I penned a fanfiction sequel to Peter Pan, titled Hook’s Return. So, I’ve been writing basically all my life! Granted I can’t vouch for the quality of my writing until the last five years or so, when I really found my voice.
2) What screenwriting training have you received?
I studied Screenwriting and Film Studies at Loyola Marymount University for undergrad, and clearly I liked the experience enough that I went back for grad school, where I earned a Masters in Writing and Producing for Television.
3) How many hours a week do you write? Do you have a day job as well, and how does it influence your project selection and writing?
I feel like I never write enough! However, I’m a big fan of outlines, so I try to chip away at my newest outline everyday. I don’t necessarily crank out pages non-stop because I like to have a solid foundation first upon which to build. I also think research is just as important as actually writing the pages. In that sense, I do research for my projects constantly, multiple hours a week.
I have a day job– I currently work as an assistant to a talent agent at Innovative Artists, though it doesn’t really influence my project selection or writing. It’s a losing battle for my confidence in my projects if I try to pay attention to industry trends. The industry changes constantly, so I just focus on writing what I want to write.
4) What writing habits work for you? Do you write in short or long shifts, at scheduled times?
Outlines and research! I build up my outlines in short shifts, then hammer out pages by act in long shifts. My writing habits used to be dictated by my school schedule, but now I focus on my projects after work. I’m also a collaborative writer– hence why I’d prefer to write for TV, not film. It’s very helpful to bounce ideas off my friends and family, as our riffing can lead to great ideas or dialogue for the script.
5) What genres do you lean towards? Are most of your works TV projects?
It’s funny– I’m definitely a comedy writer, but I don’t actually consume that much comedic content. I think it’s because my humor is dark or weird, so I’m drawn to dark or weird content. I lean toward horror/thriller/mystery in what I consume, but I lean toward comedy in what I write. I also much prefer writing TV projects because I enjoy the structure. I know every act break