"Sweetwater" Traffics a Win for Mainieri & Robbins

Ruby Mainieri & Blake Robbins - talented and prolific screenwriters, co-authors of the edgy one-hour TV drama "Sweetwater", and together winners of Filmmatic's Season 10 Drama Screenplay Awards. Some Q&A with these writers-to-watch...

1) How long have you both been writing? 

RUBY: I've been writing since I was thirteen, so that's eleven years now. I'd say I've definitely gotten my 10,000 hours in.

BLAKE: Thanks so much Filmmatic for the recognition of Sweetwater.

After years in front of the camera, I started writing my first film in the mid 2000s that script became The Sublime and Beautiful, premiering at Slamdance in 2014. I think it was David Lynch who said if the universe gives you an idea and you handle that idea with a certain amount of respect, the universe will give you more ideas. That held true for me.

2) What screenwriting training have each of you received? 

RUBY: I'm largely self-taught through what I call the 'split screen method.’ I watch a movie while simultaneously reading its script. This technique has taught me so much about both the creative and strategic sides of screenwriting, showing me how words on the page translate to what audiences actually see and feel on screen.

BLAKE: No formal training. My film school has been experiential.

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

RUBY: I write mostly at night. I’m definitely a night owl and tend to be at my most creative during those quiet hours. But a huge part of my process happens away from the keyboard. I pace for two to three hours a day, working out ideas, structure, and scenes in my head before I ever sit down to write. By the time I'm actually typing, I've already solved most of the problems.

BLAKE: In the early days I'd write overnight  because I found if I was exhausted my brain would turn off, or at least dial down the judgement. I've learned to do that without needing to be exhausted....but I still tend to be a writer driven by inspiration so finding as many ways to be inspired helps my productivity. I give myself deadlines real and imaginary. I give myself permission to write the shittiest version of something.  I like to think of first drafts as a race to the finish line, so I  don't get precious, just get it on the page, then the work can begin. One of the ways I keep momentum is to stop writing with more runway...so I know what I wanna write when I pick it up again. I'm not starting from a cold stop.

4) What are your current day jobs, and how do they influence your writing & project choices? 

RUBY: I'm fortunate to write pretty much full-time, but I also work gigs as an intimacy coordinator for film and television. It's a strange and fascinating corner of the business that has given me a wealth of material, so many ideas for scripts and sketches come from seeing how productions work behind the scenes.

BLAKE: I'm an actor, writer, producer and director, and being in creative circles, surrounded by creative people is a powerful influence. However, looking at my body of writing the last 10 years of so, it tends to be that if I see something in the world that bothers me, hurts my heart or just sticks with me...I start to percolate on stories as a way of dealing with feelings. My curiosity about the human experience is almost always engaged.

5) Our judges loved your edgy one-hour TV drama "Sweetwater", how would you describe the project to our readers? 

RUBY: Sweetwater is a dark medical thriller about Dr. Wade Moore, a suspended surgeon whose desperate need to save his dying wife pulls him into a deadly organ trafficking ring. Set against the Texas-Mexico border, Wade gets entangled with Gabriel Marín, a cartel operative running a sophisticated organ harvesting operation. But Gabriel isn't a one-dimensional villain - he's a family man wrestling with his own moral compromises, trying to protect his children while being forced to sacrifice others. Both men start as fathers trying to save their families, but Gabriel's world doesn't allow for half-measures. It's 'Breaking Bad' meets 'Ozark' - a character study about good men making increasingly dark choices, with the urgency of border politics and medical desperation.

BLAKE: First of all thank you!  Well I love that you call it edgy because that implies so much of what we're going for, timely, provocative, and entertaining... add great characters and these are the shows I enjoy. I bet Ruby can describe it better than I (and I was right!)

6) How did you form the concept for "Sweetwater"? Is it based on a true story/news item? 

RUBY: Blake is the mastermind behind the concept, but I brought some deeply personal experience to the script. When I was seven, my mother underwent a liver transplant, and as a child I got a firsthand look at what goes into securing an organ - the emotional stress, the heartache, the desperate waiting. That experience stayed with me and informed Wade's journey with Cassie. I also have family in Guadalajara, Mexico, and I was frankly sick of seeing Mexicans portrayed just as 'bad guys' in so much television. I wanted to create a character like Gabriel who was layered and sympathetic beyond the stereotypes - someone whose motivations you could understand even if you couldn't condone his actions. The show isn't based on a specific true story, but it draws from real issues: organ shortages, border politics, and the lengths people will go to save the ones they love.

BLAKE: Years ago I read an article about a man who went to jail for harvesting organs, he owned a mortuary. Who does this and why?  This prompted research and I realized that very few people get arrested for this crime. There are so many different ways these crimes are committed and the sizes of the organizations that have access to really pricey things like surgeons, airplanes, surgical environments....so essentially these are cartels, with huge resources. But on an individual level you are dealing with someone who has made a very curious choice about what to do with their life. Just seemed to fascinating not to explore.  One of the reasons, besides her great talent for writing, Ruby was the perfect partner for this material is that she has a very personal experience with being on the organ donor list.

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

RUBY: I'm currently working on several projects across different mediums. My comic book 'Miss Demeanor' is being published by Scout Comics, which has been an exciting venture into the graphic storytelling world. I just finished my third animated TV pilot, 'Medusa,' and I'm currently working on my second feature film, 'Milf of the Year.' I love jumping between formats - from live-action drama to animation to comics - because each medium offers different storytelling possibilities and keeps me creatively energized.

BLAKE: I'm currently in pre-production for a film called Mickey Brasch which I'm directing and co-wrote with my good buddy Matthew Del Negro.  But the writing never stops....I think I have five or six scripts in various stages, including another one with Ruby, a horror film.

8) Where would each of you like to be writing-wise, and industry career-wise, in 3 years? 

RUBY: I mean, I'd love for 'Sweetwater' to be on the air! And I'm hoping to sell my newest feature film. Honestly, I try not to think too far into the future since projects are always changing and this industry is so unpredictable. But if I'm crossing my fingers for anything, it's that I'll be writing full-time, developing more complex characters and stories that challenge audiences. The dream is to have multiple projects in different stages - maybe a show in production while I'm writing the next feature. I just want to keep telling stories that matter to me and hopefully connect with people.

BLAKE: Haha my ambition knows no bounds, so probably best to keep that to myself.  But I would love to be show running Sweetwater with Ruby and be in season 2, at least.

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

RUBY: Honestly, try not to think too much about what people tell you is 'the right way to write.' Just write when an idea comes to you - whether it's three in the morning or two in the afternoon. Writing on your own terms, you'll eventually develop a toolbox that works for you. Keep reading scripts that inspire you, and always, always be open to notes and ideas from others. But ultimately, learn to trust your gut. Your voice is what makes your writing unique, so don't lose that trying to follow someone else's formula.

BLAKE: Follow your passions whatever they are, keep writing, keep dreaming, and not all good advice is good advice for you.

Congratulations once again to screenwriters Ruby Mainieri & Blake Robbins, our Season 10 Drama Screenplay Awards Winners. All contact and script requests for our winners will be forwarded to their attention.