INTERVIEW: SCRIPT & SCREENWRITER, DIRK EICHHORST

In his 20-year career, Dirk Eichhorst has earned a living as a writer, director, production manager, and editor for documentary, promotional, educational, and narrative videos.  He has developed original material into several scripts, both commissioned and on spec. In 2006, Dirk earned an Accolade Award for the fitness series, ‘Body Balancing by Tim Michaels’.  In 2008, Dirk decided to focus his career on script and screenwriting for the corporate, commercial, documentary, and entertainment markets.

Patricia Miller, WGA signatory literary agent of White Orchid Literary Agency, chose to represent Dirk in August 2009. 

This fall, he will be teaching “Introduction to Script & Screenwriting” at Grand Rapids Community College [located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA].  Running Tuesday evenings from September 24^th – December 3^rd, the 9-week course will develop student’s skills as a screenwriter in this comprehensive introduction to the principles of writing for feature films.

“Introduction to Script & Screenwriting” is a non-credit course and is open for enrollment.  For additional information and to sign up for the course, or for additional details, go here. 

Erika Szabo: What inspired you to go into film?

Dirk Eichhorst: As a kid, I always loved dressing up as characters I saw on TV, like Batman, Speed Racer, Hoodoo. I guess I had this desire to escape into fantasy that I kept mostly inside, and I got teased at school when I let it show in the characters I became. But it wasn’t until 1980, when I saw “The Making of The Empire Strikes Back” on TV (the second of George Lucas’ Star Wars films), that I realized how cool everything was behind the scenes. I was completely enraptured by the process of making a movie and the magic of special effects. I hadn’t even seen “Empire”, but I was so intrigued with the making-of, that my Dad let me borrow his prized Super-8mm movie camera so I could make a silent film with some friends. That was my first film, in that summer of 1980.

E: Why did you decide to specialize in Script & Screenwriting?

D: I’ve somehow managed to earn a living wearing all the hats: writing, directing, producing, managing productions, editing. On my early work I did art direction and special effects. I’ve done carpentry, lighting design, camera op, DP, sound design and mixing; my goodness-nearly everything. I was the proverbial jack of all trades but master of none. But writing is where the story is given birth. As a writer I have a chance to wear my heart on my sleeve, to throw it all down on paper, to discover and explore fears, fun, and fantasy. To create that first vision, and watch it mature from the first seed of an idea into a full-blown screenplay that’s worked and reworked, wrenched and twisted, torn apart and knit back together until finally it’s ready for the camera, is awesome. I love the nuts and bolts of it, whether I’m working on a narrative script, or a documentary or promotional script. So as much as I love the collaboration of directing, there’s something about that quiet intimacy of just you and the words on the page, when you first feel the emotions of a story. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve laughed and cried, felt anger or excitement spontaneously, working on my stuff, experiencing my characters come to life right before my eyes on the page. It’s wonderful.

E: When writing a script, where do you usually get your influences from?

D: In terms of process, I borrow much of my attitude from the baroque, classical and romantic composers, whose art and music was their life; guys like Handel, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, who gave it their all and anguished over getting every note perfect before their world premieres. I grew up in a conservative home, so I have a deep moral grounding that invariably manifests itself in my work, no matter how crazy or immoral a story may get. Other influences come from all over; childhood fantasies, romantic memories, moments from life that have made a lasting impression on me. But some of the stuff I come up with I have no idea where it comes from, it just pops in there as I’m writing, and I’ll ask myself, “Where did I get that?’ and there’s just no answer. I guess that’s when you credit the Muses. And dreams, lots of stuff from dreams. My early influences were the Lucas/Spielberg epics, but somehow I’ve gravitated to writing drama, family stuff, and real whacked-out comedies. Comedy is the most fun to do, but hard.

E: Have you had any mentors?

D: Bart Gavigan from the UK has been incredible; sitting in on his seminars in the mid 90s was revolutionary for me. He later tore apart one of my scripts and wrote me a critique showing me where I was off track; he knows story inside and out. Ron Suppa and Dr. Linda Seger, both huge influences in my development as a writer, had the boldness to tell me when I was wrong or just plain stupid, where I could improve. Devorah Cutler-Rubenstein and Laura Scheiner have been real blunt but so kind, and took the time to put me through the ringer, all super-respectful and encouraging. Jim Burnstein too, a fellow Michigander who wrote “Renaissance Man” and teaches at U of M, was very kind in giving me some of his time to answer a bunch of my questions. I can’t thank these people enough. And William Goldman, whom I finally heard in person last year at Expo in LA, has had an enormous impact through his screenplays and books.  

E: You will be teaching a Script & Screenwriting course this fall at GRCC, could you tell us about it?  What made you want to go into teaching and when did you start? Overall experience in teaching?

D: I went into teaching in 1999 because I love to share my knowledge and help people get off the ground. I enjoy the interaction with students. And the need to organize the material forces me to stay sharp on the broad aspects of craft, the business, discipline, and the movies. My problem is I dropped out of film school before graduating with a BA, so I’m limited to teaching non-credit courses. Yet my students are blown away by my classes and consider me a mentor. Many of them stay in touch with me. It’s so gratifying to be able to help them get a little closer to writing good material. It’s a way of giving back some of what has been given to me.

E: Could you talk to us about the Michigan film incentive program and what it means to you?

D: I’m excited about the Michigan film incentives. To see my home state become a Filmmaking Mecca would be a dream come true. What it means for me is, hey, let’s build the infrastructure and let Hollywood come here, treat them with professionalism, meet their needs, and grow a bunch of new jobs for Michiganders. Let’s keep our film students here, let them build their lives and careers in this great state and still be able to do what they love, and get projects going here that start and finish right here in Michigan.

E: Do you have any advice for budding filmmakers or screenwriters?

D: For directors, study lighting, composition, and pace. Many people starting out seem to minimalize these disciplines, and as a result their films suffer creatively. Pick an award-winning film, turn the sound off, and just watch and study. For writers, start by watching ten of your favorite movies. Then buy their screenplays. Read them, study them, compare them to the finished film, and you’ll start to grasp the true meaning of rewriting. Ask yourself, “Why was this scene omitted, these lines cut or shuffled around, that scene added?” This is also a great study for directors.

E: What projects are you currently working on?

D: I’m polishing my family-friendly action/comedy/mystery, “Cumberland’s Gold”, which my agent is planning to shop around soon, about a teenage orphan who meets the ghost of his great-grandfather, and inherits a mission to retrieve lost Confederate gold before two bumbling thugs can steal it for themselves. It could be shot right here in Michigan. I also have a whacked-out comedy script called “The Greatest Invention of Lazarus McFarren” that needs to be taken back to the drawing board, and in fall I plan to begin work on a new dramedy spec titled “Dead Religious”, about a low-life entrepreneur who, when his impromptu prayer evokes disastrous results, seeks to make it right by enlisting a soothsayer to contact the dead founders of world religions. I have a suspense/drama short I’m writing that I’d like to direct, and I’m fortunate to be on the A-List at a couple of production houses around town who send me work when it comes; some of these projects are still teetering on being greenlit.

E: What are your future goals?

D: I hope to continue to be involved in projects and causes that inspire, entertain, serve, and encourage. I hope to get some of my work optioned and sold, and get more paid writing assignments, which are hard to come by. I’d like to meet more people in the industry and develop new relationships, because you never know when or where you are going to meet your next employer or collaborator. I’m launching a screenwriting blog soon, which ties in with my desire to continue teaching. It’s so gratifying to share what I’ve learned and hope my experience can help someone else pursue their dreams. 

For additional information about Dirk and his works, please visit his website at www.dirkeichhorst.com.

You can also visit his screenwriting blog here. 

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