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Script Excerpt
Doug The Pug's Final Adventure
ELITE PRIZE
WINNER
of Victoria, Australia
Doug The Pug's Final Adventure
Adventure
Biography
Rainie Ovenden
Rainie is a 32
year old mother of two from a small country town in
Victoria, Australia. She is currently on maternity leave
from her Administration Manager position at a Construction
and Engineering company, with which she has worked at for
the past 13 years. Although she enjoys her job, writing has
fast become her passion. A passion she one day hopes to
evolve into a successful career.
Logline
When the
neighbor’s pug is kidnapped, a girl, her elderly pug Doug,
her cat, and the boy-next-door embark on a rescue mission to
find and retrieve the missing dog without alerting the new
babysitter of their absence, and before the sickly Doug
kicks the bucket.
Interview Part 1.
I knew I wanted to be screenwriter
after a trip
overseas with my girlfriends inspired me to write. The 3
week adventure was packed full of hilarious moments that
continually made me think they belonged in a movie; so I
wrote one. The whole process was so rewarding and exciting
that I've been writing ever since. I fell in love with all
things screenwriting.
I know I've succeeded when
I sit in a
theatre and hear moviegoers laugh or cry at something I
wrote.
My
inspiration to write
"Doug The Pug's Final Adventure"
came from my very
own Doug The Pug. My husband and I adopted him from the
RSPCA here in Melbourne when he was 6 years old. The RSPCA
rescued him and 40 other dogs from a horribly disgusting
puppy mill. I wanted to write something that shone a
spotlight on the puppy mill industry as well as the close
connections and love people have for their pets and how they
deal with losing them.
Interview Part 2.
FilmMakers
Magazine: What
inspired you to write?
Rainie Ovenden: The overseas trip with my
girlfriends was the initial inspiration. Now I'm inspired by
my imagination and the excited feeling I get when an idea
for a story strikes.
FilmMakers Magazine: Is this your first script
and how long did it take you to complete?
Rainie Ovenden: This was my second screenplay. The
first draft flew out of me in a matter of days. I then took
around 6 weeks to polish it.
FilmMakers Magazine: Do you have a set
routine, place and time management for writing?
Rainie Ovenden: Not at all, but I hope to one day.
Most of my writing is done when my young children are either
napping during the day or once they've gone to bed for the
night. My day job restricted me also but as long as I get
5-6 hours a week to sit at my laptop and write I find I'm
happy with my word count. I'm always thinking about my
current and future works though. My phone is full of notes
that come to me at all hours of the day. Then when it comes
time to write, I collate my notes and get cracking.
FilmMakers
Magazine: Do you believe screenplay contests are
important for aspiring screenwriters and why?
Rainie Ovenden: Most definitely. The prize of getting
your work seen by members of the industry is priceless.
Prizes aside, contests provide confidence. Just to see your
name listed as a quarter finalist gives writers positive
affirmation that they're doing something right.
FilmMakers
Magazine: What influenced you to enter the
Filmmakers International Screenwriting Awards?
Rainie Ovenden: I've researched every contest there
is and only submit to the ones I believe provide the best
bang for your buck. The FISA was recommended to me and once
I looked into it I could see its value to my career.
FilmMakers Magazine: What script would you
urge aspiring writers to read and why?
Rainie Ovenden: It would have to be E.T. It's such a
timeless script and Melissa
Mathison was a brilliant screenwriter. E.T, apart from being
a fantastic story, is a master class in character dialogue.
The kids sound like kids and each character has their own
distinct voice. It's certainly helped me as a screenwriter.
FilmMakers
Magazine: Beside screenwriting what are you passionate
about and why?
Rainie Ovenden: As cliché as it sounds, my family.
Having children completely blows your life apart, but in the
most glorious way. All I want most in life is to keep them
safe, and make them proud.
FilmMakers Magazine: Who is your favorite
Screenwriter and Why?
Rainie Ovenden: Writer? J.K Rowling. Her world
building ability is genius. Screenwriter? Judd Apatow. His
work just flows so well and reads like it was so easy for
him to write. When I read his work it's like he's sitting in
front of me reading it to me, making me laugh all the while.
He's a comedic mastermind and hugely underrated.
FilmMakers
Magazine: Name the director you would love to work with
and why?
Rainie Ovenden: Paul Feig, without a doubt. He can do
no wrong in my eyes. Comedies are by far my favorite genre
and his movies never fail to provide the laughs. I also
admire that his recent string of films are predominately
female driven stories. Whether intentional or not, he's
helping lead the way for equality in the industry.
FilmMakers
Magazine: Name the actor you would love to work with and
why?
Rainie Ovenden:
Rebel
Wilson. Even though I believe she could ad-lib her way
through an entire movie, I'd give my first born for the
chance to work with her, and have her say my words. Okay not
my first born... maybe my 2nd (he cries a lot). Everything
she does is hilarious. I just completed a first draft on a
script titled "Soo-Jin's List"; a bechdel smashing comedy
feature set in Australia with her cast in my head as my
lead. Asking myself "what would Rebel do?" whenever I got
stuck, or was looking for a one-liner.
FilmMakers Magazine: Any tips and things
learned along the way to pass on to others?
Rainie Ovenden:
Outline,
outline, outline! Everyone's process is different but I like
to handwrite pages and pages in my notebook until I have the
bones of the story mapped out. I cast every character so I
can see the scenes more clearly in my head as I write. I
find it also helps me keep their voices distinct when
writing dialogue.
FilmMakers Magazine: What's next for you?
Rainie Ovenden:
On top of
polishing Soo-Jin's List I'm nearing the end of the first
draft on a Goonies-like teenage kids adventure feature. Also
the recent birth of my 2nd child (the crying one) gave me an
idea for a half hour comedy about the trials and
tribulations of midwifery. I'm part way through working on
its pilot.
FilmMakers Magazine: Where do you see yourself in
five years from now?
Rainie Ovenden:
Sharing a
bottle of champagne with Rebel Wilson, toasting the success
of Soo-Jin's List. Or waking up from that dream and getting
stuck into writing my next script.
Although
Hollywood is the pinnacle of screenwriting success I'd love
to have at least one of my Australian set scripts produced
here. Aside from the Hollywood films made here, sadly the
local movie industry isn't exactly thriving or profitable,
but it can be. With Australian powerhouses like Rebel
Wilson, Hugh Jackman, Hemsworth Brothers, Toni Collette,
Rachel Griffiths, Rose Byrne, and newcomers like Alycia
Debnam-Carey, Margot Robbie and Eliza Taylor having such
huge acting success in Hollywood, I fail to see how anything
they were involved in could not be successful. There's a
plethora of writing talent in Australia but little means to
see much success as a career without moving to the U.S. The
industry here could certainly see success internationally,
and I'd be proud to be a part of it.
At the end
of the day (or 5 years), as long as I'm still enjoying
writing and my family are happy and healthy, I'll be
blessed.
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