Henry Jones
screenwriter to watch
Bio:
A scribe in multiple platforms and genres, Henry wrote one of the vanguard of free MMORPG games for Acclaim, 2Moons. At its peak, it boasted over 3 million players. He has written original screenplays for New Line, MGM, Universal, Paramount and Bad Robot and was a featured speaker at the TEDx Teusaquillo conference on imagination in Bogotá, Colombia.
Recently, his script, STATIC, took home the Drama, Sci-fi and Enderby Entertainment Awards at the 2016 Austin Film Festival. He is currently developing projects for film and television with multiple entities and is represented by UTA and Jackoway/Tyerman.
Credits: As a blank space.
How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
One of my neighbors was an assistant at a talent agency. He passed off one of my scripts to a junior agent.
What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
If you work with producers, directors and executives who have the same taste as you do, it’ll work out – because you’re all trying to find the same kind of story. If you work with people who have tastes that don’t align with yours… it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.
What’s the hardest scene or project you’ve ever had to write? How did you navigate the challenge?
The hardest thing to write is whatever I’m currently writing. The writing isn’t the hard part. Sitting down and starting is the hard part.
What was a major turning point in your career?
I’ll let you know when it happens.
What are you working on right now?
Writing a feature with fellow up-and-comer, Matthew Dixon, set inside a nuclear missile launch control center at the end of WW III.
Finishing post on a proof of concept for an indie romance I wrote and am directing – in the vein of Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind.
Then, I’ve got an elevated genre feature to write, a rewrite and some pitches in the queue.
What are some of your favorite movies?
Jeremiah Johnson, The Shawshank Redemption, Alien, Se7en, The Iron Giant, Kubo and The Two Strings, Raiders of The Lost Ark, Back to The Future, Ghostbusters, There Will Be Blood, Clay Pigeons, Lonesome Dove (the mini-series), Groundhog Day, The Fellowship of The Ring, There’s Something About Mary, Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, Man on The Moon, The Apartment, Unforgiven
Who are some of your favorite screenwriters?
John Milius, David Milch, Charlie Kaufman, Lawrence Kasdan, David Kelly, John Hughes,
Share a memorable experience at Austin Film Festival:
Winning three bronze typewriters!