Film Courage: Are you a worst-case scenario type of person?
Jay Fingers, Screenwriter/Author: I definitely am. It's a good way to be.
Film Courage:
What's the worst-case scenario for your screenwriting career here in Los Angeles, Jay?
Jay: The worst case scenario would would be that I've done all of this for nothing. That I
never write anything that gets made or that gets sold or that turns into something that
people see my goal is is to become a professional screenwriter that's what I would like to do and
as long as I can write and I'm able to make that my living I can make a living as a screenwriter
that's that's fine but yeah if it just never happens for me that's worst case scenario I
can't think of anything worse than that I've read stories and and and seen interviews with
people who say that they've written and they've made money and and nothing's ever ever been made
from what they've written it's like oh I've been commissioned to write this and rewrite this and
nothing was ever made made a lot of money but nothing was ever made
in a situation like that I feel that there's there's there's always a way to get something
made though if I'm able to make a living as a screenwriter but say none of the projects that
I've been working on the studio or the producer they they decide that they don't want to make it
I think then I would just try to make something on my own I'm still making a living as a screenwriter
but at least then I would have I think the ability to then perhaps do something on my own even if
it's a short film you see what I'm saying because I'm taking care of myself I'm earning money
doing what I love to do as my passion and that gives me then the freedom then to maybe
explore over here to do something else over here I don't know if that makes sense but
it does do you think the words what if
and it you you stayed in Tennessee nothing wrong with Tennessee but or somewhere else
maybe settle down in Miami and never tried would be worse oh well I sure
I'm I don't mean to put words no no no no it's just like okay if I'm thinking worst case scenario
worst case scenario is me pursuing screenwriting and never achieving that goal never becoming a
professional screenwriter but me staying in Tennessee or New York or Miami just never pursuing
it at all well there is no worst case scenario in that scenario because I'm not chasing the dream
that's how I would look at it sure but if you still had it inside you would you just ah the
odds are it won't happen like if it's inside me then then I'm gonna go for it sure that's
that's that's with that's with any any endeavor that I have like if it's in me to do something
believe me I'm gonna I'm gonna chase it I'm gonna
what does the 90-year-old Jay Fingers say in a conversation to the j fingers sitting here now
and this 90 year old jay fingers never pursued screenwriting never got out of his
comfort zone never risked being alone maybe turning down a great night at TGI Fridays
what's that conversation like what I think in that conversation
the 90 year old jay would probably be proud and say at least you you tried you you gave it a shot
you went out there and and and you followed your dream even though that dream perhaps cost you
everything at least you tried so yeah I think that 90 year old jay would would be proud okay
all right so if we if we're traveling ahead in time and and he he's like consoling the jay that's
here now or not even consoling but just giving him praise for for going for it and keep going and
I like what you said you said if it meant you had to make something of your own even if it
was a short that would be okay and then just do polishes or rewrites for other people right and
that's a lot of people's careers and I don't think that's a failure but everybody has their own bar
of what right right what success is okay I and and just the reason why I mentioned that is because
I feel like in those interviews that I've read and seen where people say
this is this is yeah I've had a great career but nothing was ever made
I don't know I just don't get that I feel like the opportunity is there just like I
said like a short or or something it may not be the big massive 4,000 screens premiere but
but it is something and then I feel like that's that's why we get into this business is we want
to create and tell stories especially in film you want people to see your work so I feel just feel
like the opportunity is there to create something that can be seen what is a chaotic neutral
there's this matrix that has I guess different personality
traits or whatever and you've got like lawful good the lawful good person is the person that
will follow the letter of the law and they they're a good nice good person
and then you've got like I forget what the the opposite is it's evil I guess unlawful evil where
you just whatever so on this matrix I feel I fall in chaotic neutral right I'm not a goody two-shoes
but I'm not an evil person either I'm just I'm me I fall in the middle as far as that goes
as far as chaotic I'm just I'm I feel like I'm a bit all over the place I'm into different
things I like different things I do different things I sometimes act on spur of the moment
sometimes I will turn down an invitation for potato skins and cocktails
then sometimes i'll show up and you you won't expect it like jay what are you doing here so
that's that's that's kind of what by chaotic neutral I don't know if that's
really the definition but that's how I that's how I define it for myself
what would you say is the personality type of most of the characters you've created
the protagonists I would say most of them are a little little chaotic
but they would probably fall a little closer to the good side of the matrix
I think most of my protagonists have good hearts best intentions for people I think that most of
my characters most of my protagonists I think they actually do sacrifice for
those that they love those that they care about which makes me wonder if I'm projecting a little
wish fulfillment on to them just like ah this is this is who I’d like to be
in that respect but yeah most of my characters are are pretty pretty good people
yeah and where is this where did this make this personality matrix where did this come from
I don't remember I saw it online somewhere and people were filling filling out the
quiz to get the the results and I just thought it was funny I just thought it
was funny I was like no I'm chaotic neutral I already know where I fall on this spectrum.