Kristin Woodworth-Owen's Latest Screenplay
Aims to Rewrite Outdated Western Stereotypes
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EM: Firstly, I want to congratulate you on how wonderfully you're doing in the screenwriting competitions you've entered. I understand you're doing really well in not only features, but the western and action/adventure genres too?
KO: "Yes, thank you! I'm very proud of my story and how it's holding up against the competition. Very exciting! It's a great way to be noticed and get some invaluable professional advice as well."
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EM: I understand you've always had a love for westerns. What, in your words, is the significance of having a female lead in your western?
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KO: "I wanted to give women, a tough, witty, and likable hero they could relate to in some way. There has been a lack of female heroes, if you will, in western cinema and that's what I wanted to change. Women, especially in early westerns, tended to be portrayed as two-dimensional damsels in distress, someone in need of protecting by their stronger, more adept male counterparts. Women's characters in this genre have seldom strayed from that of a victim of revenge-inducing violence at the hands of the bad guys, or more often than not, a scantily clad prostitute sitting on the lap of some cowboy in the background of a murky saloon. There are saloon hostesses in my story as well, because it was a reality in those days, particularly in mining towns, but not every woman who shaped the history of the American West was a saloon hostess. When I asked my husband to read the first draft of my screenplay, he loved the story but questioned how it was that the main character, a woman, leads a posse. I asked him, if he were reading it with a man in the same role, would he still have questioned it? He admitted that he wouldn't, a revelation that seemed to surprise even him. It's a poignant message that we as a society have been conditioned to think that women are somehow incapable of holding the same leadership roles as our male counterparts. The fact of the matter is, there were plenty of strong, capable women in those days too. And it isn't just women that have been minimalized. My goal here is to change the minority-inferiority theme of westerns from the early days of film, into something that highlights minorities in a positive, heroic way. Rather than cheering against a demographic of people, like the Native Americans, you're cheering them on. Nobody will leave this movie feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or singled out because of who they are. Instead, my hope is that they will feel empowered and inspired.
I also think that a lot of production companies over-look the fact that there is a very large demographic of female equestrians (like myself) in the world, who have long enjoyed movies with horses in them. Westerns make up a significant percentage of those films, but sometimes fall short in catering to the appeal of women because of old school thinking. The assumption that westerns are a man's genre."
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EM: As a woman, I love the idea of a tough, gritty, female-driven western. Where did you find your inspiration, and how much of yourself is in this character?
KO: "A LOT! (laughs) Not that I go around shooting people and starting bar fights, obviously, but our baseline personalities are definitely in sync with one another. Her passion about equality for others, her sarcasm, and dry humor, her loyalty to her friends, and even to her horse. These are all traits her and I share. She's sort of this hardened alter-ego of mine, in a sense. When writing her character, I was definitely picturing myself and how I would react to the same situations, not just as a woman, but as a woman with a similar thought process to hers. I poured a lot of me into her, and I think that's why I'm so passionate about the story. Of course, I wrote the other character's lines as well, which is kind of weird in a way. I imagine its very similar to having multiple personality disorder. I have all these people in my head, each with their own unique personality traits, agendas, thought processes, and even accents. One of the characters is very Irish, while others are Cheyenne, speaking with broken English for Christ's sake! It's a bit of circus up there while I'm in the story. I disappear into my own head a lot when I'm writing, and sometimes even when I'm not. My husband and kids have gotten use to the occasional blank stares at the dinner table. (laughs) They're coming to understand that sometimes I have to stay in that world a bit longer, so that I can sort it all out and make sense of it. I write a lot during the day, because truthfully, if I started after the kids went to bed, I'd be up all night. A lot of times I'll read books or magazines before bed to purposely take myself out of the story I'm writing, otherwise it's impossible to shut my mind off, and I'd be a living zombie all of the time. Writing's very challenging with small children around. There's a whole lot of interruption going on during the day, and it can be extremely frustrating trying to find your way back into that imaginary space, and specifically back into a character's state of mind, when you're interrupted mid scene. What can I say, they're little and don't really get it, so patience is a virtue? (laughs) I also homeschool my son, so there's an added layer of distraction to it all. Thankfully, though only in second grade, he's fairly self-sufficient, and a great student. I'm hoping that my being able to pursue my talents, despite being a busy mother, will inspire other women to do the same, busy mothers in particular."
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EM: You mentioned being an equestrian. As such, how important were the lead character's horses to this story's plot?
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KO: "I had a very specific idea of what I wanted each of the lead character's horses to look like, so that they stood out, even to those who aren't super knowledgeable about equine color breeds. I'm a great lover of horses. I've been riding since I was in diapers, and horses are very much a part of my identity as an adult. I even published a cartoon book about them, inspired by my own experiences. I'm a great lover of all animals in general, and have owned many different types over the years, but there's just something so unique about the relationship between a human being and their horse. It's a bond truly unlike any other, and I wanted that to come through in this story. I want the horses to be just as beloved by the audience as the human characters. They're equals, partners if you will. I recently had a wonderful phone conversation with Mr. Mark Bishop, the Production Manager at Sombrero Ranch in CO. They do these annual horse roundups at their ranch, that are available for the public to be a part of. They also provide horses and wranglers to the film industry. They've had horses in movies like, 'Cowboys and Aliens,' 'The Lone Ranger,' and lots and lots of notable commercials as well. Mark was so generous with his time and information and was in complete agreement that the horses, leads in particular, should also be a primary focus in any good western. He gave me pricing for set horses and even generously offered to scope out some filming locations around his area for me. They are wonderful people at Sombrero, and I recommend anyone who loves horses to check out their YouTube video, 'The Great American Horse Roundup.' I, myself have already looked into several filming locations as well, old-west-ghost-town sort of places with great old buildings and non-paved roads. A lot of them are actually fairly inexpensive to rent. They rent them out for themed weddings and what-not. I like to have an idea of pricing for things when speaking to producers. I do my due diligence when I'm passionate about making something happen."
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EM: Personally, I enjoy a film with an epic love story in the plot. Is there any room for romance in your particular take on the western?
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KO: "Absolutely! Look, everyone on this planet has been, will be, or is in love. Love is an emotion everyone can relate to. This story is in fact at its center, a love story. The romantic tension between the two leads is an intense one, because they come from a similar background of self-reliance. While there is an undeniable attraction between them, they find they must learn to compromise their personal ideals of love in order to pursue a relationship, and this doesn't come naturally to either of them. In addition to this, they are both very witty and sarcastic which makes their courtship quip-filled and entertaining. Love is often complicated, and when it comes to storytelling, it's exponentially more entertaining when it is. I think these nuances make for a much more emotionally gripping, and sexually charged battle between the two lead characters, that is sure to pull the audience in. There's a subtle, playful sexiness to the tension between them that will not only make you fall in love with the characters yourself, but also root for the success of their relationship. A kind of hanging on every near-kiss sort of experience."
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EM: This is a western, but it's also very much an action/adventure with no shortage of high-octane getaways, aggressive bar fights, and violent shoot-outs. Are you a big fan of action movies in general?
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KO: "Oh yes! I'm a great fan of action movies, and I've included plenty of adrenaline-inducing moments in this story, because that's how I imagine these times would have been (1800s). You have to think about the forging of life in the early days of the American West, where laws were not always commonplace, and even where they were, they were not often obeyed. It was a raw, violent, and gritty time, and if you weren't willing to be in the fight, you would most likely become a victim. Even the "good guys" dealt with a lot of ethical dilemmas because of the ruthless nature of the world they lived in at that time in American history. I find the idea of that sort of forced inner psychological battle to be quite fascinating. The good guys were challenged in their moral questioning by the bad guys who forced the violence upon them. Aside from the reality of that world, let's face it, no one wants to sit through a movie that's all talk and no action. I very purposely placed action sequences where they are, in order to hold the viewer's attention through-out. Perhaps it's a reflection of my own ambitious nature, and work ethic. I'm not a great fan of lulls in the action, be it my writing or life in general. I prefer to stay busy and keep the flow moving forward. I feel very strongly that success in life is about taking action, and discussion is merely the glue that holds those actions together. My grandfather Bill, a cowboy in his own right, use to say, "The minute you sit still, God'll put in the call for ya!" What I took from that, is that we're on this planet for a reason, and once we begin idling, we've lost that reason, that purpose."
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EM: Obviously you're a fan of the genre, any westerns in particular that you drew from when writing this story?
KO: "I've seen them all! Over and over might I add! (laughs) 'Some of my favorites are, 'Tombstone,' 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,' John Wayne's 'True Grit,' 'Young Guns,' 'The Man from Snowy River,' and 'The Electric Horseman.' I can remember being preschool age, bouncing away on my spring horse in my parent's living room, along-side Robert Redford during the chase scene in 'The Electric Horseman!' (laughs) Which if you've ever seen it, it's definitely not a children's movie, with the smoking, inappropriate language, subject matter, and alcoholism, but hey, the 80s were a different time and I thought it was fantastic! I was mostly enthralled with the horses of course. (laughs) Then there's the famous, adrenaline charged, leap from the cliff chase scene in 'The Man From Snowy River,' us equestrians have long been begging for a scene like that again. (wink) I also really enjoyed 'Cowboys and Aliens,' quite a bit. At its center it's a fantastic, traditional western story, with a sci-fi twist. Being a fan of sci-fi as well, I thought it was a fun, and unique combo. I have long been a fan of Harrison Ford and his films. I actually had quite a crush on him growing up. He was a carpenter, he rode horses, and all of his characters are sarcastic as hell, which I love. It was a no-brainer. (laughs) If you think about it, 'Indiana Jones,' and 'Star Wars,' if we're being honest, those are also, in a sense, cowboy movies as well."
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EM: Would you ever approach him about being in your film, if given the opportunity?
KO: "Oh wow. I would write a role, any role, for him right there on the spot! (laughs) I mean yes, of course I would ask him! That's not the "traditional, professional" method of approach with this sort of thing, and my agent would probably be p***ed, I don't know. (shrugs and laughs) But yeah, if I ran into him somewhere, I'd have no shame in asking. What could it hurt, right? Can't catch a steer if you don't throw a rope! (laughs) Of course the chances of me randomly running into Harrison Ford somewhere are about as high as me roping an actual steer, I'd say." (Laughs again)
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EM: In researching for this screenplay, did you learn anything interesting that you maybe didn't know about that time period?
KO: "Actually yes, there were a few things, but one of the most interesting to me was that, in those days, while saloons would keep beer on ice when they could, ice houses were not present in every town. As a result of this, barkeeps would actually place peppermint candy in beer to give it a chilled sensation. Imagine being this tough, beer guzzling outlaw with a f***king peppermint candy floating around in your mug?! (laughs) There's a sort of comical irony in that for me. I'd love to see details like that in the finished film. Something subtle, like the barkeep dropping a peppermint candy in a mug of beer before handing it to a character. Something people see and think, what was that poison? And then it's not, so they become curious as to what was actually placed in the glass. Those are the kind of subtle details I, myself enjoy in films. Just fun facts I suppose. (shrugs) Anyway..."
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EM: If you could pick your perfect team; director, cast, crew, composer... who would they be and why? And do you see yourself being involved in the making of this film?
KO: "(Laughter) Hmmm, in a perfect world...? No, really. Obviously, I have my ideas, I'm certain all screenwriters do. I mean, you sort of instinctively picture certain faces on your characters. Faces of talents who best fit the depiction in your mind. Sometimes those depictions even change as the character further develops. I started writing this seventeen years ago. The basic description of the two leads have remained the same over the years; a 40-something, brown haired female, and a 50-something, blonde hair, blue-eyed male, but there have been variations to the other characters over time, as the story evolved. For instance, the sheriff started out Irish, and ended up a tall, dark haired, 50-something male of Spanish descent. My only real wish is that this story be brought to life by passionate, deep-reaching talent, not only on the acting side of it, but through interesting light play, and fantastic cinematography, by people who feel as confident in its potential as I do. I aim high and I'd love to see everyone involved walk away with an Oscar (laughs). There were times I'd pen a great line, and this Oscar speech would just sort of start playing in my head (laughs). I have no ego about this story at all of course (sarcasm). Seriously though, when pursuing anything in the art field, you have to believe in yourself and what you're doing or there's just no point, I might as well wait tables. I care about the story, but I also care about the process, and the people involved with it too, whoever they may end-up being. I'm a people-pleaser and in the end, I want the best for everyone involved. I imagine every screenwriter wants their film to be the reason someone wins an award. For me, that would be much more fulfilling than receiving any awards for myself. It's sort of like at Christmas, I'm that person that gets the most joy from giving gifts, not receiving them.
As far as my involvement, I've always been a Jill of all trades. I think you just do what needs to be done to keep things moving smoothly in any job you have real pride in. But anyhow, we'll see what happens. The universe has a way of bringing things together at the right time and place."
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EM: Speaking on the "Jill of all trades," thing, I understand that aside from writing and art, that much like your childhood idol Mr. Ford, you also do a bit of carpentry? I have to know, is that true?
KO: (laughs) "Yes, I have done quite a bit of carpentry around my home. Cutting and hanging barnwood paneling, trim work like cornerbead and baseboards, stuff like that. I built a fairly good-sized chicken coop for our chickens too. That was a pretty big project. I've also done some plumbing and electrical work. I live in a 40+ year old farmhouse that my grandfather actually built, so there's a good bit to do. Fixing busted pipes, re-wiring new light switches, that sort of thing. I catch s**t from my female friends about it. (laughs) I hear a lot of, "My husband says, well if Kristin can do it, why can't you?" (Laughs, and shrugs) Truth is, I enjoy learning new skills. Carpentry came naturally for me because my father and grandfather were both Master Carpenters, like building houses and cabinets, and things. They taught me a lot, starting from a young age. I certainly know my way around power tools. (laughs) I also work on cars. I rebuilt the carburetors in my '73 Stingray, and my '84 Camaro. I've installed radiators, new hoses, that kind of thing. I fixed the a/c in my farm truck, a '97 Ford Explorer, a couple of years ago by trouble shooting the issue on YouTube. My husband still tells his friends about that one. (laughs)
My newest skill is hoof trimming, like farrier work. Every four to six weeks a horse's hooves need to be trimmed by a farrier. Sort of like us cutting our nails. Anyway, I decided to teach myself, so I ordered the files, nippers, hoof stand, hoof knife, farrier chaps, so on, off of Amazon, and again I watched some YouTube videos, and also consulted with a good friend of mine, Justin, who is a professional farrier in Kentucky. He's given me some great tips. Mine's barefoot, so there's no shoes involved, that's a WHOLE other skill level there! It took me some time to learn to trim properly, and I was pretty conservative with the amount of cutting I attempted at first, so as not to make my horses lame of course. I've gotten pretty good at it now though. In the beginning it'd take me half an hour to do just one hoof. Now I can do all four in that time! It's tiresome, sweaty work though. Those legs aren't light to hold up while leaning over in a half-squat position, rasping (filing) away. The time I get to the last hoof, my legs usually start shaking from extreme muscle fatigue, and the sweat's just pouring off of my nose. (laughs) Florida, as you know, can get quite humid, much less when you're standing next to a 1,200 lb., hairy, heat machine, while preforming hard labor! (Laughing again) But yeah, there isn't much I feel I can't learn. A lot of my female friends jokingly refer to me as "Super Mom," and the "Energizer Bunny." (laughs) I like my coffee pretty strong too, so that helps. (laughs) Really it boils down to the fact that I love a good, sporting challenge and impossible just isn't a word I'm fond of."
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EM: I'm learning that about you. Let me apologize, I took you in a completely different direction there, but that was fascinating to learn. The most complex thing I think I've YouTubed is, 'How to bake a loaf of bread,' which by the way, I failed miserably at. (Kristin laughs)
Getting back to the subject at hand, your screenplay. How about composers, any thoughts? I'm curious as to whether you heard something specific playing in your mind while creating scenes, or...?
KO: "Yes, yes! Well, what would actually happen is, I would write the scenes and then later on, I'd be on my exercise bike, spinning away, and a song would come on my playlist, and for whatever reason, it would take my mind to a certain scene, and I'd think, holy Christ that's perfect! Sometimes I'd listen to it more than once and sort of imagine the scene synched to the music, sometimes with maybe just the chorus. (laughs) I'm an artist, what can I say? My head is in fantasyland 90% of the time. (laughs) I'm a fan of all music though, and I mean EVERYTHING! From Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Metallica to Edith Piaf, and Frederic Chopin. But while writing this particular screenplay, I envisioned a musical score comprised of edgy, emotionally charged, classic rock songs. The kind of familiar songs people hear, and they really get involved. Like bobbing their head, tapping their foot to the beat kind of involved. Songs by Led Zeppelin, 3 Doors Down, AC/DC, along those lines. The sort of beats that add intensity to a character's duster blowing in the wind in slow-mo, or close-ups of hooves as a horse gallops hard across the plains. Sort of a hoofbeat, drumbeat, heartbeat synchronization where you'd be watching it, but you're feeling it physically as well. The kind of immersive experience that people talk about after the movie ends. The kind that gets you hyped up, you know? I mean, who doesn't love being at the cinema and having great songs reverberate through your chest in surround sound during the most intense moments?! It makes you feel a part of the action. It's fantastic! I'm a fan of live music, rock in particular, and I think of films that go on to become long-standing hits, and I feel that a lot of times it's the familiarity of certain songs that people have already drawn a personal attachment to, that aid in evoking the type of emotional response you want from your viewer. Movies like 'Forrest Gump,' and 'Gaurdians of the Galaxy' are perfect examples of great, original storytelling told to the chorus of popular, emotionally charged rock songs that pull the viewer further in to the plot. People get just as excited about the soundtrack of a film, as they do the film itself. Of course, in the end, us writers always have our "ideas," (laughs) after all, we are previewing the movie in our heads first, as we write it, but I firmly believe as an artist, that all creatives involved should have a place for their own unique expression. Any and all aspects of a film should include a round table discussion with the creative minds involved. My idea may be great, but so-and-so's idea may be phenomenal!"​
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EM: Any producers in mind that you'd love to work with?
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KO: "Is Barbara Broccoli available? (laughs) No! I mean, I think she's absolutely amazing, blazing the way for females in large-scale cinematic production, but I'm sure she's got a few things on the calendar already. (laughs) I would so love to pick her brain about the industry from a woman's perspective. Seriously though, any producer passionate about the story would be amazing!"
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EM: So, you say you have "ideas," for talent, any A-listers? Would you have any nervousness or apprehension about working with an A-list celebrity?
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KO: "(Laughs) Well I suppose I wouldn't be very professional if I did, would I? Anyhow, they're just ideas right now. I'm lucky enough to have a few friends who have years of experience in different areas of the film industry, who have offered suggestions and given some contacts which I've passed along to my representative, but we'll leave it at that. And no, no apprehension what-so-ever. I'd be thrilled to the rafters, as I think any screenwriter would be. The better the talent involved, the better the film. Sure, everyone has artists whose work they admire, and get excited when they release something new, that's true of any art form, but I'm not an autograph chaser, I'm an artist in an industry of artists. We're all just trying to make a living doing what we love. If they are "A-listers" as you put it, clearly, they are ambitious, and I admire that. You have to be to survive as an artist. It's a tough field to break in to, but I don't see how being on a film set with the talent involved is any different than being on stage with fellow thespians in a community play. You're a part of a close-knit family of talented people, working hard to bring something great to life, and then you go home."
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EM: Speaking on that... having a theater acting as well as a modeling background, would you ever consider being on the other side of the camera?
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KO: "(Laughs) Oh lord! Maybe? I've always enjoyed putting on a show, playing pretend, dressing up, that sort of thing. I love when you actually connect with the audience, and you feel that shift in the room. When you feel them lock on and really engage. When I was very young, my cousin Chrissy and I would write and preform plays for our parents, during our summers in upstate New York. She's actually a professional writer and actress for a community theater near the Seneca Lake area now. I always enjoyed school plays too. I remember joining the drama club in high school and me and a friend of mine, Amy, had an hour to write and preform an impromptu play with characters we drew from a hat. I got the Tooth Fairy and she got Santa Claus. I did the writing, a comedy, because I mean where else do you go with that?! (laughs) Anyway, we preformed it and the whole class, including our instructor just died laughing, and gave us a standing ovation, and I remember, I was kind of like, wow, I was kind of really good at that! (laughs) It was such a great, uplifting experience. But yeah, anyway, I have a friend who is an accomplished actor, who keeps pestering me about pursuing it. As far as movies, I don't know. I think celebrity seems quite fairytale and fascinating to a lot of people because they don't ever actually expect to deal with the downside of it. I don't know how I'd handle that if I actually did something really good, which of course would be the goal. The problem is that you have to put yourself out there to some degree to stay relevant, otherwise you risk slipping into obscurity which doesn't help your career, and I'm fairly private. So, yeah, I don't know. (shrugs and laughs) We'll see. Right now my focus is finding a good producer to work with so I can get this story off the ground."
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EM: Understandable. Any other projects in the works?
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KO: "Yes, actually I'm about half-way through penning the sequel to this screenplay, (laughs) and I've started another, a sci-fi with a very unique theme. Aside from that I am about to release a photography, slash poetry book, as well as working on novelizing this particular western."
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EM: Wow, I can see why they call you "The Energizer Bunny!" Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me, I've really enjoyed it.
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KO: "Thank you, I have too. I really appreciate your taking the time, and your interest in my work."
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* If you are a film producer who is interested in requesting a copy of Kristin's screenplay, you may do so at: redhawke.literaryagent@yahoo.com