Go Into The Story Interview: Jonathan Stokes

My interview with the 5-time Black List screenwriter.

Jonathan Stokes has written five screenplays which have made the annual Black List. They are:

• Blood Mountain (2011)
• Murders & Acquisitions (2011)
• Border Country (2012)
• Tchaikovsky’s Requiem (2013)
• Murder in the White House (2020)

Here are links to the entire 6-part series which has run this week.

Part 1: “Then, in fifth grade, I wrote my first ‘screenplay.’ It was six pages long.”

Part 2: “I did everything wrong. I had no connections. I wrote 30 screenplays before I sold one.”

Part 3: “At age 27, I decided, ‘You are allowed only five pursuits: writing, reading, music, dance, and the stock market.’”

Part 4: “I went with UTA and finally started selling scripts. But I didn’t quit piano teaching for a year and a half because I was so afraid of poverty.”

Part 5: “I love the fact that The Black List exists because it, I think, is a very pure way of recognizing the work of singular authors.”

Part 6: “To be truly honorable and truly a servant of your craft, you have to work at it every day of your life with no hope of reward.”

Twitter: @jonathanwstokes

Website: https://www.jonathanwstokes.com/

Jonathan is repped by UTA and Management SGC.

For my interviews with dozens of other Black List writers, go here.