Interview (Part 5): Brian Arnold

My interview with 2021 Black List writer for his script In the End.

Brian Arnold wrote the original screenplay “In the End” which landed on the 2021 Black List. Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Brian about his creative background, his script, the craft of screenwriting, and what making the annual Black List has meant to him.

Today in Part 5 of a 6 part series to run each day through Saturday, Brian shares his reflections on what it has been like to be named to the annual Black List.

Scott: Let’s talk about that ending. Did you have that in mind, the way that it shakes out now or that is something that came along in the 14th draft or whatever?

Brian: I would say when I start writing a script, I usually…I’m not a huge outliner, but I do some. The main thing I will have is four or five key moments. I know what the beginning is. I know what the mid-point is. I know where that second culmination is. I know the inciting incident is. I know what the ending is. I think that was out of order, but yeah.

I’m sure the ending changed here and there based on what happened as I wrote it out. But the way it ended was always… The intention of how it came together, was always there.

Scott: One last thing. I mentioned how the script has so many setups and payoffs. This tiny little one is great. With every one of the Ascensions departures, when the client, that final moment of death, you end those scenes with a word in the script: Blip. Signifying a final sound when the life of a person ends. And the last word in the script is not Fade Out… it’s not The End… it’s Blip. Loved it. Was that always there?

Brian: No, I don’t think so. I wanted an ending that was a little bit ambiguous. I wanted it to be a clear ending to the story, but also give people an opportunity to be like, “What exactly did you think that last moment meant?”

When you’re doing a movie about creating these seamless virtual realities, a little ambiguity at the end has never hurt anybody.

Scott: Yeah, It’s not exactly the spinning top in “Inception.”

Brian: Not exactly, but I would say it came to mind when I wrote this. [laughs]

Scott: All right, let’s talk about the history of writing the script. You had this idea talking to your dad, but the point where you’re saying, “All right, I’m going to sit down and write this thing,” to the point where you’re handing it out to your managers and agents. How long was that process?

Brian: This was a unique process. I started developing it, probably be 2019 or so, and I had different reps at that time. We just didn’t see eye to eye on this script. We just weren’t on the same page about this script or my career. By 2020, they were like, “Hey, this script, I know you spend a lot of time on it. I don’t see the movie in this. I don’t see how this will work.”

Rather than putting away or committing to a page one rewrite that, I felt, would change the script completely from what I wanted it to be, I decided to part ways with them. It was scary to start over, but I really thought I had something with this script, and I wanted it to have an honest shot as it was. I decided to roll the dice on it.

I entered it into a contest to see if anything came of it. At least get some notes that I could use to get it where it needed to be. And, it ended up winning Best Drama in that contest. This was the 2020 Script Pipeline First Look Competition.

Then, at the beginning of 2021, Script Pipeline introduced me to my now managers at Bellevue, and then Bellevue introduced me to APA shortly after.

Looking back, it was a weirdly fast process. In December, the Script Pipeline Award was announced. By March, I had these new managers. April, I had new agents, and then I would say the script was optioned by July. It was very fast once the pieces came together, but the writing process itself was kind of long and disjointed.

Scott: I could totally see that meeting with your former reps, “Can you make this a little more sci-fi and more commercial, less emotional.”

Brian: Yeah, more commercial, more happy, a little more of sci-fi. I was just like, “I don’t think you see the script the same way I do and that’s okay. I wish y’all the best but I don’t think this is the right situation for me and what I like to write.”

Scott: Nothing wrong with that, but that’s that conventional wisdom thing. The fact that you stuck to your guns, good for you.

Scott: Let’s talk about the morning of December 13th, 2021. That’s when the Black List rolled out. Where were you?

Brian: I got up and watched the announcements on YouTube like a lot of us. Yeah, it was a treat and a thrill. My script went out wide to the town in May or June, so I wasn’t sure people would remember it come voting time. I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high.

I told myself, the script’s been optioned. It’s in active development. The Black List would be great, but whatever happens, I’m in a good spot.

But, yeah, seeing my name announced was still so exciting. I think every writer coming up has so much respect and admiration for the Black List. We all want to see our names on there. I feel very honored to be part of it.

Scott: I think you mentioned that the production company Sister optioned your script?

Brian: Yes, Sister optioned it. They’re great, I love them.

Scott: That’s Elisabeth Murdoch and Stacy Snider.

Brian: They’re fantastic and they have such a great reputation in this industry. When Stacey and I first started talking, she was naming all these movies that — I would name “Eternal Sunshine” as an influence, and she’d be like, “Oh, yeah, yeah. When we were producing that and we were making that…”

I was like, “Okay, yup. I’m with the people who not only love the same movies I love, but got those movies made.” They’re very supportive and great, and it’s been very exciting to develop it with them.

Scott: Well, that’s great. Congratulations again. Terrific script. I’m having my students in my current MFA thesis group at DePaul — we’re reading Black List scripts, one a week.

Brian: Oh, wow.

Scott: They’re going to read your script.

Brian: That’s so weird to me.

Scott: That’s more important than the Black List, dude. You’re getting read by DePaul film school students.

[laughter]

Brian: No, it’s really neat. I took one screenwriting class in college, and the teacher’s one rule was, “No comedies allowed. Comedy’s too hard. Nobody can do it.” I love the man, but getting on the Black List for a comedy and hearing a class will be reading it — it’s wild.

Tomorrow in Part 6, Brian shares some insights into the screenwriting craft and provides advice to aspiring screenwriters.

For Part 1 of the interview, go here.

Part 2, go here.

Part 3, go here.

Part 4, go here.

Brian is repped by:

John Zaozirny & Kate Sharp (Bellevue)
Sheryl Petersen, Adam Perry, & Halle Mariner (APA)

Twitter and Instagram: @briantarnold.

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