Success Story: Mark Garbett
Mark Garbett has always been a writer—he wrote short stories since he was a kid and penned his first script in 1995. But, writing’s not all he does.
Garbett’s worn a bunch of hats in Hollywood. He worked on set in a variety of positions, including production assistant, grip and producer.
(He says, “It's more fun being a producer than a PA.”)
Garbett also served as a story analyst for companies such as Gold Circle Films (WHITE NOISE, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING), Hollywoodlitsales and Scriptshark.
And this well-rounded, hands-on experience made him a better screenwriter.
Certainly, writing coverage on feature scripts helped him hone his writing skills. And time spent working on set showed him ways to write lower-budget movies—which are more apt to get a new writer produced than a $200,000 million-dollar science fiction blockbuster.
Mark Garbett also attributes this background in helping him learn the business end of the entertainment industry.
Persistence and this stepping-stone strategy have paid off.
Garbett’s carved a niche writing and producing Indie horror and thriller features. In 2006, Garbett landed a rewrite assignment on a horror film called MIDNIGHT MOVIE.
The script went through several drafts and was shot in 2007. The film just won Best Feature at the 2008 Chicago Horror Film Festival and will be released on DVD in January 2009.
Garbett also wrote and produced the short thriller, REFLECTIONS, which is currently on the festival circuit. It has garnered several awards, including Best Live Action Short Film at the Phoenix Film Festival and the Platinum Remi for Best Suspense/Thriller at WorldFest Houston.
Currently, Garbett is developing a feature version of REFLECTIONS. On top of this, in early 2008 he co-wrote and co-produced the horror film SEWN, which was produced by PHD Productions and stars Lance Henricksen (ALIENS, MILLENNIUM).
In addition, Mark Garbett credits the Scriptwriters Network with giving him a big leg up in the entertainment industry. A member of the organization since the late 1990's, Garbett entered the Carl Sautter Memorial Scriptwriting Competition numerous times, and was a finalist for his comedy script KNOCKED OFF.
He won the Network’s Hollywood Outreach Program for his comedy, I'LL BE DAMNED. That script went out to a slew of companies, earning him meetings where he forged important industry contacts.
The coverage the Hollywood Outreach Program provided was invaluable. "I can't stress how important it is to get notes on your script from an objective source. It's like gold.
Even if you don't agree with them, it still makes you consider another viewpoint. I can honestly say the Scriptwriters Network has helped me become a better writer."
Also inspiring were the Scriptwriters Network monthly meetings featuring pro screenwriters and other industry professionals. “The meetings are great because you see that even seasoned professionals go through many of the same issues you do.
It humanizes them in a way, and their stories and insights into the craft and business are often funny and eye opening. It's a great learning experience.”
Right now, Mark Garbett continues to keep busy and to stretch himself as a filmmaker.
On the heels of his horror movie, SEWN, Garbett snagged a rewrite assignment on a thriller script for Indie Chi Films. He’s also in the midst of raising funding for a psychological horror film and has several other specs in the works.
Plus, he’s branching out into new media, with the creation of a webisode.
Because, if there is one thing Garbett has learned, writers must always be writing...