Interviewer :
First of all, I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy day to meet with me.
Erik Sudberg:
You’re quite welcome, Anton. I wouldn’t miss the chance.
Interviewer:
Thank you! Well, let’s dive right in then.
When exactly did you create SpecMine and what is it in your words?
Sudberg:
I created SpecMine almost two years ago to the day.
Interviewer:
Happy anniversary then!
Sudberg:
Thank you. Thank you.
SpecMine is a writers collaborative made up of new or unproduced screenwriters who are teamed with optioned and/or produced screenwriters in a mentor/mentee relationship in order to produce high quality spec scripts.
Interviewer:
I see, and who are these mentors? Are they high profile screenwriters?
Sudberg:
I’m glad you asked that, Anton. As part of our agreement between SpecMine and our mentors, I cannot divulge the exact names of our mentors. These are very busy individuals that would rather have their service to SpecMine be anonymous. What I can tell you is that we do and have had high profile & multi-optioned screenwriters from film and television in our program.
Interviewer:
Very interesting. You have had high profile screenwriters within your program, have been up and running now for two years?
Sudberg:
That’s right.
Interviewer:
I have to ask you. Why have we not heard of SpecMine before now?
Sudberg:
(laughing) Good question. SpecMine has largely been operating out of the shadows for the last two years. We have had minimal online presence quite on purpose in order for us to iron out the kinks in the system and to keep an air of exclusivity. Even now, we only accept a limited number of new member for each class. Right now, we are filling a few spots for our Class of 2020. I want to stress that we are an exclusive organization. In fact, we just launched a website today through Wix. We don’t even have an actual domain as of yet. (laughing)
Interviewer:
I understand that you only accept a few new members at a time. How else would you consider yourself to be exclusive?
Sudberg:
Once paired with a mentor, our mentees have a one on one relationship. The mentors draw the limits to that relationship. That relationship is geared toward one thing and one thing only. Turning out a high quality spec script that could potentially be sold.
Interviewer:
Wow. So you are saying there is a high chance of the script getting into the right hands and being sold?
Sudberg:
We cannot guarantee the script being sold. Not even the best screenwriter can guarantee a spec script gets sold. However, I will tell you this. The mentors have more experience getting scripts sold. So, through that relationship your chances increase, if you put in the work, of course.
Interviewer:
I must say your organization truly is unique.
Sudberg:
We are not the first writers collaborative, to be sure. However, to my knowledge, we are the first of our kind. Most screenwriter collaborations or those that call themselves organizations are made up of the same people every year in order to profit for themselves.
Interviewer:
O.k. Erik, what’s the catch? How much does your organization cost to apply to and how much does it cost to be a part of?
Sudberg:
Not a cent. We are free. Totally free. Our mentors, anyone in our organization, even myself, do this out of sheer creative drive. Like I said, there is an application process and applicants are up against hundreds of other applicants.
Interviewer:
What is involved in this application process?
Sudberg:
I ask each potential mentee to give us an example of their work. A portion of a script that is already completed. Through this I cut the field down. The next step for those to make the first cut is a copy of their complete script. This is where I pick the best of the best that also pairs most logically with the mentor field for that Class year.
Interviewer:
I see, so if there were to be a catch, it is that it is a difficult application process.
Sudberg:
That’s right. That is also how we remain exclusive. I also want to say that if a potential mentee is denied entry for a class year, keep trying! Ply the trade and come back again! Keep writing!
Interviewer:
I want to thank you again, Erik. That was very informative. If it is alright with you, I would like to reserve the right to come back and interview you again more in-depth about your inner workings.
Sudberg:
It would be my pleasure.
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