Author/Screenwriter Tony Harrington

Tony Harrington is the author of the novel "Frayed" (Under Anthony Harrington), and the screenwriter for "Genrefinity", a web-based comedy series currently at 92% funny rating on funny or die. He has written the script for "Genrefinity: The Movie", a full length feature based on the web series, to be produced by RPM Films in Chicago, IL.
Tony resides in Little Rock, AR where he is currently working on his second novel. He is a contributing writer for www.Genrefinity.net and www.spiritseekersblog.org

What is the current project you are working on?

I am currently working on a feature film script based on a web comedy series we produced a few years ago. The film is called “Genrefinity” and it is about three friends who are attempting to re-launch a failed website dedicated to all things genre. “Genrefinity” is what you would call a gross-out comedy, in the vein of Judd Apatow and Seth MacFarlane.

 Did you always want to be a writer?

Gosh, for as long as I can remember. Even before I could write I was always telling stories. If I could find an audience there would be stories being told. If they happened to be a captive audience, such as in a car ride or snowed in, even better.

 What inspired you to become writer?

The passion to tell stories has always been inside me. One day I found an old typewriter in my Grandmother’s attic and that is really all that it took. I remember I saved up my allowance, bought a ream of paper from this small office supply store by my house and began writing short stories.

At the time, I equated “scary” with blood and guts, having cut my horror teeth on films like “Friday the 13^th” so most of my first short stories were about people being killed in ridiculously horrible ways. Looking back on it now, I am surprised my parents didn’t have me psychologically evaluated. If they did, they were slick about it and I was none the wiser.

 What is the best thing about being a writer?

The best thing about being a writer is having total control over this world that you created. In a work-a-day world, we seldom get to have that much control over what happens. Be it good or bad, things just happen and for the most part they are out of our control. When writing, it is the writer calling the shots and we can determine what happens to our characters. I won’t say it is a god complex, but it is liberating to have that kind of power.

Also, the reward of someone reading what you wrote and genuinely liking it, that is worth more than a paycheck. I think all writers want to be liked. Anyone who says they are writing for themselves alone has a fool for an audience.

What is the worst thing about being one?

Rejection is always difficult. I eventually ended up self-publishing a novel I wrote after no one would look at it because I was an unknown writer. Publishing houses just weren’t interested, end of story. The rejection letters came fast and furious, and that was based on a query only, not a submission. I grew thick skin very fast. I think anyone would.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I have worked on 2 collaborations which were privately published, I wrote a novel and I am currently working on a follow-up. I wrote 7 scripts for “Genrefinity: The Series” of which four were filmed and are currently available for purchase at Amazon.com and I have written the script for the feature film based on the series. My output isn’t staggering by any stretch of the imagination. I like to take my time. I am not in a rush to become famous.

I have done some ghost writing for stand-up comedians in the local scene. The downside to that is no one will ever know because the comedians are the ones getting the glory. I have been to a show where the jokes I wrote have gotten huge laughs and I think, “Gosh, I could do that. I could be up on stage making the funny.” But then I have seen a joke flop and I am glad it is not me up there on the stage.

 How has your life changed since you became a writer?

I find that I have a lot more creative people in my life and I am constantly being asked to read things. It is the equivalent of buying a pick-up truck. You go from just a regular guy to everyone’s best friend come moving day. But, it is rewarding. People want to collaborate with me; I find that I am hanging out with other writers, seeing my words come to life via actors on film. I am never going to make a ton of money off of this but I am having so much in the process.

 What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to become a writer?

You write because you have to. If it is a compulsion that borderlines on obsession, then just write. It gets easier and you get better the more you do it. You are a writer because you write, not because you get published. If you have written a short story, a novel, poetry, or a screenplay, even if it never sees the light of day, congratulations, you are a writer. You have done something that not everyone can do. At the risk of sounding like a Nike commercial, just do it.


What do you like to do besides writing?

I watch a ridiculous amount of horror movies. I am a paranormal investigator, so anything related to ghosts immediately gets my attention. I don’t know that I 100% believe in ghosts, I am searching for something and this is part of that journey. I have seen things though that I can’t scientifically explain away.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a writer?

Countless, and to be honest, writing doesn’t really pay the bills unless you are a NY Times bestselling author. I maintain a full-time job working for a publishing company in their educational software development field. But I still get to write: training materials, technical documents, newsletters, etc. I always find a way to put something to paper.

 How would you describe your education?

Educational. There wasn’t anything in particular during my education process that made me want to be a writer. I remember having a very difficult time in high school with a particular teacher, and that really defined me. English class of all things! I thought she was stifling my creativity; I was so angst-ridden as a teen. I decided to deliberately fail her class, so I did absolutely no work all year and made it up in night school. That showed her!
How would you describe the writing "scene" where you live?

I live in Little Rock, Arkansas. I moved here from Baltimore, MD and I thought I could kiss the writing scene goodbye. But I am lucky to have found that there is a thriving art scene in the city and beyond. I have met and become friends with some wonderful writers and journalists within the city. Melissa Francis who writes the awesome YA books “Bite Me” and “Love Sucks” is a beautiful human being who is witty, charming, 100% awesome.

Alan Lowe, author of “The Ghosts of Little Rock: Tales of the City’s Most Haunted Places” is a close friend, his second book is coming out in the fall of 2012.

The local bookstores overflow with great works by local authors, I love going into the indie bookstore here in town and spending hours shopping and buying.


 How has social media changed the film industry?

It used to take a ridiculously long time to build a good word-of-mouth buzz about a film. They call them “sleeper hits”. A decade ago a little film called “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” slowly built a following and became a critical darling over the course of a year. Two years ago, “Paranormal Activity” went from an unknown micro-budget film to multi-million dollar box office smash in months. Twitter, Facebook and other social media played a huge part in marketing the film. The studio even tapped into this new medium by having people vote to get the film into their town.

There are more resources out there for funding such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and other sites that allow filmmakers to reach out to the public for help. It’s how films are being made now.

What is your thought process like when you’re writing?

Slow and steady wins the race. Everyone wants to get to the end. No one starts reading a book to get to the middle. The writing process is the same. I am always concerned I am over-writing or explaining too much. It makes me anxious and I sometimes have to stop, take a step back and start back up. I don’t want to be like J.R.R. Tolkien and spend twenty pages describing a tree, but I also don’t want to be vague. My thought process is basically “Stay on course”. It’s not fancy, it’s not always pretty, but it’s consistent.

 You could be any animal. Which would you be?

I always think being a dog would be the ideal life. You get free food, free medical care, someone cleans up your poop. That seems like a pretty sweet deal. With my luck I would end up in a puppy mill with teats that drag on the ground from nursing so many pups. Assuming I would end up as a female dog…and knowing my luck…

You could have any super power. What would it be?

I would say flying, but I would end up getting sucked into a jet engine or something. I think being able to turn invisible would be awesome. I would totally sneak into the movies. Isn’t that a shame? I could spy on anyone I wanted to and instead I choose to sneak into the cinema.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptations?

Yikes. That is a loaded question! Taking a book and turning it into a visual medium has to be difficult, I do not envy a filmmaker who has been tasked to take a beloved novel and turn it into a film.
I think the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy worked better as a movie franchise than as a book. They were concise and avoided the pitfalls of over-exposition.

For the success of “LOTR”, Peter Jackson really dropped the ball in converting “The Lovely Bones” from a beloved bestseller and we ended up with a visually impressive film, but it was hollow compared to the rich storytelling that was found in the source material.

In the end, books are books and movies are movies. I think we are way too hard on filmmakers when they deliver something that doesn’t meet our expectations when adapting a beloved book to film. If you like the books then read the books again and forego watching the film.