Published December 11, 2024 – Author Editor: Tripp Bryant
David Barbeschi is an award-winning screenwriter most known for his work as a writer in “PAWNS,” “Yatra,” “Paper Gloves,” and “Big Rant”. David has studied at the prestigious New York Film Academy and has won numerous awards for his films in the industry. David recently confirmed more info about his latest film projects. Read below our exclusive Q&A with professional screenwriter David Barbeschi!
Q: Where are you originally from, and where are you based now?
David Barbeschi -A: That’s a question with a long answer! I am an Italian freelance screenwriter who partially grew up in eastern France, near the border with Switzerland. My mom is Armenian, and I studied in the UK before coming to Los Angeles to acquire my MFA in Screenwriting from the New York Film Academy. I’m currently based in Beverly Hills and draw from my multicultural upbringing to craft unique screenplays, be it on spec or by commission.
Q: What motivates and inspires you to be the best at your craft in screenwriting? Do you have a top 3 favorite filmmakers, screenwriters, or directors you’d love to collaborate with?
David Barbeschi -A:I’d say Aaron Sorkin and Quentin Tarantino are screenwriters who inspired me to become one, myself. The dialog they write is extensive, but it’s beautiful, memorable, and gets an emotional reaction out of you.
However, I find myself gravitating, more and more, towards Dan Harmon’s approach. Yes, he writes for a different format… but that and his adherence to structure force him to keep his dialog focused, his pacing strong, and his story moving while also being hilarious… and the result is a series like “Community” or “Rick and Morty,” two quotable masterpieces that, in my book, are the most re-watchable shows in existence. Working in the same room as him would be a dream come true.
Q: What is your favorite genre or style to write in (Drama, Comedy, Action, Thriller, or a mix of genres)?
David Barbeschi -A:If we’re talking “favorites,” then I’ll always favor the Action-Adventure, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi genres. I was raised on Japanese manga, Greek mythology, and swashbuckling flicks (“Mask of Zorro,” “Three Musketeers,” “Lord of the Rings,” “Star Wars”), and that is reflected in all of my personal projects.
This love for the Fantasy genre is part of what got me hired by Vee Kumari to adapt her story into the feature script “Yatra” (and then its acclaimed short adaptation “Yatra – The Journey”), a Fantasy tale based on the Hindu epics, which has placed in many script competitions and is currently part of Coverfly’s Top 20 Fantasy scripts, out of 5,911.
That said, this year has allowed me to broaden my repertoire, as two of the scripts I was commissioned to write were Horror features, and I must say they are very fun to write! Especially supernatural Horror. You wouldn’t assume so, but it’s a format that champions theme, and writing jump scares is just so fun!
Q: What moments in your career so far are you most proud of, and how have they shaped your journey as a screenwriter?
David Barbeschi -A:The short film I wrote and produced, “PAWNS,” directed by Tyrees Addison-Lamptey, was selected in over 30 festivals, about half of them nominating the script. This film has since garnered 2 million views on YouTube and is what made me decide to specialize in screenwriting in the first place.
A few years ago, I wrote and co-produced the feature film “The Big Rant,” now available on Amazon Prime. This was another milestone in my career, which eventually led to my being asked to be a judge for the 2022 FOLCS International Short Film Competition, a festival that has been running for almost 20 years.
This year, I went to the Festival de Cannes with my mentor Donna Smith (former President of Physical and Post-Production at Universal Pictures), partially to pitch “Yatra” at the American Pavilion, partially for networking purposes.
I have been to many festivals, but Cannes is a whole other ball game. The entire event is astonishingly well-organized and I look forward to attending next year as well. A fun byproduct is that I was able to reconnect with fellow graduates of the New York Film Academy, and that it led to my being interviewed on the “Just Fake It” podcast. (See below)
Q: Can you share something people may not know about you? Any hobbies or other talents you enjoy in your spare time?
David Barbeschi -A:Beyond common geek interests (comics, movies, manga, games) my hobbies mostly remain “Film industry-adjacent,” stuff like reading my friends’ scripts, running a screenwriting workshop, providing script analyses, and just helping out buddies on film sets as a PA.
As for something people might not know about me… I’ve got a collection of 779 George Lucas quotes and 961 from other creatives in the Star Wars universe. It started during the COVID-19 pandemic as a petty way to win online Star Warsdebates with solid sources.
Now, it’s grown into the benchmark for niche essays. I’ve written about the franchise, especially the Jedi and the Prequels. A lot of my posts explore the gap between Lucas’ intent with the Prequels and how fans interpret them (spoiler: we’re missing the point and over-complicating them). Check out my blog here: https://david-talks-sw.tumblr.com/
Q: What are some projects you’ve recently completed or are currently working on?
David Barbeschi -A:Currently, I’m working with producer Alex Henry to write another feature, a Horror project tentatively titled “Blackout.” It’s near completion, and we’re expecting to film a proof-of-concept short in January.
Two of the shorts I wrote on commission this year are currently in post-production, slated to premiere in 2025. These are “Bring Her Back,” a short film masterfully directed by Constance Ebienfa, and “Kadama,” another collaboration with Vee Kumari, whose flair for the thriller and drama genres reigns supreme, as evidenced by her novel “Dharma—A Rekha Rao Mystery.”
Finally… “Lollie.” The story is set in Brazil and stars a young lunch lady who fights the world to protect her one-of-a-kind friendship with Lola, a 70-year-old neurodivergent woman. The cinematography, the acting—it’s all top-notch.
This is the most emotionally charged short I’ve ever written, and all credit goes to the director, Agnès Shinozaki, for bringing it all together. It enters the festival circuit in 2025, stay tuned!
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