Our Friday column asks our members about their favorite tool, software, article of clothing, shoes on set, favorite scriptwriting software, etc.
Caitlin McCarthy – Screenwriter and Educator
By Lisa Stahl
NYWIFT member Caitlin McCarthy is an award-winning screenwriter whose films have screened at film festivals around the world. Caitlin, who earned an MFA from Emerson College, has won competitive grants or prizes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Academy of Motion Pictures, and other prestigious organizations. In addition to writing for television and film, she teaches high school English in Massachusetts.
Caitlin offered us a peek inside her toolkit.
NYWIFT member and screenwriter Caitlin McCarthy (photo credit: Rory Lewis)
What are 3 things you can’t live without when writing a script?
- Caffeine: I’m a “caffeine achiever,” primarily because I get up at 3 AM to write before my survival job as an urban public school teacher starts at 7:10 AM. I drink my coffee black… I have been known to crack open a Diet Coke before the sun rises.
- Goody Ouchless Elastic Hair Ties: It’s one of my rituals, taking a seat at my desk and pulling my hair into a bedhead bun. Remember, this is all happening around 3 AM so there’s zero glamour involved….
- Post-It Notes: Throughout the day, ideas for my work-in-progress pop into my head and I scribble them down before they slip away into the ether. When I return home, I always have a pocketful of “things to remember” for my script.
What’s one piece of advice that continues to inspire you?
The most influential advice…came from former Hollywood manager/producer Beth Colt of the Woods Hole Inn: “Just keep doing it. Write another spec, submit again. Repeat. Each one gets better, the cumulative matters. Don’t give up! The struggle will pay off in the end.”
What item in your toolkit would you pass along to an aspiring screenwriter to motivate them?
There’s an incredible writing community on Twitter – from Academy Award winners to emerging writers who provide advice, answer questions, celebrate victories, offer encouragement, and even exchange scripts for notes. Check out hashtags like #WritingCommunity, #ScriptChat, #WRAC, #ZD30Script, and #AmWriting….
What’s your strategy for burn-out, writer’s block, rejection, or for surviving crises like the current pandemic?
Routine is my savior. I’m not a morning person at all, but I get up at 3 AM during the week to write before the clamor of the classroom gets into my head. This commitment to writing is an act of defiance. A woman hasn’t won an Academy Award for screenwriting in over a decade. Women represented only 20% of writers on the top 100 grossing films of 2019. If I want to see change… I must be the change. I must do the work. I believe work conquers all. And as the saying goes, nothing works unless you do.
What projects are you working on that you can share with NYWIFT members?
I’m delighted to say both Wonder Drug and A Native Land have attracted the attention of incredible producers. I’m finishing a novel. And I’m about to start cowriting a TV pilot with a talented female writer from the UK. I’m always working on something, but I’m never too busy to say “hey” to another NYWIFT member – so reach out if the feeling hits you.
Learn more about Caitlin on her website: www.caitlinmccarthy.com
And reach out on social media:
Twitter: @CaitlinMcWriter
Instagram: @Caitlin_McCarthy_Writer
Facebook: @CaitlinMcCarthyWriter
(photo credit for top image: Pure Style Photography)
Lisa Stahl
Lisa Stahl has followed her own unconventional path, working in and out of the industry, behind and in front of the camera (TV and film), and as a writer, producing e-learning courses on personal style online, doing development research and writing for a UN-based TV show, extensive investigative research in politics and international affairs for a prominent political strategist, and as a lifestyle editor for a chic digital magazine interviewing prominent fascinating people in the entertainment, fashion, health, wellness, and travel industries. She has also worked recently as a technical writer covering the latest anti-terrorism technologies and developments in data science and artificial intelligence.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Lindsey Lambert
Lindsey Lambert is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker originally from Austin, Texas. She works as a location scout for film and television in the NYC area, currently on Law & Order: Organized Crime. After receiving her Master’s Degree in Human Rights from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the spring of 2022, she began directing and producing her debut feature documentary Teaching Social Studies about public school education and the anti-critical race theory laws in Texas. It is currently in production and she hopes the film will be completed by the summer of 2025. In our interview, she discusses her decision to go back to school, her work on the new Amazon Prime series Étoile, how to educate young people about our challenging history, and the most memorable location she's scouted to date.
READ MORECracking the Code on Film Fundraising: Insights from NYWIFT’s Winter Film Festival Panel
On a brisk February afternoon, I found the perfect escape from the cold—diving into an eye-opening discussion at the 2025 Winter Film Festival. One of the standout moments? Navigating Film Fundraising with NYWIFT, a must-attend panel for any filmmaker tackling the most daunting part of filmmaking: raising money. Leading the conversation were Easmanie Michel, NYWIFT’s Director of Artists Programs and Finance, and NYWIFT Member Joanna Rudolph, executive producer of Burning Annie and The Co-op: The Kids of Dorie Miller. Their wealth of knowledge made for a powerful session, packed with real-world success stories and actionable strategies. Marchelle Thurman summarized some key takeaways to help you fund your next film.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Melody Gilbert
Welcome to our new NYWIFT member, Melody Gilbert! Melody is an Emmy-nominated and Alfred I. duPont award-winning documentary filmmaker. Over the course of her career, Melody has directed and produced 20 documentaries that have been screened at several film festivals and distributed internationally. Melody is also an educator committed to teaching new and emerging filmmakers. She has been on the faculty at several universities (including the American University in Bulgaria), teaching documentary production, multimedia, and journalism. Currently, Melody is traveling the world and spreading her love for film by teaching pitch training workshops and conducting her “Documentary Boot Camp” while working on her new documentary about the scandalous topless monokini bathing suit in 1964. The most recent documentary she helped produce, Queendom, was shortlisted for an Oscar in the feature documentary category. In our interview, Melody discusses her move from chilly Minnesota to NYC, her unconventional documentary subjects, and key lessons she shares with film students.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Amanda Deering Jones
Welcome to NYWIFT, Amanda Deering Jones! Amanda Deering Jones is the director of the new short film Little Mother Lies. She is also the Producer of the Academy Award-nominated animated short film Borrowed Time. She has over 20 years of experience working with Dreamworks Animation and Blue Sky Studios and is currently at Pixar. Her career began in Cooperstown, NY, as House Manager at Glimmerglass Opera before transitioning to film. Amanda is a zero-waste advocate and a published writer for the Producer’s Guild Magazine. She is an active member of the Producers Guild of America, Women in Film, Women in Animation, a Governor of the Emmy’s Northwest Chapter Board, and now a NYWIFT member. Amanda discusses her theatrical roots, getting into animation (without drawing!), and how she creates work that elevates our thinking and highlights the complexities of being human!
READ MORE
Comments are closed