The Dallas Screenwriters Association Board
President -- Carolyn Hodge (See Sidebar)
Vice President -- Wayne Nichols (See Sidebar)
SECRETARY -- WILLIAM BEST
Will calls himself the “Bohemian Banker.” In other words, he’s a commercial real estate lender by day and a free-spirit, screenwriter by night. Will says, "he likes to exercise both sides of his brain." His first script, “The Limited Adventures of Jake Flake” was written while in high school. Ever since then Will has been fulfilling his dream of putting great words on a blank page. Will has completed five feature length screenplays and currently working on his sixth called “Broken Pieces.” He has completed numerous short scripts as well, including his personal favorite, “The Dogfather.” Will has collaborated with several production companies on scripts and co-wrote a short-film called “Long Journey Home.” He felt like he finally arrived as a screenwriter when his name appeared on IMDB.com. Will does step out from behind the pencil on occasion and created his own short-film mashup called, “Nuns in Space,” and earned a screen credit in the local production of “Strangeheart.”
His favorite movies include: INDEPENDENCE DAY, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, CASABLANCA, CHRISTMAS VACATION and MOULIN ROUGE.
Treasurer -- Debra Hardy
Debra is a high school math (algebra II, geometry, AP Stats) and physics teacher. She holds a .BA Ed, MA ED, and MBA. Debra has been writing short stories since high school, and screenwriting for the last 6 years. She has one insane dog Zoe (Demon Dog on her wild days but that's another story).
Debra has received wide recognition for her screenwriting. She was a Quarterfinalist for Scriptapalooza, BlueCat, and StoryPros, Action/Adventure finalist for StoryPros (different script), Honorable Mention Comedy Division (rom-com) ScreenPlay Festival (1 of the top 6 scripts), top 15% for Nichols.
Her favorite movies include: THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, SHOOTER, GHOST, BULLITT / THE GREAT ESCAPE (she couldn't choose), and ARMAGEDDON.
Public Relations Director -- M. Robert Turnage
A professional writer and consultant, Robert has obsessed over movies most of his life, and can still re-enact most of 'The Muppet Movie' with very little prompting. He has worked as a video store manager, a training video producer, and film lecturer. He is the author of the book, '26 Short Screenplays for Independent Filmmakers' and has assisted in the production of many short films. When writing, his preferred soundtrack consists of a mix of The Pixies, Uncle Tupelo, and Benny Goodman.
His favorite movies include: THE RED SHOES, TRUST, AMADEUS, THE QUIET MAN, VERTIGO, STAGECOACH, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE MUPPET MOVIE, and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
Newsletter Editor -- Elbert Edgenton
Visual media has always fascinated Elbert and 15 years ago he started his journey down that path. Currently his career is in Engineering, but he is also a former TV production Instructor at Northlake College, a student at numerous Film and Screenwriting seminars, and now a beginning Screenwriter on a mission to bring his passion for story to the written page. Blessed with many talents he brings those to the DSA in his new job.
His favorite movies include: THE TERMINATOR, PREDATOR, INDEPENDENCE DAY, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, and the BOURNE IDENTITY TRILOGY
Librarian -- Alan Tregoning
Alan Tregoning is an award winning screenwriter based in Plano. He writes for “iShine Knect”, a tween sitcom seen weekly on TBN, JCTV and the Smile of a Child network. As a part of the Prestonwood Baptist Church creative arts team, he helps write and produce a weekly video element for first through sixth grade children, including their ground-breaking sitcom, "Wright's Direction," which ran for 122 episodes from 2007-2009. Alan is also a speed filmmaking veteran having entered several films in the 168, 48 and 24 hour film competitions. His short film “Sanctuary” won four awards at the 2010 Dallas 48 Hour Film contest including Best Film.
His favorite movies include: GALLIPOLI, WHAT LIES BENEATH, THE BOURNE IDENTITY, THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, ANYTHING PIXAR
Web and graphic design -- A. Paul Myers
Paul is many things: a web and graphic designer, theologian, film-junkie, music-lover, sometimes-writer, constant-reader, and a pop-culture consumer. His varied experience includes retail management (he was an in-store voice of Geoffery Giraffe), web design and a contributing writer on two gift books for Word Publishing. He got bit by the filmmaking bug while working on the set of "The Imposter" feature film and has since served as 2nd AD on two independent short films and a music video, as well as 1st AD on " Emma's Wish."
His favorite movies include: STAR WARS, TOMBSTONE, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, and THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THAT COWARD ROBERT FORD.
Carolyn Hodge
DSA President
Carolyn C. Hodge is a screenwriter, producer, and director. Her latest project, “Murder by Mistake” a mystery/thriller short subject film, is currently on the festival circuit.
Carolyn became involved in the entertainment community officially in January of 2006, when she began attending DSA meeting. She joined in 2007 and is now in her second term as President. She's been writing since the third grade, when she self-published her first and only novella. True to a young girl's heart, the story was about horses.
As a U.S. Air Force officer and consummate traveler, she has lived in or visited about one third of the countries around the world and almost 50 percent of states within the U.S. Her Texas roots called her home in 1998. The one consistency that has followed Carolyn as she meandered through life has been writing. She wrote short stories because she loves a good story and enjoys being a storyteller. When her daughter grew up and flew the nest in late 2005, Carolyn was left with her stories and her cat. And then, she decided to follow a dream she had had since she was a very young girl – to write the great American novel or an award-winning screenplay. A lover of movies, music, television and the whole entertainment scene, she decided to try her hand at writing screenplays.
Carolyn has several screenplays in various stages of development and has another short "Emma's Wish" she produced and directed in 2009.
She lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with her cat, Shea. Her daughter, Sara, lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Her favorite movies include: CHINATOWN, BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID, 300, DOUBLE INDEMNITY, and DR. ZHIVAGO.
Vice President -- Wayne Nichols
Wayne Nichols is a screenwriter and independent filmmaker by evenings and weekends, and a Social Studies Lead Content Teacher for the Fort Worth Independent School District by day. But his most important life pursuit is as a husband to his wife Annie and a father to four great children. He has written, produced and directed 3 award-winning short films with his filmmaking partners. In addition, he has co-written one feature script, Far Enough, which is in development. He currently is producing and directing his first feature film, Texas Tango, which he also wrote. Wayne is also a musician and songwriter who wrote, performed and produced his own CD, The Lost Episodes, comprised of 16 original songs.
His favorite movies include: DOUBLE INDEMNITY, OUT OF THE PAST, MANHATTAN, CHINATOWN, and THE BIG LEBOWSKI.
Scene Read Committee Chair -- Jennifer Dulin
A newcomer to the screenwriting world, Jen has been a midwife, a ballerina, a writer and a mom - but not in that order. Her most impressive accomplishments are a toss-up between handling postpartum hemmorhages, and choreographing musicals for young people who have never danced before. She says you'd be surprised how the two resemble each other. She has become addicted to the DSA Scene Readings.
Her favorite movies include: IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, MOONSTRUCK, PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN; CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, MY DINNER WITH ANDRE, & THE PRINCESS BRIDE.