What is the best thing that I love about my work? When I coach I get every bit as much out of the experience as my clients do. You learn when you teach and I gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of effective storytelling every time I go through the process. And, the joy I get out of inspiring people, showing them the way to reach their goals, and unlocking potential they might not have even believed they had is the absolute best. It’s taken my whole life to get here and I’m very grateful
that I get to experience this almost every day.
What is my idea of happiness? Happiness is living a life you never feel the need to escape from.
What is my greatest fear? Hm. That’s interesting. I don’t really have very many fears these days, but I have been afraid of money and the disappointment of others and those kinds of distractions in the past. Today, and on a day-to-day basis, I suppose I’m afraid of letting my life slip away without having actually lived it. I ask “Is this a day I’ll be proud of? Am I doing all I can to achieve my goals? Or, will this be another day I won’t even remember? Did I let it go by without doing anything inspired or making any effort at all?” From there, I try to make every day something special for me personally, those in my life or those I’m working with.
What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? My tendency to over-focus can be a real problem. Once I’m focused on something, no force on earth can get my attention – even when it’s my wife or someone in need. So, that’s not great. I do need a little more temperance in my life and can go to such lengths to accomplish my goals that I bleed and hurt in the process. And, I can create collateral damage to the people closest to me. As I get older, that’s becoming even more of a liability, so it’s on my list of things I need to resolve.
Which living persons in my profession do I most admire? I really love the work of screenwriter (and now showrunner and TV King Midas) Taylor Sheridan. One of my absolute favourite films is “Hell or High Water” and it continues to be a creative “North Star” for my efforts. I also really admire Scott Myers who is the Black List’s official blogger and his blog is an amazing resource. Very insightful and useful. If you have any interest in screenwriting, start there.
What is my greatest extravagance? I don’t live an extravagant life in any respect. I tend to be barefoot most of the time and prefer being deep in the green areas around my home city more than being seen or dressing up. I have a love of cars and I’ve owned some expensive toys in the past, but not anymore. These days, I spoil myself with expensive food ( the raw ingredients, not prepared foods) and lots of self-care expenses, both in terms of therapies and supplements and such. I’m very interested in longevity and long-term physical and mental health. Being more than a half-century old can have that effect
on a person.
On what occasion would I lie? When an unnecessary truth might hurt another person. It’s tricky, it’s based on my personal sensibilities, of course, but I do my best to be sensitive to others.
What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? Let’s face it, the entertainment industry includes some really unlikeable and even despicable people. But, fortunately I can see them coming and have only rarely had to collaborate with people I don’t like. These days, I choose carefully and both my work and my experience is far better for it.
When and where was I the happiest, in my work? I’m happiest when my work moves people. When my writing elicits the intended response from the audience or when my coaching unlocks some internal resource inside a client they never knew they had. That’s awesome and I’ll never grow tired of seeing those things realized.
If I could, what would I change about myself? I wish I wasn’t so handsome. It’s been a real curse. (I’m joking – I hope that’s clear). I’ve got a few things to work on, and mentioned one or two already.
What is my greatest achievement in work? My favorite project so far is just wrapping up. A good friend of mine and I have created a feature-length documentary on the history and cultural impact of Canada’s most beloved TV show, Mr. Dressup. It’s been a 5-year journey and involved some genuine stress and pain and lots of tears, but it’s finally done. I was a producer, writer and appear on-screen as an interview subject speaking about the early life of the star of that show, Ernie Coombs. When we set out, Rob and I were determined to do the legacy of that wonderful show justice and to make the surviving creatives and their children proud. Having just recently shared an early cut of the film with a number of those people, we’re confident we have accomplished our goal. We hope it’s also a commercial success when released in the fall of 2023 on Amazon and the CBC in Canada, but ultimately that doesn’t matter anywhere near as much to us. Another great highlight of late happened after coaching a woman with limited experience in screenwriting. She had a ton of ideas and desire, but had no skills or understanding of what the industry is looking for. After six months, I helped her write a screenplay that immediately started gaining interest from respected producers. The greatest compliment to my mind is her being told “we could shoot that script today”, and I’m fiercely proud of her and my own efforts in supporting her because of that.
Where would I most like to live? Right where I am. In “The Forest City” of Ontario, Canada.
What is my most treasured possession? As I alluded to earlier, “things” aren’t really as valuable to me right now. I’m most grateful for my relationship with my wife. She’s my best friend and I absolutely adore her. We both work from home and are together most of the time almost every day. That would destroy many marriages, but not ours. It’s awesome.
What is my most marked characteristic? I don’t know! I’m told I’m funny and that I speak well. In recent years I’ve been told I have a unique and effective way of absorbing and then implementing information.
That I learn and adapt quickly. I think that’s why my coaching business is catching on. I’m pretty determined as well and tend to finish what I start. My film collaborators tell me I’m completely dependable and can solve problems with a cool head and I like having that kind of reputation. But, I don’t think it’s any one attribute so much as what I bring to the table as a whole. Dependability, levity and innovation. Maybe that’s my brand.
What is my most inspirational location, in my city? As a very green city with over 460 park spaces (of which I have seen every one), I would say the parks. I’m grateful to be able to walk out of my home located in the centre of our city and be “in the green” in a matter of minutes. My inspiration has always come from my relationship with “The Nature Mama.”
What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city? Right here in my home with my wife over a fantastic, home-cooked meal. Nothing else comes close.
What books influenced my life and how? I’ve read all the screenwriting books out there and have a few favorites, but I’m excited to share a lesser-known book called “Between The Scenes” by Jefferey Michael Bays on the effect and importance of scene transitions within visual storytelling. I think will help anyone interested in writing, editing or directing. I really enjoyed it and think it’s a completely unique book unlike anything else out there in the screenwriting space. I read a lot of the works by Stoic philosophers and enjoy Ryan Holliday’s books on the subject such as “The Obstacle is the Way.” Anything written by Neil Gaiman has my attention immediately. The screenplays (I know that wasn’t the question) of Walter Hill inspire me. His pagecraft is otherworldly. And, I must confess, I still enjoy a comic book once in a while as well. An uncle owned a comic book shop in years past that I would haunt, and comics were my first exposure to storytelling. Despite the glut of weak cinematic efforts on that front lately, I still love them and those characters very much.
You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? It will come down to the music I’ve most recently fallen in love with. I’m constantly searching for new music to listen to. Currently, I’m in my “black” period. I just so happen to be listening to a number of bands that all have the word “black” in their names: Black Elephant, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Black Angels, Black Pistol Fire, etc. I can’t explain the connective tissue between them all, but they all sound good to my ear right now.
Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? I absolutely love an indie comic book by Mike Allred called “Madman.” The hero in that was known as The Madman, but his real name was Frank Stein. Those stories
would tell you a lot about who I am and what my internal life is like.
Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? How’s this for an eclectic collection of heroes? Jim Henson. I miss him, his perspective and his voice terribly. Next, Canadian arm-wrestler and ex-special forces operative Devon Larratt for his discipline and dedication to his craft. And closing out the trio, I’d say Kurt Russel for creating a body of work that I revisit regularly. I’d thank all three of those gentlemen given the chance. Again, that list likely tells you more about me than I could if you gave me an hour.
Which movie would I recommend to see once in a lifetime? “Hell or High Water”. But choosing one is very difficult, so I’ll toss in “Oldboy (the original Korean production)”, “Ex Machina”, “Under The Skin”, “My Favorite Year”, An American Werewolf in London, The Thing, and “Citizen Kane” just to give you some options.
What role do stories play in my life and work? For me, it’s everything. Crafting (or helping to craft) timely, relevant, emotionally moving stories is my life.
What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ mean to me? I suppose it’s asking “how do you want to be remembered?” Make sure the story people tell when telling your life story is one you’d be proud to hear. You are the hero of your story. Make it worth telling. Make it moving. Make it last.
Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? My best friend in the world, my wife, Kai.
Which people or companies would I like to work with? I’d like to collaborate with Taylor Sheridan or to simply work on any of his many TV shows. I wish I could have been involved in a project being run by Jim Henson. I’d love to have been onset for anything that Stanley Kubrick directed. Kurt Russel, especially his John Carpenter period. I look forward to working with my friend, Rob McCallum, whom I created the Mr.
Dressup doc with again. It’s really about the chemistry for me. I may not get along with some of the people I admire the most. It really can be tough to meet your heroes, so I’ll be very pleased to simply have the opportunity to do what I do with as many different creatives as I can. That’s all I could ask for.
What project am I looking forward to work on? I’m writing a thriller right now with another friend that I’m particularly excited about and I completed a short film that may be filmed in Europe this fall. I have at least 10 other screenplay concepts I want to get to, so… there’s a lot to look forward to.
Where can you see me or my work? Look for the Mr. Dressup documentary on Amazon or on the CBC in Canada late 2023.
What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? If you love what you do, you’ll never stop. That’s my plan, anyway.
Which creative professionals should Peter invite to tell their story? Filmmaker Rob McCallum would be a great choice, but I know how limited his time is. Arm-wrestler Devon Larratt would also be a great choice.
How can you contact me? jordan@thescreenplayfactory.com
The Hero's Journey 