The British-born writer and filmmaker speaks to The American Bazaar about his experiences in Hollywood.
JS Mayank is a British-Indian screenwriter and filmmaker whose work has caught the eye of HBO, Showtime, Amazon, CBS, Fox, NBC, just to name a few. Most recently, Mayank is casting his feature directorial debut, The Dead Wives Club alongside renowned casting director Avy Kaufman (The Sixth Sense, Brokeback Mountain, Lincoln).
Mayank spoke with The American Bazaar about his experiences of being a desi screenwriter in Hollywood.
What drew you into this business?
I was always driven to Hollywood, ever since I was a child. Even when I was in India, I distinctly remember watching The Matrix, and turning to my family to say: “that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.” The same year, I read the screenplay for The Sixth Sense. I then watched the movie, and was blown away by how similar what I had read on the page was to what I saw on screen. And it was written by someone of Indian descent! I couldn’t believe that someone like me could actually be successful in Hollywood. 1999 was the year that crystallized it all for me. I knew had to become a filmmaker.
Tell me a little bit about your work background?
I wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. After my undergraduate studies, I interned at an NGO in India called TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) where I got to help make documentaries for WHO and UNESCO. Following that, I came to America for my Masters (at Wake Forest) and then got an MFA in Film Directing (at Loyola Marymount University). While still in film school, I became a Tribeca fellow, and after that, I just kept writing/directing – forging my path in Hollywood.
Where are you from? How long have you lived in America?
I’ve grown up all over the world, but I like to say I’m British by birth, Indian by ethnicity, and American by thought. I’ve lived in the US for about 12 years now.
How did you get involved with screenwriting?
I was always making up stories in my head, but my writing was very visual. Screenwriting was the most natural fit. Once I read a screenplay, it was love at first sight. I knew this was the form for me.
Describe a typical work day for you.
There’s no such thing. It’s what I love about this profession the most. There are a lot of ups and downs, high-highs and low-lows… but never a dull day. As a fan of roller-coasters, I get to ride one for life! But on most days, I’m usually up by 6 am, at my computer writing by 7 [am]. From 10 [am] to 2 [pm], I might have meetings, or calls with my producers, agents, manager etc. I go back to writing after that, and will usually work till about 7 pm. Evenings are for reading/watching/rewriting. Now, if I’m directing, then all of that is in flux.
Is your family supportive of your work? If so how?
Extremely so. I have the most supportive parents I can imagine. I come from a family of doctors, and so I had mistakenly thought they’d have certain preconceived notions or expectations from me, but to their credit, once they saw how determined I was, and that I wasn’t afraid to work hard for my dream, they allowed me to pursue a career as uncertain and capricious as filmmaking! And they love knowing what I’m up to.
Tell me a few highlights of your career?
Being a Tribeca fellow and meeting Robert De Niro was pretty amazing. Selling my first TV show to Universal and Syfy was another great moment, which allowed me to join the Writer’s Guild of America — a lifelong dream. Winning the prestigious Philip K. Dick award for my sci-fi short film, Emit was terrific. But the best moment was actually an accidental encounter with Damon Lindelof, my favorite TV writer in the world, who is now my mentor.
What are some recent projects & organizations you’ve presented/pitched for?
I’m developing a lot of TV projects. Some recent highlights have been going in to pitch at the highest level to buyers like HBO, Showtime, Amazon, CBS, Fox, NBC etc. I’m just wrapping up a short film, Someday, which I wrote and directed. I’m also casting my feature directorial debut, The Dead Wives Club, working with renowned casting director Avy Kaufman (The Sixth Sense, Brokeback Mountain, Lincoln).
Where are some of the most exciting places you get to do business?
A script I wrote won the grand prize at a screenwriting contest organized by the Chinese government, so I got to visit Beijing, where they actually filmed the piece. That was a lot of fun. In LA, I love running around town, going from Warner Bros to Paramount, Universal to Sony. I’m represented by UTA, which is in Beverly Hills. A lot of the big companies are in Santa Monica – HBO, Hulu, Lionsgate. Oh, and when I’m shooting, it’s even more exciting — on my most recent project, we shot on an Airplane set, in fact, the same one used in Lost and Wolf of Wall Street.
Are you happy with what you do?
Ecstatic. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. And I’m a writer! Imagining alternate scenarios is what I’m good at. So maybe I’m not a very good writer… Hmm.
What makes you the most happy?
Writing and directing. Creating. Truly. It’s when I feel the most alive.
Do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on thus far?
My short film, Emit [watch it on Vimeo here], which is like a Twilight Zone episode — mostly because it leaves the audience thinking, and I get a million questions about it. So whether people love it or hate it, they never forget it. I’m very proud of that fact!
Do you do anything else besides screenwriting. If so, please describe?
Ha! That’s a terrible question to ask a workaholic. I’d like to say I’m a well-rounded person, but the truth is, I eat/drink/breathe stories. Anything I do is mostly related to filmmaking. Wish I had a better answer for you!
What are your hobbies?
Besides being an avid consumer of all things film and TV, I do love to read. I’m a huge fan of the theater. I love watching stand up comedy. And I really enjoy cooking.
Mayank’s next project is a film called Someday.
You can follow him on Twitter @jsmayank for updates on all projects and release dates.
(This post has been updated.)