We caught up with the brilliant and insightful C. Neil Davenport a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
C. Neil, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
Being a screenwriter on Called Higher Studio’s first feature film, Camp Hideout (2022) was an extraordinary experience. It is a faith-based kid’s comedy staring Corbin Bleu, Ethan Drew, and Christopher Lloyd.
At the time when I was brought on to the project, I was very green. Though I had worked on several projects prior with Jason Lee Brown, one of the film’s producers alongside Phillip Glasser, this movie was on another level and these gentlemen took a chance on me. To be trusted, guided, and mentored by these two producers as well as the director, Sean Olson, was an honor and an education I hope happens in the near future.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?
I am an American screenwriter and lecturer of narrative design/story development. I am most known for being a writer on Camp Hideout (2022), and Bryn Gets a Life (2021).
I was born in Plano, Texas. I attended Augusta University in Augusta, George where I obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences as well a minor in theatre. I later became certified as a paralegal through the University of North Florida and currently I am obtaining a Masters of Fine Arts in screenwriting from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. I am set to graduate in 2023.
As of 2022, I am currently working on several projects with numerous producers. These include a true-crime feature screenplay titled, “Eight Years” which is an adaptation of David H. Hanks’ novel “The Disappearance”, a feature sports drama titled, “Blind Drive Ahead”, and an untitled faith-based action feature screenplay with a disclosed production company attached.
After I graduated with my undergrad, I got out of dodge and hit industry back in 2016 as an actor. I was represented by a few agencies such as Magna Talent Agency in Oklahoma and MI Talent Agency in Georgia. After working on a few television shows, commercials, and films such as Awake (2019), Unplanned (2019), and To the Stars (2019), I transitioned into feature writing.
There’s a common saying in the business which goes, “Find your voice,” but nobody tells you how long it is going to take or how hard you have to fail in order to find it. I am happy to say, I’ve found my voice and it is part of what separates me from other screenwriters. I am but a pen to the page for the voiceless.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Communication. No matter the industry which you work within, “It’s all in who you know.” You have to build professional relationships with others and they have to do the same with you. I am not in the film business… I’m in the networking business.
This past summer when gas was $5.59 a gallon (it was that much on my end due to my car being a diesel), I racked up 2000 miles during a networking trip. I hit 6 different states, met with 25 different producers, secured an entertainment attorney, taught a screenwriting class hosted by Dads 4 Life, was interviewed on Dwann Holmes’ podcast, helped develop a nonprofit organization and worked on a screenplay all within 30 days.
Never stop networking.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Too many to mention, but here are a few:
Book: Any and every book on screenwriting/story development.
Book: The Book of Tea by Kakuzō Okakura
Book: Tribes by Seth Godin
Book: The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Book: What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver
Video: Dustin Hoffman’s MasterClass
Video: Michael Caine’s MasterClass
Podcast: Charles Schwab’s Choiceology with Kate Milkman
Podcast: The How of Business
Podcast: The A24 Podcast
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cneildavenport.com/
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cneildavenport
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7465781/
Image Credits
C. Neil Davenport, Phillip Bernard Smith, Ted Lange, Dads 4 Life, Dwann Holmes, UNCSA, Peter Werner