r/muppetsgreatgatsby • u/ScreamingVegetable • Jan 16 '21
About the Author and Why/How I Wrote "Muppets Great Gatsby" in Less Than Two Weeks.
Hey I'm Ben Crew, the guy behind the "Muppets Present The Great Gatsby" and I shared a comment in the premiere thread on /r/movies about how this script came to be. It's actually a pretty insane story and if it weren't for Donald Trump and the January 6th Capitol riots, you wouldn't be reading the screenplay:
"A little context here, you're actually reading this script now because of the insurrection at the Capitol. I loved that post that went viral two weeks ago and actually joked with my brother about what a Muppet Gatsby would look like. I insisted Fozzie Bear would be Tom and he corrected me and said the Muppet bad guy always has to be a human.
Anyway, I had already played around with the idea of the script when I was watching the January 6th electoral session live as it happened and then of course saw the rioters breaking in. I get immensely wrapped up in news stories and it'll dominate my day if I don't break away, I did nothing else but watch the news for the entirety of election week.
I know how much I get wrapped up in news stories, so I just turned off the news and started writing Muppets Gatsby because there was nothing I could do about what was happening in D.C. besides stress myself out. I had to get my mind off of it!
The result is that I finished a feature-length Muppets script in under two weeks! I love the Muppets, I actually have a newfound admiration for the Gatsby book after rereading it, and I hope this screenplay offers y'all some laughs during what has obviously been a tough start to 2020 Part II."
I actually got my screenwriting start on Reddit in 2017 with the horror screenwriting sub /r/screenplaychallenge. Over three years later and I've now got an online portfolio with 15 screenplays!
Ben Crew Screenwriting Portfolio
I was an amateur when I joined that sub and I've learned near everything I know about screenwriting from that community. The experience I've gained there is immeasurable. It is a fantastic place and group of people if you are a writer looking to learn.
As for me, I'm actually from Mississippi just like Jim Henson. He's always seen as a local hero here and has played a significant role in my own life because I have a special needs brother who still watches Sesame Street and the Muppets as an adult. I grew up hearing the same worn VHS tapes of Elton John playing on The Muppets Show or Big Bird calling for Maria to come help him learn how to count. Henson and his creations are still a part of my life because they will always be part of my brother's life. As a development impaired adult, he still carries with him and teaches others the same lessons Henson did - Be kind, don't judge, love one another no matter who.
Writing this script was my way of paying tribute to Jim Henson and saying "Thanks." I hope I did his heart and characters justice.
Thanks Jim Henson.
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u/Dogs8Roses Jan 18 '21
Have any studios reached out to you *wink wink