As a screenwriter, we need to have faith. Whether it is in ourselves or even a higher power it is essential otherwise we become lost on our journey toward success. No one knows this better than Marneen who has dealt with more struggles than most and has come out of them stronger than ever. This is why I am excited to introduce you to her.
This is Marneen Lynn Fields...
Mini-Bio:
Marneen Lynne Fields is an award-winning WGA registered scriptwriter, ASCAP composer, SAG actress/former stuntwoman, and a pop-blues/soft rock singer. She’s appeared in 150 films, primetime TV shows, web series, music videos, and theatrical productions at every level since 1976. She’s worked with many A-list directors, actors, and producers like Clint Eastwood, Stanley Kramer, Irwin Allen, Shirley Jones, Priscilla Presley, James Garner, Jeff Goldblum, Dick Van Dyke, and many more. Wikipedia lists her as one of the most prominent stuntwomen of the 70s and 80s, once coined Hollywood’s Original Fall Girl. She’s the CEO and creative director of Heavenly Waterfall Productions, and a 5-Star rated author on Amazon for her The Illusive Craft of Acting: An Actor’s Preparation Process. He autobiography, Cartwheels & Halos: The True Marneen Lynne Fields Story is being published by TBNs Trilogy Publishing (2 billion audience) spring of 2022. Her filmography, Rolling with the Punches with a Hollywood Fall Girl has been picked up by Briton Publishing and will also publish spring of 2022. For more, please see Marneen’s IMDB page at, http://www.imdb.me/marneenfields
Q: How did you stumble upon screenwriting?
I was one of the most famous Hollywood stuntwomen in the world in the 70s and 80s, and a very serious SAG actress when a near-fatal car accident that resulted in a series of life-threatening operations destroyed my stunt-actress career. My favorite thing to do prior to the accident was read and study plays, I read a couple of hundred of them. After losing everything, to get close to my acting, I went back to school and studied script supervising and scriptwriting from Sherwood Oaks Experimental College, the American Film Institute (AFI), and the Hollywood Scriptwriter Institute to become a scriptwriter.
Q: Who/what inspired you into taking this path?
My celebrity acting coaches, Jeff Corey (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), and acting coach to Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Paul Neuman and many more. Victor French (Get Smart, Little House on the Prairie), son-in-law to the great Lee J. Cobb, and co-star on two Emmy winning series with Michael Landon. Jim Kelly Durgin creator of the NABIT exam for script supervisors, and Syd Field author of Screenplay. I was also mentored for two years at the Writer’s Digest School by brilliant author, Ted Schwarz (The Hillside Strangler).
Q: Who was the first person who believed in you?
My college gymnastic coach in 1973 at Utah State University, Lucille Chase was the first person to believe in my gymnastics talents as the #1 gymnast for the college competing at the class one advanced all-around level for the school in intercollegiate competition. She never held back compliments, and she helped me achieve great confidence the years she was. Next, was the great Paul Stader (Cary Grant’s stunt double), of Paul Stader’s Stunt School in Santa Monica, California. Paul recognized the champion gymnast and athlete in me and singlehandedly launched me to the top of world in the entertainment industry as a Hollywood stuntwoman in late 1976 landing me, my first movie opposite Clint Eastwood in The Gauntlet, and twenty-five other feature films and primetime TV shows where I performed death dying feats for the famous actresses of the day and for myself when cast in a role. Paul’s belief in me was off the charts, and he taught me to be magnanimous.
Q: When was the moment you knew you wanted to be a screenwriter?
I took a class in high school watching and studying films like On the Waterfront and it was my favorite class. Then in college at Utah State University where I was awarded an athletic scholarship in gymnastics (one of three women in the US to receive that scholarship in 1973), I minored in Theater Arts and became a student of the craft of acting, eventually becoming a specialist in Stanislavsky and Chekhov methods of acting. I’m the author the 5-Star rated book, The Illusive Craft of Acting: An Actor’s Preparation Process available on Amazon. After my car accident, I realized how well I understood characters, dialogue, and scene structure as an actress. Scriptwriting has become a perfect, natural progression for me in my amazingly versatile, and ever-changing career in entertainment. Today, forty-four years into my career, I’m at the top of my craft an award-winning scriptwriter, an author, and a composer of pop music.
Q: How do you define success for yourself?
Success for me now would be the commercial success and recognition I’ve worked my entire life to achieve. The financial payoff to afford more opportunities to reach more goals, and to help the following charities whose dire situations I’ve experienced in life. The mentally ill who are homeless and their families, the severely hearing impaired and deaf public, abused children and wives, car accident victims, and injured stunt people.
Q: Give us a typical day in your life.
Are you an Early Bird or a Night Owl?
Early Bird. I’m unable to concentrate to work on anything after 6 pm.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Wash my face, brush my teeth, and do some arm and side stretches, neck circles, and body hangs. Read scripture.
What do you do during the day?
For the most part, my life is all about my projects, my live performances and live appearances. With two books about my life and career landing book publishers recently, my autobiography, Cartwheels & Halos: The True Marneen Lynne Fields Story, and my filmography, Rolling with the Punches with a Hollywood Fall Girl, I’ve set a goal to write 1,000 words a day between the two books.
Do you have a pre-bed ritual?
I run prayers and I organize priorities for the next day silently in my mind as I lay in bed. When I was a gymnast, I used to lay in bed and night and go over and over each routine in my mind’s eye. Today, I continually ask myself, “Okay, where am I? What do I absolutely need to do next?” When I’m cast in a role or have a live performance, I go over and over and over my lines of dialogue or sing the words of the songs.
How do you define a successful day?
When I have worked fast and efficiently (with a positive mindset), completing my To-do List for that day without any unnecessary stressful encounters, or personal, emotional setbacks.
Q: What’s been the most important skill you've developed on your path to screenwriting?
Character analysis, attention to detail, editing skills, patience, and striving to be the best writer I can be.
Q: What’s been the greatest challenge in your writing so far?
Comparison to others. I don’t have the intellect and knowledge other people have in history, politics, science, and other areas and I never will. I’m a spiritually advanced soul, an actress, a songwriter, a performer, and an ex-champion athlete, and those are the areas where my knowledge lies. However, my creativity and knowledge of scriptwriting, filmmaking, theater, and acting makes up for any subjects I’m not an expert in. Oh, and I don’t only write drama, I also write comedy.
Q: What’s been the greatest reward in the choices you've made?
The craft of acting, character analysis, lyric writing, song composition, gymnastics, and my love for God and spiritual/mystical pursuits are heaven on earth for me.
Q: What do you want to learn from a community of your peers?
What they have learned about scriptwriting and filmmaking, and the successes they’ve had.
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