WRITER INTERVIEW: (Note: please read the story before you read the interview there are spoilers!)
2nd PLACE Joshua Cartwright “The Conversation” 25-DE04-W23
Our 2025 finalist script for this article is “The Conversation” by Joshua Cartwright from London with help from Development Executive: Andrew Matthews. The story is about an anonymous tip that turns a detective’s life upside down.
Any Write of Passage (WP) script may be produced for the 168 Film Festival's Write of Passage Spotlight. Writers and mentors (DE's) receive screen credit if their film is made.
INTERVIEW:
John David Ware (JDW): Tell us about yourself. What do you do for work?
Joshua Cartwright (JC): Well, I’m 51 and I’ve been a Christian for the last 28 years. You don’t get to be a Christian for that long and not tackle some of the big issues in life: I’d say dealing with big life events like death, divorce and depression have been used by the Lord to make me a stronger, wiser person and I hope that comes out in my screenwriting. I’ve been screenwriting for about five years – from a young age I loved movies – I like to say I imagined Jurassic Park years before Spielberg (aged 9 or so in 1982!) and I made a five-minute episode of ‘V’ (by Kenneth Johnson – eighties series) when I was about 14. But life got in the way and even after working on children’s books, I only started screenwriting around the time covid really hit. I envisioned a drama set in the first century called Imma and really cranked writing that over the last few years. But ever since Rita Betti, my mentor, introduced me to the 168 I’ve competed for the last three years. It’s so worth it.
For the last twelve years I’ve run libraries in North London so you could say I’m a librarian. But I also write children’s books with my wife – our series The Granny JJ Adventures – is popular in South America. I’m also working with a team to create a TV pilot.
JDW: Tell us about your family and where you live. How has your environment and family shaped your writing? What obstacles have you had to overcome in life? How have they helped your writing?
JC: I live with my wife Glenda and our youngest daughter Seraphina. We live about forty miles outside of London in a town called Luton. I’ve been through a lot in life (who hasn’t!) but I’ve tried to use it to make me better. I had a very difficult childhood and I spent a lot of years working through stuff and building a love for Christ in my heart. I now truly know He is the only way, Truth, and life. Oh, and I’m learning Hebrew so I can tour guide people around Jerusalem. You’ve gotta go, it’s really something else.
JDW: What do you see as some differences between telling stories in your region vs. other places?
JC: Honestly, English dramas tend to be grittier, and ruder. There’s this assumption that English people do nothing but swear, which annoys me. Or perhaps I’m just out of touch. My wife and I are working with a production team on The Granny JJ Adventures, a story of an old Christian woman who decides to solve crime in her local area in South America. I can tell a great story without having to cuss!
JDW: How did you learn about Write of Passage (WP) &168 Film Project?
JC: Rita Betti, a previous 168 winner, reached out to me when I was on a writer’s forum. It was truly a God-incidence – she was so patient with me and truly helped me become a better writer. She and her sister Deborah even took my first 168 effort and made it into a short film called Church Girl.
JDW: Is this your 1st time in WP? Have you won awards, been optioned, etc?
JC: I’ve been a finalist and semi-finalist in other competitions. But it was really my heart’s desire to win the 168. We’ve had some real interest in our TV pilot and we’re willing to talk to Networks about it, so reach out. It’s original, has real heart and takes the detective genre to a different place.
JDW: Besides the verse, what inspired you to write The Conversation?
JC: Actually, it was prayer, and then your talk about opposing values. Soon after watching it, the Lord gave me the idea of two brothers from different sides of the tracks.
JDW: How did this year’s theme hit you? Describe your journey from theme and verse?
JC: It was the most difficult year for me at first. I knew the Lord would have to guide me because Truth for many people is such a contentious issue. But when I thought about two brothers who had taken such different paths – to the extent (spoiler) that one didn’t even recognize the other – each would be trying to find their own truth. And one found it where it belongs. Andrew, my DE, really helped me pare the script down to allow the most to be said with the least. He was great.
JDW: Describe your faith journey?
JC: I was met in 1996 by Andrew Agerbak (look, another Andrew) who befriended me and patiently taught me the Scriptures. I was baptized in 1997 but went through a number of big life-shakeups in the 15 years afterwards. I had a strong desire to know what the Scriptures were really saying so I started studying Greek and Hebrew words, then archeology. I was asked to be an Elder in our current church a couple of years ago and around that time I went to Israel and stood where Jesus had stood – there are a few places where you can be almost certain.
Since then I’ve been learning Hebrew, studying Judaic materials for insight into the Scriptures. I believe there is no time for Christians to mess around these days. Make every effort to strengthen your faith. I also believe part of my mission is to communicate the gospel in story without being overly preachy.
JDW: How are you planning to shape the story going forward? Any plans to make the film?
JC: I’d love to see this as a short film. No plans to expand it right now with my other projects taking up too much time.
JDW: Tell us about your writing process.
JC: Pray for the idea, write a first draft fast, and then get experienced criticism. The help of an experienced critic really can shape you for the better.
JDW: How has WP helped you grow as a writer? Would you recommend it to others?
You get professional mentoring for as little as $20-$30 dollars. You would literally have to be mad to not take this up. I so look forward to this time of year.
JDW: What are your plans for the future?
JC: Finish our 8 part series. Finish writing Imma, which is something that the world has not seen – trust me – this story and the visuals will show you Jesus and the world around Him like never before.
JDW: Anything else we should know about you?
JC: Thank you to the 168 for these opportunities.
(Image: Grok.AI)