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Since its web debut in August, 2003, Scripts & Scruples has been captivating audiences with its old-time radio soap style, its intriguing storylines and its excellent characterizations. This month in the Hot Seat, we have with us the mastermind behind S&S, Roger Newcomb. Read on to discover his inspiration behind his innovative series, personal reflections on it and even a preview for what lies ahead in the upcoming S&S spinoff!


Q. Okay, let's start at the beginning. Tell us about the origins of Scripts & Scruples. Where did your inspiration for it come from?

Roger from Scripts & Scruples: I’ve always been a fan of the old-time radio (OTR) soaps and a few years ago I ran across a website that played a lot of those old shows and it inspired me a lot. I’m also a fan of character driven traditional soap stories and those two things lead me to combine my love of writing and being creative in S&S.


Q. In the time you have been writing S&S, what would you say has been the greatest reward? In other words, what's been your proudest moment?

Roger: You know, there are so many great moments from the show’s run so far, but I attribute that to not just the writing but the acting and editing. The show has come so far in those two areas since the beginning. The actors on S&S make every single thing I write so much better. They bring it to life. And the editing is night and day compared to when we first started. If I had to choose one moment on the show, I would say Larissa’s confession on the witness stand to stabbing Turner Dean. That was a secret that I kept from everyone, including the cast, and I loved how the reveal turned out.
 

Q. It was indeed a riveting surprise. If someone had never heard of S&S before, how would you describe it? What would you most want them to know about your series?

Roger: S&S is a traditional soap that cares about family stories, romance, friendships and all the day to day type relationships of life. You can get all this in six to ten minute episodes each weekday. I think the show is easy to follow and you can listen to the mp3 at your own convenience. Some listen on one of our six internet radio affiliates, others download every day, while others do weekend marathons.

Q. One thing that really brings the show to life and sets it apart from many others is that you cast real actors to portray your characters. Can you give us any insight on how your casting process works?

Roger: When the show first started in August 2003, the actors were a group of my close friends spread out all over the country. As the show grew, I began casting mostly New York based actors who had some television or film experience. When a key role comes up, I put up a casting notice on some of the hot casting websites. For every role, I probably get 200 headshots/resumes. I was stunned by how much actors want to act, even for a non-paying role. Based on the resumes and headshots, I filter them down and try to do a reading with three to five of them. From there, I make a call based on instinct about who would fit the role best. Gregori J. Martin, who plays Charlie on S&S, has taken the lead with casting over the past year. Sometimes we both read with an actor, other times it’s just me. For the actors, being on S&S gets their name out there, gives them an ongoing gig and hopefully it’s a lot of fun.

Q. That is absolutely awesome! Speaking of casting, in your series, you portray the character of Mack. What is that like? Are there any other characters you would like to play for a day?

Roger: Playing Mack is interesting. He can sometimes be such a jerk, and I think I am at my best as an "actor" when he’s on a tirade about something. I consider myself to be a weak link in terms of acting on S&S, but like all the actors, I think I’ve improved over time. My S&S wife, Raven, is played by one of my closest friends, Kayla Simon, and my best friend is played by my partner, Lyle Kamenir. As for other characters I’d like to play for a day, I’m not sure. I see the current actor in my head when I’m writing and I can only imagine how horrible I would be. But Andrew or Blake would probably be fun.

Q. Over the course of S&S, what would you say is your favorite storyline... and your least favorite?

Roger: My favorite story so far has been the love affair between Perry and Rex (Pex). They have gone from friends to lovers to being separated and faced with adversity from family, friends and now Perry’s HIV status. Through it all, their affection for each other always comes through. I enjoy writing about true friendship and love.
My least favorite would probably be the church cult storyline from early 2004. I realized that in order for it to be as good as I wanted I would need to invest in some additional characters that we didn’t have room for on the canvas at that time. So I ended it with Pauline’s heartbreaking death, which turned out to be one of the best S&S scenes ever, so not all was lost.

Q. Is S&S your first creative writing venture? If not, tell us a little about the projects you've done in the past. Did any of them influence S&S?

Roger: I have been a lifelong soap fan, so as a teenager I began writing my own soaps. In college, I made two dramedy movies with friends, "A Rage In Harvill" and "Nightmare on Drane Street". They were pretty terrible looking back, but a lot of fun and a good creative outlet for me. I’ve also written some songs with friends. I think anything creative I ever did has influenced S&S in one way or another.

Q. Tell us about your upcoming S&S spinoff, Rockland County. What's it about?

Roger: Rockland County has gone through a lot of iterations in terms of focus, and I think I’ve finally settled on the struggle between the Ramos and Morgan families. I have narrowed the scope of the show over time because I want to ensure it’s successful, and also not take on too much for myself. Dr. Ramos from S&S lived in Rockland County, and Gretchen and Charlie will cross over to introduce the story of his family to S&S fans. There will be some quirky characters and an interesting mix of comedy and drama. We’re trying to line up as many current or former soap actors as we can for the lead roles.

Q. That sounds awesome. We'll be sure to tune in! Do you have any advice for those who are wanting to break into the world of online entertainment?

Roger: I read recently a post on a message board about writing for yourself. I think that was great advice. If you love writing and being creative, then be true to yourself and have fun. One piece of advice I like to give is to have as much work done as you can before your web series ever premieres. I think it’s important to keep as regular a schedule as possible so that fans will get into a routine of reading, watching, listening or however you present your show. There are so many wonderful web series out there and I think we have the opportunity to show our true vision without network or sponsor interference.

Q. And finally, if your series ended tomorrow, what would you want your legacy to be in the world of online entertainment?

Roger: Hmmm…I guess the legacy for S&S would be that it was an old school soap in a new school world. No matter how much I hear about people having short attention spans, I still write long-arc storylines about relationships - between siblings, lovers, friends, co-workers, etc - and hope that people will follow. Personally, the show started as a project among friends, and it has enhanced many of those friendships along the way, which is the most important thing of all to me.

Many, many thanks to Roger for participating in our Hot Seat interview this month. You can check out all the action at Scripts & Scruples by visiting http://www.scriptsandscruples.com