Professional Information

Genres
Everything but poetry, westerns, or romance.

Full Name: 
Johnnye Gerhardt

City of Residence: 
Omaha

Biography: 

SHORT STORIES: Over fifty. Half published in various publications.

NOVELS: Three: Two have been adapted into screenplays. One is in rewrite and another is a work in progress.

SCREENPLAYS: Seven. Two of which are in the hands of producers, Howard Rosenman and Todd Shotz. Mr. Rosenman asked me to write a script for Bette Midler, Jane Fonda, and Shirley McLaine. The script is currently with Mr. Shotz. I have been asked to write another one for two older male actors. It is currently a work in progress. Three scripts made the finals at the Omaha Film Festival. I've never felt the need to enter more. Nor have I ever written a query letter. Word of mouth seems to get me in the door. It pays to network. My ability to write what's been called "killer dialogue" has provided several paying script doctor positions.

POETRY: One which was well received but since I don't know what I'm doing in that genre, I just toy with it.

BACKGROUND: I studied screenwriting under retired Professor Lew Hunter who remains my mentor and friend, Professor Linda Voorhees from the UCLA School of Film, Michael Hauge, and Bob Anderson.

Lew suggested I study acting to enhance writing great roles for characters so I took him up on it and studied at the Omaha Community Playhouse under Rick Brayshaw for two years. Because of that experience, I've done commercials, been an extra in two films, starred in a play at the Great Plains Theater Conference, and, in 2014 and 2015, narrated and acted in the Writer's Theater for the Omaha Film Festival. I'm currently writing standup programs to be performed at private organizations like the Kiwanis Club, etc. In 2017, I will appear in "Age is Just A Number," a program about overcoming adversity from personal experience. 

The acting plus the writing experience and knowledge accrued over the years gave me what I needed to lecture on writing. I've lectured to elementary, highschool, and college students on character development, dialogue, and screenwriting. Handouts and audience participation make it less of a lecture and more of an experience. I often change "character" as I speak.

For a year, I was an Acquisition and Contract Editor for a small press. I served as an editor for Fine Lines Literary Magazine for a short time until my own writing demanded more attention. Editing is not something I dedicate too much of my time to but will and have done it for a fee. Currently I'm editing a national education program for school counselors. It's not as dry as you think.

ORGANIZATIONS: The Nebraska Writer's Guild, of course; the Nebraska Writers Workshop; on the Board of Directors for the Nebraska Film Association; Membership Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Nebraska Writers Guild; maha+ Screenwriters (a professional screenwriters group); the Governor's Education Outreach Program; and Veteran's Voices as a writing coach and tutor.

HOBBIES: Mahjong; Caring for backyard critters - squirrels, birds, etc.; Friendly debate.

Published Works: 

The short stories are too numerous to list. Besides, I've forgotten the names of some of the magazines, etc. Screenplays aren't "published;" they're optioned, considered, in development, or produced. Two are optioned and one is in development. The novels morphed into something else.