'Derby Girl' by author
and screenwriter
Shauna CrossAll you longtime faithful readers of my blog (Hi Mom!) should already know that Drew Barrymore is making her directing debut [1] this year with “Whip It,” a film about the mad world of roller derby.

The film is based on “Derby Girl,” a teen-oriented novel about a girl living in Texas, whose mom wants her to be a beauty pageant queen. Roller derby provides the girl with a rebellious avenue of escape.

Shauna Cross wrote both the novel and screenplay, and graciously agreed to an e-mail interview with me. Below you’ll find her totally uncensored and hilarious answers to all sorts of nosy questions.

Read on to find out how much of the wild world of “Whip It” will be based on real life, what it’s like to work with Drew Barrymore, who might be starring in “Whip It” and why it takes 10 years to become an overnight success.

Hutchinson Leader: According to IMDB.com [2], you have another screenplay to your credit — "Taking 5" — about teens who attempt kidnap a boy band. How long have you been writing screenplays?

Shauna Cross: I have been busting ass for about eight years, making a living writing for three-ish. One of my favorite quotes is, "It takes 10 years to be an overnight success." Most of us have to grind it out. But that's cool, because you learn a lot along the way, and you're ready when it happens.

How did you get into screenwriting?

I went to film school at UT in Austin, Texas, my hometown (great place to grow up). At the end of college/immediately after, I worked on a few local Austin films in various slave/assistant jobs and loved it. But I also quickly discovered if you want to be a writer, it’s best to head west. So I moved to L.A.

I supported myself with some craptacular jobs (retail, catering) before getting a cushy office gig at a super boring educational film company. But it was great, because my boss let me spend all my downtime writing.

Eventually, that led to me getting a manager who helped get “Taking 5” optioned and a little family movie that sold to Disney TV (which was never made, but paid the bills - yay!)

The best thing that happened was meeting the hilarious and talented (and hugely successful) screenwriter, Kirsten 'Kiwi' Smith. Kiwi and I became instant buds and she's been my biggest cheerleader since then (although, I don't know if she's really down with being referred to as a cheerleader).

When did you find out Drew Barrymore was interested in adapting "Derby Girl?"

I started playing roller derby at the infancy of the revival (there were only four leagues when I started).

I never expected to write about it. But every time I met with my friend Kiwi to discuss writing, I would end up telling her all the latest, hilarious derby stories and she kept saying "You have to write about this. You have to!"

So, finally I tried writing it as a young adult novel (which seemed less risky), which quickly sold in the form of “Derby Girl.” Meanwhile, the derby phenomenon started to grow and I learned there were a couple of competing roller derby film projects in Hollywood.

So, with Kiwi as a producer, I developed a pitch for “Derby Girl,” which became “Whip It.” Flower Films got it right away and now it's being made by Mandate Pictures (“Stranger Than Fiction,” “Juno”). Flower Films (Drew Barrymore and her partner Nancy Juvonen) is producing with Barry Mendel and Kiwi Smith. Mandate is the studio/financier. And they rule.

Funny thing is, I ended up writing the book and the screenplay simultaneously.

It wasn't until after I turned in the script that Drew really fell in love with the idea of directing it. And I'm so glad she did because I think she will do a really lovely job. She's got that whole smiley-sweet persona, but she's one smart cookie with a lot of soul and great creative instincts.

What were the challenges of adapting "Derby Girl" for the screen?

Well, the book is first-person, so we're in the main character Bliss' head, which does not work so well in a movie. So, in the script, I really had to build up the other characters and tell the story through her interaction with them.

Also, derby is bigger in the script, with the all the derby teammates having distinct identities, character arcs. It's like a foul-mouthed “A League Of Their Own [3].” Drew and I were also really inspired by the epically awesome, misfit hockey team in “Slap Shot [4]” (classic!)

Why was the title changed to "Whip It?"

A book by a first-time writer is a hard thing to market, so the title has to sum it up fast, hence “Derby Girl.”

But movies have trailers and posters and all kinds of marketing around them, so a mysterious title can work better, so “Derby Girl” became "Whip It" because, as any derby girl worth her Reidells knows, the whip is a signature move in roller derby.

I wish they had the same title, but alas, it's out of my hands.

To what extent, if any, is the story autobiographical?

Like my lead character, Bliss, I grew up just outside Austin and was a pretty precocious teen, full of sarcasm and wit and hijinks (as were my friends, most of whom were older). But I was also really sensitive, hiding that vulnerability with humor.

And, of course, I play roller derby. But if I had found it when I was 16, I would have done it in a heartbeat — even if I had to lie about my age (like Bliss does).

My mom did not push me into beauty pageants, but I grew up with those girls and it always fascinated/creeped me out.

The juxtaposition of the beauty pageant world and the roller derby world was really fascinating to me because they both represent two extreme ideas of femininity.

One is about perfectly coifed physical perfection, but when you look closer, it's actually kind of brutal, I think. While the other is anarchy and bruises, and yet, it's the most female-empowering thing I've ever experienced. It's like plastic sexy versus real sexy.

How long have you been into roller derby?

Since the L.A. Derby Dolls started in 2003 (maybe ’04 — I forget). Funny enough, I was looking for a tennis partner on Craigslist when I saw the ad for derby. God bless Craigslist.

Why do you think roller derby has had such a strong resurgence?

The appeal for me is there is no other place in modern culture where women can be sexy, athletic, ass-kicking and theatrical all at the same time. It's like all the bad girls who skipped P.E. to go smoke formed their own sport.

And it's infectious. It's so much fun and the audience can see that. Plus, the athleticism of the girls is really insane.

I'll never forget: At one of our bouts, and this is very normal, a baseball hat-wearing frat dude ran up to me and said, "I have been to the Super Bowl two times in my life and you know what? Roller derby is even better!!!"

I love that. I am so proud of the sport and every girl who does it. And I'm eternally grateful for those trailblazing ladies in Austin who had the idea to bring it back. The rest of us just piled on.

Who do you hope will go see "Whip It?"

Um, I'd settle for all the people who saw “Transformers.” That'd rock my socks off.

Honestly, I don't even think about it. I just get chills thinking how no one has really captured the sport on film with multi-cameras and great editing. It's gonna be sick, yo.

Any word on casting for the movie?

Rumor is it's a really cool young actress who's getting a lot of attention [6] lately.

But what do I know? I'm just the writer.

Do you know how involved you will be during the actual production of the film?

So far, it's been really collaborative (a dream experience), but I'm a WGA writer, which means I'm on strike right now.

Has the WGA strike affected the production?

Not yet, but it could if it continues until June, when the actors are likely to join the writers striking. Then the whole town will shut down. It's kind of a crazy touch-and-go time in Hollywood right now.

Do you have any future projects you want to plug [7]?

I have a rebel cheerleader movie at Disney called “Shake It Up.”

And I'm writing a script for an indie called Reason Pictures about (true story) a group of strippers in San Francisco who formed a union. Sexy, hilarious and political.

I guess my thing is funny, smart rebel girls. Though I'd love to eventually write about dudes, since I grew up with all brothers.

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com [8])