Tamara Rudorfer
Tamara Rudorfer is from Brooklyn, NY. She has always enjoyed reading and writing, as well as other artistic endeavors such as acting and photography. In some of her previous jobs, she has: edited a magazine, written surveys about television shows and product placements, written coverage of film scripts, and worked on a show for the TV Guide Network.
Tamara is the Founder & CEO of Elusive View Entertainment, Inc. She has done extensive research on both the entertainment and tech industries, encompassing: television and film content, legal rights issues, FCC and regulatory issues, financial analysis, cable and telecom mergers, broadband access, web hosting, international markets, and more.
Marina Raydun: You are an avid fiction reader. Why choose screenwriting to tell your story instead of writing a novel? How do these compare?
Tamara Rudorfer: I had wanted to write a television show, but it’s very difficult (if not impossible) to sell a pilot with no writing credits. I wrote the story as a screenplay because it seemed somewhat more possible to sell it on my own. The thing is, it didn’t exactly work as a screenplay, because there were storylines that weren’t resolved and it was much too long. I completed that script in 2010 so now it’s fairly dated. I am thinking of working on a novel or a book of short stories with some of the same characters from that script. I have notes and plans for this, I just have to sit down and actually write it!
MR: Is there a thing you’ve written that makes you cringe now?
TR: The main thing I’ve written is that screenplay, so I’d have to say certain scenes from it. There were parts that I wrote that were realistic, but not dramatic at all. I forgot that you want the audience to be interested in the movie and eager to see whatever happens next!
MR: What do you owe real life people upon whom you base your characters?
TR: The novel I’m planning to write has a character slightly based on my dad. I’ve warned him…it’s nothing bad, so hopefully he’ll like it. Other than that, most of the characters are a composite of people I’ve met, so I don’t think they would recognize themselves.
MR: Have you ever gotten reader’s block?
TR: There have been a few times when I’ve gotten stuck on something I was reading. I used to force myself to keep going and finish the book for “closure.” (“What if it gets better?”) I’ve since learned that if you don’t like something within the first chapter or so, it usually doesn’t get much better, so you might as well quit reading it and find something else that you like more!
MR: What is your favorite underappreciated novel?
TR: Here are a few:
Hunger Point by Jillian Medoff
Don’t Think Twice by Ruth Pennebaker
In the Drink by Kate Christensen
MR: Are there any books you’ve read over and over again?
TR: Probably some humor books, such as anything by David Sedaris. There are a few essay collections by Marian Keyes (“Under The Duvet” and “Cracks in my Foundation”) that I really liked. I also enjoy rereading travel writers, like Bill Bryson.
MR: Is there an illicit book you had to sneak growing up?
TR: No specific book, but I remember reading under the covers with a flashlight when I was supposed to be sleeping. I have no idea which books though – probably some YA titles, such as Nancy Drew or Babysitters Club.
MR: Your business venture—Elusive View Entertainment—is a streaming service that strives to offer a number of television shows and movies that are not available anywhere else. We’re talking high quality, critically acclaimed television and films! What gave you the idea for this project?
TR: A few years ago, I was considering going into the DVD business. There were a few television shows that I wanted to see again that weren’t available on DVD or any streaming sites. I kept searching for them, and I thought that maybe I could get the rights and release them on DVD. Then, of course, DVDs were losing popularity in favor of streaming, so I decided that streaming would make a lot more sense to pursue. I did tons of research on content, technical issues, legal issues, and everything else. Right now, people can pre-order subscriptions on www.elusiveview.com, and I hope to launch within the next year or so.
MR: What is your favorite book-to-TV and book-to-film adaptation?
TR: For television show, Homicide: Life on the Street and The Corner (the writer, David Simon, also created The Wire). For movie, Donnie Brasco. I’ve watched all of these multiple times over the years, and they’re always great.
MR: What are you currently reading?
TR: I’m currently reading a few books about photography, since I recently bought a mirrorless camera and started a photography website. I have a lot of old prints that I scanned and I’m planning to put online too. I’m working on learning more about Lightroom so I can use more of its features. I’m also planning to read some books about time management and app development because one of my other projects is a time management app.
I borrow a lot of Kindle books from the library (and buy a lot from Amazon!). Right now, the library book I’m reading is “The Moth Presents all These Wonders: True Stories About Facing the Unknown” by Catherine Burns. It’s a compilation of true stories that people shared at a storytelling event. I just started it, and so far it seems really interesting.
Keep in touch with Tamara here:
Twitter: @elusiveview and @elusivetamara
Instagram: @elusive_view and @elusivetamara
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tamara.rudorfer
https://www.facebook.com/elusiveviewentertainment/
Photography site: www.tamaraphoto.gallery