The Hallmark Network truly has an incredible pool of industry professionals that work for them on a regular basis, but as we all know, without the writers, we would have no movie or shows. Notwithstanding, from the perspective of the general audience, screenwriters tend to be an afterthought. Of course, I am one who has been on a mission for the past few years to change all that. And Nina Weinman Swift happens to be one of the first screenwriters I ever interviewed. Not only that, but she has penned some of my all-time favorite Hallmark movies, and her collaborations with Danica McKellar and Rachel Boston are practically legendary! Recently, Hallmark audiences were treated to a premiere of hers entitled The Last Bridesmaid, and even though I did interview her right before the début of this exceptional Hallmark “June Weddings” film, it is only now that I finally have the honor of sharing our most recent interview.

RH: Nina, it is so good to chat with you again. I know how busy things are for you, but I really appreciate you taking the time.

NWS: Thank you for reaching out, Ruth. Always happy to chat with you. And as you know, I just had another wedding movie come out on the Hallmark Channel.

Rachel and Paul
behind-the-scenes

Yes, Nina, and it was great! I had chatted with both Rachel {Boston} and Paul {Campbell}, and it’s so nice to talk with you about the movie now too. I even got to interview Jeremy {Guilbuat} and Clayton {Chitty}.

Well, you’ve gotten just about all of them. It’s such a great team, and it was such an incredible experience. You know, I’ve been working with Rachel on this one for a couple of years, and finally, we got it going. The deal just closed faster on Love At First Dance, which is why the Hallmark fans got to see that one last year. We pitched both movies at the same time, and Rachel was always gonna be in just one of them. The Last Bridesmaid was the one she responded to a little bit more because it felt more like her life. We pitched both at the same time. We were just hoping they would buy one of them, but they ended up buying both of them. I mean, we were hoping they would buy both of them, but you know how it is. You pitch two, hoping to sell one.

I understand completely. And going back to Love At First Dance, honestly, that was one of my favorite Hallmark movies last year. 

with Rachel

It was such a great experience on that one too. I love that movie a lot. It’s my dream team on both of these. Joel Rice, our producer. And Rachel and me. We just work so beautifully together. I couldn’t ask for a better partner, and so getting to do it again on The Last Bridesmaid was so fun. And this time around with Paul Campbell, who is a really good friend of mine…perfect storm of amazingness.

with Paul and his wife

With The Last Bridesmaid, were you the only writer on this one?

Yes, that is correct.

That’s what I thought. I know sometimes you are asked to rewrite scripts.

Yes, sometimes I am put on a project later and rewrite them. Not often, because I’m so busy with my own projects. I don’t always have time, but in the case of Flip That Romance, it happened to be at a time when I was waiting for notes on a couple of things. So they had me jump on a quick rewrite. It ended up being a pretty big change, but it was such a fun one. I was like, “Yes, I will do it!”

Tyler Hynes, Julie Gonzalo Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer

Oh my goodness, Flip That Romance was such a fun one! I mean, I love Tyler {Hynes} anyway. And he’s become a big Hallmark star now. 

Oh yeah! He’s delightful, and he’s a dreamboat. He’s funny and charming, and he’s so perfect. So when I came onto that movie, he and Julie {Gonzalo} were already cast. So it was really fun for me to write to their strengths. I had worked with Julie before on Pumpkin Pie Wars. Since I knew who the cast was, this rewrite was so fun. I could picture their voices. I love when I know who my cast is gonna be and I get to write for the actors specifically.

That movie ended up exceeding my expectations anyway. I came in figuring I was gonna like it, but I ended up enjoying it even more than I expected to. 

Aw, it’s so fun. I love house-flipping shows. I’m like a junkie for house-flipping shows, and I’m doing this big kitchen renovation now as well. I think I know things, but now I find out I know nothing since I’m actually doing it. I know nothing! {laughs} But oh, Flip That Romance was such a fun one to write! I love that one!

with Rachel

Back to The Last Bridesmaid, since this was your project, what was the inspiration for the story?

Well, Rachel and I had decided we wanted to pitch a wedding movie–Rachel and Joel and I. We had this idea back when she was on A Rose For Christmas. We had just met on Stop the Wedding several months before. We fell in love and wanted to work together. We became really good friends. We did some brainstorming and came up with the title The Last Bridesmaid. I just thought that was a fun title.

Rachel Boston Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer

Then Rachel went away to her brother’s wedding and it was just so relatable for her. And this movie was like her life as a romantic comedy. When you’re a single girl at a wedding, your life is a romantic comedy. We did some more brainstorming, and I wrote up a page. After we submitted it, we didn’t hear anything for a while. They bought Love At First Dance, which at the time was called The Wedding Dance. We thought The Last Bridesmaid was such a no-brainer, but we thought that maybe they didn’t like it. You just never know. It depends on what they need and what gets their attention when they’re looking to pick up new projects.

Rachel Boston Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer

So we didn’t hear anything for a long time, and we started working on Wedding Dance. Then we suddenly learned they were buying The Last Bridesmaid, and then we really sped out the story. It was very much of a collaboration, but we felt that this was something that everyone could relate to in some way. We probably all can relate to being the single guy or gal at the single table, and we really tried to have a lot of fun with this one. Like when everybody says, “Oh, come catch the bouquet.” I was at a wedding very recently, and I was glad that I did not have to go catch the bouquet.

Rachel Boston, Desiree Zurowski Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer

When you’re single, it’s like one of those things where you might as well have a neon sign on your forehead going “Single! Single!” And everybody’s going, “What? Why aren’t you married? ” As if there’s a reason! It’s because you haven’t met your guy yet! We wanted to do a story about a woman who was okay that she was single. We wanted her to be fine waiting till her guy comes along. She was like, “I’m not in any hurry. I don’t know why the rest of you are.” And that’s really how it is for Rachel. She’s not like, “I’ve gotta be married by Friday!” We wanted to show that it was okay and that it happens when it’s supposed to happen. And that’s when our character, Kyle, comes along, who’s played by Paul Campbell. I don’t think I’m giving anything away for those who haven’t seen it. We all know how Hallmark movies are.

I think Paul told me that you actually had to write a little more for the movie after production was underway.

behind-the-scenes with the director {Mark Jean}  and producer {Scott Clayton}

So these two have such great comedic timing. They were so fast and snappy that the movie was coming up a little short. It’s always better to have stuff you can cut as opposed to not having enough. It’s never good to come up short, especially when you’re writing for commercial television. Timing is very important, and we were coming up short. So I had to write a few more scenes because these two are just so funny, quick, and snappy. And it’s funny. Whenever that happens, it seems like those scenes always end up becoming my favorite scenes in the movie. Those scenes feel like they’ve been there all along. The same thing happened on Stop the Wedding.

Yeah, I remember that. 

with Paul, Joel, and Rachel

It always seems like these scenes that I have to add end up being scenes that were meant to be. I always joke and call it “gobbledygook.” Sometimes there’s a lot of filler in a movie. But these scenes that I added are not gobbledygook. It’s focused and necessary information and always propels the story forward. And Rachel and Paul are such pros. I’d send a scene to them, and we’d say, “You’re gonna shoot this tomorrow.” And they’d be like, “Great! Done!” And they always just nailed it.

That sounds about right with what I know of them. Well, let me tell you, I looked forward to The Last Bridesmaid so much because it had been a while since we had seen Rachel on Hallmark. And this movie did not disappoint. 

with Rachel and the director {Mark Jean}

Thank you, Ruth. It is such an amazing movie. Rachel is just so delightful–they both are. But she is just so good. You know I love Rachel; I’m a huge fan. But I think in this movie, she is the best she’s ever been. She’s so delightful, funny, and lovely. She pulls at your heartstrings. She is just amazing in it.

Even before seeing her, I had no doubt, but she was definitely the best ever. Which is really what you would expect from an actor like Rachel. Ideally, they do keep getting better and better every time you see them. And then with you, Nina, it’s got to be a joy to have this incredible partnership. To have her and Paul and everyone else involved to bring your movie to light must be an incredible feeling.

With Rachel and Paul

I feel like I keep saying this, but it is just the perfect storm of everything coming together magically. Working with some of my great friends. Working to develop something from scratch and create this. Rachel and I say all the time, “We did it!” We feel so lucky that Hallmark has given us a home where we get to work with our friends and create something that makes us feel so fulfilled and brings people joy and do what we love to do. We feel so lucky!

I believe you have some other works coming up that you might be able to mention, right?

I do have a lot in the pipeline right now, but for this year, there’s a Christmas movie with my friend Danica McKellar that I can’t talk about yet. I’m very excited and I can’t wait to talk about it! We’ve been working on this one for a while. And then the Hanukkah movie. One of the two Hanukkah movies Hallmark is doing this year. And with that one, I recently addressed the network notes and turned it back into them.

TCA’s 2018

That’s so cool, Nina! I was so glad to see Hallmark doing a Hanukkah movie. They’ve done those in the past, and they have always been some of my favorites. 

I think it was Joel, the producer, who did one way back about a girl bringing her boyfriend home for Hanukkah or something like that, and I’m working with him on this one too. We were so excited that they let us do this one. We’re both Jewish and we love working together. I told Hallmark that I knew two Jews who needed to write their Hanukkah movie. {laughs}

Even though I’m not Jewish, I know that there are still a lot of Jewish people around and many who have ties to the Jewish community. And even though I’m not, I am always fascinated by things outside my culture. I think sometimes the Jewish culture is overlooked, and I don’t understand because every Jewish person I have ever known is just wonderful. 

With fellow screenwriters Julie Sherman Wolfe and Tracy Andreen at TCA’s

What we wanted to do was make sure that it’s really accessible. I would say it’s fifty-fifty Hanukkah and Christmas. It’s a Christmas movie with Hanukkah in it. We didn’t want to make it freaky. We definitely have been very careful to make it accessible to the masses. Hallmark is really happy with it so far. It feels fun and different, but it’s still on brand. It’s still very much a Hallmark movie.

Well, in my opinion, this is fabulous. There’s not enough movies that mention Hanukkah. I know it may not be a big deal, and we don’t have to celebrate on the same scale as Christmas, but I think it’s neat. And the fact that you have written it makes me think it’s gonna be great and so much fun. 

TCA’s 2018

I hope that people agree with you and that turnout is good. Perhaps just the curiosity factor alone may mean people tune in as they wonder how we’re gonna do it. And like I mentioned, we were super careful because we’re kind of breaking new ground. I know they’ve kind of done it before, but we still weren’t sure how people were gonna respond to it. But then when they read the script–I know some of the product placement people read it–they all said it was such a fun read. It was different, but it worked. And that made us really happy to hear that.

I’m looking forward to it. I’m sure some people won’t like it, but that’s a given in this business. We all know there are those people who no matter what you do, they’re gonna complain.

You can’t please all the people. You know. You put yourself out in the public eye, and people are always going to have something to say. And people have something to say about every movie I make. There are always people who say, “This is the worst movie I’ve ever seen.” And I’m like, “Okay. You can have an opinion. It just so happens that I have a movie out there that you get to have an opinion about!” I try not to take any of that over-the-top negativity in. If it’s constructive, then I can go, “Oh, that’s something I can do differently next time.” But if it’s hating for the sole purpose of hating, then I just have to turn it off.

Nina with her mother and her daughter

I hear you completely, and that’s a really great way to look at it. I always remember that you have a movie out there, and not everyone in this world can say that. There’s a huge amount of people trying to break into the business, and they haven’t yet. But you have all these movies out there that people can watch and have opinions about.

That’s how I look at it. I’m doing what I love and I know how lucky I am that I get to do it. If people like it, then great! And if they don’t, then maybe I’ll get them on the next one. I can’t get upset that not everyone likes my movies. I’m not going to be able to please everyone. As long as my bosses at Hallmark are happy with me, then that’s what I have to do. And it feels like the audience likes my stuff for the most part. So I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and be very thankful.

Coming Home For Christmas

With Christmas in July in full swing, no doubt people are going to see some of your Christmas movies from years past. I’m sure Coming Home For Christmas will air again. I’ll have to check the schedule. That’s one I still hope for a sequel to. So maybe eventually.

I know, I know! We would love a sequel too. We keep trying.

One more thing I wanted to thank you for was something you said when the Bubbly Sesh interviewed you. You said that when you’re trying to become a writer, you need to have several things you’ve written available. A person might read one of your things and they may say, “I like that, but do you have anything else?” I thought that was great advice.

Rachel Boston Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer

You need to have a body of work as a writer. I can’t tell you how many times someone will say, “Oh, this person likes my one script.” And then they ask for something else. A writer should have an entire repertoire of material because there might be something that’s right for one place that might not be right for another place. Something that’s right for Hallmark may not be right for NBC. You have to show your diversity and your talent. A lot of people are not one-trick ponies. We have a lot of different voices and talents, so let the world see all the sides of your writing talent.

That’s awesome, Nina, and it’s inspiring me to get busy doing some writing since I do have aspirations to write some screenplays. 

Good for you. And yes, people need to think of writing as a business. Sure it’s entertainment, but it’s also a business. People are putting money on the line for your talent and they want to make sure you have the goods if they’re picking up something of yours and investing in you. I always put a lot of pressure on myself that I need to deliver. I take it very seriously. This is a business, and we need to treat it as such.

I couldn’t agree more, Nina. Thank you again for your time, and we’re all looking forward to this Hanukkah movie as well as your new Christmas movie this year!

My pleasure, Ruth. And thank you for taking such an interest in my work. I really appreciate it!

With Danica and Rachel

Without a doubt, one of the finest and most prolific of the screenwriters associated with Hallmark is Nina, and after chatting with her briefly, it’s easy to understand why. Not only is she committed to telling heartwarming stories in a fun, engaging, charming style, but she is a team player. She consistently demonstrates this collaborative mindset while being fully committed to creating and telling a story that positively impacts the viewer, is humorously relatable, and above all, is as entertaining as possible without being offensive. She is a true fan of the content the Hallmark network provides, and she realizes what a blessing it is to be able to make a living doing what she loves while working alongside people she adores. The relationships she has forged with favorite stars and producers within the Hallmark family have also contributed to her success and overall contentment, and it thrills my heart to see Hallmark champion and feature her stories as they have and continue to do so.

If you have not seen Nina’s most current offering for Hallmark, The Last Bridesmaid, you may need to wait until after Christmas in July (unless we’re lucky enough to have the network air it as part of their Fourth Of July Wedding Countdown event). We may even be blessed enough to watch an encore showing of Stop the Wedding! However, if you are looking for favorite Nina Weinman Swift content, you need look no further than Christmas In July. For those in the U.S., you can watch: 

• Operation Christmas (July 4th) Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
• Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe (July 13th) Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
• Coming Home For Christmas (July 13th) Hallmark Channel

Moreover, be sure to keep an eye out for her two Christmas movies coming up this year along with a myriad of other things just around the corner in the not-too-distant future. In order to ensure that you don’t miss anything from this exquisitely talented lady, I invite you to visit all her links below and follow her via social media (she does share some great behind-the-scenes photos and stories). While I have yet to meet this illustrious lady in person as of yet, I can state that she is one of the undeniable reasons Hallmark is remarkably successful. Her stories are perpetually chock full of impeccable dialogue, relatable characters, and narratives that consistently resonate on a variety of levels with the viewers. And addition to all of that, she’s a wife and mother to boot! Therefore, it is my honor to support her in all of her endeavors, and I can hardly wait to see what the future holds for this dynamically gifted artist!

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Check Out My Other Interviews With Nina

Interview With Screenwriter Nina Weinman Swift, “Love At First Dance” & “Love At Sea”

Interview With Writer Nina Weinman

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