Inside “Sanctuary”: Ian Courter on Military Comedy’s Human Side

Ian Courter’s finalist comedy teleplay, “Sanctuary,” stood out at the Houston Comedy Film Festival, where he sat down with festival director Roselyn Omaka for a lively conversation about the project’s origins and what it takes to write and produce fresh comedic work.

Spotlighting Real Stories and Relatable Characters

Courter explained,

“Sanctuary is a story about things that happen everywhere—not just in the military. These are characters and people you’ve probably encountered in your own life.”

He shared that the show draws from experiences both overseas and in everyday office life, focusing on the quirks, pranks, and playful personalities that keep people sane during challenging times.

“Comedy was an outlet for us. It helped us get through the tough parts,” he said.

The show combines the camaraderie and genuine moments found in the military with a type of humor anyone can appreciate. “I’m not painting a picture of any one person, but you’re taking various attributes from lots of people and moving them around,” Courter noted, describing how everybody will find someone familiar in his characters.

Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers and Writers

Throughout the interview, Courter was candid about the writing process. “I didn’t go to school just for screenwriting. I read all kinds of books, looked at different scripts, and learned the template,” he recalled. “Once you get the mechanics down—the science—you then focus on painting the picture with brevity. That’s the art. It’s challenging, but it’s worth it.”

Courter’s advice for new filmmakers?

• Learn the form. “Figure out the format and mechanics first.”
• Study the greats. “Look at what masters do. How do they develop characters and scenes?”
• Push past self-doubt. “Just keep at it. You’re going to have times you struggle, but you can’t give up.”
• Keep an idea book. Courter shared, “I keep an idea book with me wherever I’m at. Something will trigger a memory or inspire a scene, and I write it down.”
• Get feedback. He said, “My wife, who worked in law enforcement, always helped me sanity-check the scripts. Especially for characters and perspectives I haven’t lived myself.”

Building Something Marketable and Fresh

Courter stressed being strategic: “You don’t need million-dollar sets or CGI. The biggest expense might be uniforms. You could shoot in an office space, a parking lot—use what’s real.” He encouraged producers to think business as well as creativity: “If you keep costs down but produce quality, you’re giving yourself a huge advantage.”

Instead of chasing big names, Courter said, “I want hungry, new actors from theaters or universities. They bring the energy a good comedy needs.”

Legacy and Purpose

When asked what he hopes audiences take away, Courter said,

“If I made someone laugh at the end of a hard day, that’s worth more than anything. People remember how you make them feel.”

For those new to the industry, his parting wisdom was simple:

“Have a plan. Map it out. You can always collaborate and learn, but you need a strategy for where you want your project to go.”

The conversation with Roselyn Omaka offered not just an inside look at “Sanctuary,” but a practical roadmap for new creators aiming to bring their stories to life—mixing personal experience, smart planning, and the enduring power of comedy to connect people.