At the end of the day, the script is everything. It’s the beating of your heart when the hero perseveres and overcomes his fears. It’s the smirk on your face with the delivery of a perfectly timed witty retort. And it’s the tear in your eye when you realize that behind the tales of triumph and redemption are the subtle reminders of our shared humanity.
Screenwriters are the life force which brings this all to fruition.
Since its inaugural year back in 1994, Austin Film Festival has sought to elevate the recognition and stature of screenwriters through a myriad of initiatives and programs. From its industry-leading Writers Conference, a film festival perennially packed with the visionaries of tomorrow, and the largest screenplay competition in the world, AFF continues to deliver on this promise. Especially in these pressing times, we feel it’s important to champion a multitude of unique perspectives from many walks of life. It is with this all in mind that we proudly present, along with No Film School, our 6th annual “Screenwriters to Watch” list. Scroll down to explore the stories behind these up-and-coming storytellers. They very well may be responsible for crafting some of your favorite films and shows yet to come.
In addition, check this No Film School article to see what some of our past Screenwriters to Watch are up to now.
AFF’s 6th Annual Screenwriters to watch
L.T. Verrastro
L.T Verrastro is a Los Angeles-based screenwriter born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He has written on the fourth season of Baskets on FX, as well as worked in the writers room of Portlandia (IFC), Moonbase 8 (Showtime), and Made For Love (HBO Max). In addition to his work in TV, he has written for national ad campaigns for brands that include Spotify, Fox Sports, and Freeform television network.
He was one of eight writers invited to participate in the Orchard Project’s 2019 Episodic Lab, during which he developed his drama pilot Model Man. His action-comedy feature Corpse & Buggy was a quarterfinalist in the Academy’s 2019 Nicholl Fellowship, and his holiday movie Fifth & Frankincense was a finalist in the Austin Film Festival’s Scholastic Entertainment Fellowship for Kids & Family Content.
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AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
LTV: Maybe this is a boring answer, but I found having a good writing routine to be crucial to my growth as a screenwriter. When I came out to Los Angeles, I’d have to take so many day jobs that tried to monopolize all my time, whether that was being glued to a desk all day or being stuck on set for 60-70 hours a week. Regardless of the job, I made sure that writing was a dedicated daily occurrence, as regular as a meal. That routine also turned out to be useful during the pandemic too, when I suddenly had more free time–and more stress–than ever. I find it helpful for my career and frankly my mental health if I block off hours to work in my Google calendar, turn off my cell phone, and actually write every day.
AFF: What’s the hardest scene or project you’ve ever had to write? How did you navigate the challenge?
LTV: My writing partner and I once wrote a drama pilot called Model Man, which followed the life of a male fashion model in New York City. Given that I chose a career behind the camera for a reason, I found this project to be quite the learning experience, particularly in writing for a character with whom I may not on the surface have much in common. To navigate this challenge, we interviewed many models, male and female, to help us capture an authentic representation of the modeling industry, warts and all. Furthermore, I got to mine my own experiences working in talent agencies to shape the setting of our fictional modeling agency, and I’m pleased that when former and current models read our script, they’ve found it speaks to their experiences in the business.
My writing partner on the project is a trans man, and we decided to make our lead character transgender too. While that’s not something I personally struggle with, the decision gave me the opportunity to touch on issues relating to male body image, which is not often portrayed on screen. It was a challenge to dig into personal body image issues that I, like many men, have faced– you know, that American obsession with biceps, six-packs, and meat-headiness. Soon I found myself not only relating to our character but also incorporating moments from my real life into his fictional one. It was a rewarding experience, and in the end, we wrote a multi-faceted script that I’m very proud of and that went on to garner us many meetings and win a fellowship.
AFF: What are you working on right now?
LTV: I’m currently developing a children’s show with a major cable network, and I am super excited about the concept. I am also finishing up a new drama feature, which has been a ball to work on, as it has given me a chance to explore writing in a new genre.
L.T. Verrastro
Writer Fifth & Frankincense, Baskets (FX)
Edward Drake
Edward Drake is an award-winning writer and director based in Los Angeles. Starting as a P.A. on the first season of True Detective, Drake went on to become an assistant to Director Mark Romanek and Academy Award-winning producer Michael Sugar at Anonymous Content, and more.
Drake is the winner of the Austin Film Festival’s 2020 Screenwriting Award (Dramatic).
A member of the WGAw, Drake’s feature-film credits include American Siege, Broil, Breach, Cosmic Sin, Apex, The L.A. Trip, and more.
Drake has worked with brands including Nike, British Airways, Samsung, and record labels including Atlantic Records, Universal Records, OWSLA, Island Records, Warner Bros., and more.
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AFF: What’s the hardest scene or project you’ve ever had to write? How did you navigate the challenge?
ED: Trying to make men over 60 look as cool as they were in the 80s.
How do I navigate this ‘challenge’?
I bring the character on the page closer to the star’s real-world persona to allow the audience to lean into the legacy of the star. The story can grift on the goodwill of the audience’s expectations of their character while being able to subvert said expectations to break new ground.
AFF: Share a memorable experience sparked from Austin Film Festival.
ED: Finding a community of writers who wake up excited to write every single damn day.
AFF: What are you looking forward to in 2021?
ED: Finding a publisher for this novel I wrote, THE L.A. TRIP. Live music. Long walks on the beach. Working to create a better world with a healthy cultural respect for science and spirituality.
Edward Drake
Writer/Director Gasoline Alley, Apex, Broil
Zoe Cheng
Matt Ackels is a television writer and playwright in Los Angeles. He is currently writing Season 1 of his new drama thriller series for Amazon. Other projects in development include a TV drama (Skydance Media) and a biopic feature (National Lampoon). His screen credits include work for Netflix, NBC, DreamWorks and Bobby Goldstein Productions. His stage credits include seven produced plays—four at Tony Award-winning theatres—which have been touring continuously since 2012. Matt’s work has received awards from the Planet Earth Arts Foundation, the Austin Film Festival, PlayGround LA, and elsewhere. He is of Lebanese heritage with an MFA in screenwriting from USC.
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AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
MA: I was lucky enough to attend USC for a masters program in writing, so I really credit that as the place I started to understand the craft. I spent several years after that writing in the morning before work, or up late at donut shops, so I think my writing portfolio and my waistline grew concurrently.
AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
MA: Two things come to mind. One I learned from a book about writing by Ray Bradbury. I’m paraphrasing, but he said something like you have to write everyday to “stay drunk on writing.” It helped me understand that daily writing is not just about putting hours in, it’s also about convincing yourself that this is a worthwhile and realistic pursuit. It’s easy for doubt to creep in after a week of procrastination. The second lesson came from a poem by Robinson Jeffers. In talking about a the stoicism of a large rock, Jeffers writes: “Failure cannot cast down, Nor success make proud.” This attitude has been helpful for me as a writer, as I try to stay even-keel amidst the rollercoaster of this industry, and the emotional swings of the creative process.
AFF: What are you working on right now?
MA: I’m writing Season 1 of a new drama thriller series I created for Amazon. I just finished a wild biopic for a company about a larger-than-life man in Texas, so hoping that will find its way onto screens soon.
Matt Ackels
Writer Wake the Body, Circle Triangle Square, Capsule, Trolls
Jon Comulada
Sylvia Batey Alcalá is a writer-director-actor-hyphen enthusiast, who cut her fangs writing for Legacies (CW) and CryptTV. Sylvia’s social horror screenplay, Sick, was selected for the inaugural Black List/WIF Feature Residency, and won Best Unproduced Screenplay at FilmQuest. Sylvia’s acting background has cultivated the versatility to skate between genres, demonstrated by her digital series, Fame Dogs, winning Best Comedy at the LA Independent Filmmakers Showcase, followed by Indie Series Awards for Best Comedy Series, Best Ensemble, and nominations for Writing and Acting. Her follow-up short film, The Spectacular Summer of Weredog and Amy, premiered at the Oscar-qualifying Cinequest Film Festival, going on to earn the Hollyshorts Audience Award, multiple Best Comedy nominations, and a Best Actor win. Sylvia was born in Alaska, and ping-ponged around the country before landing in sunny CA. Devoid of a hometown or singular identity, raised alongside a Chinese sister, Ukrainian brother, and biological brother, Sylvia has deep insight into liminal identity and nontraditional families.
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AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
SBA: My writing career began as a progression of my acting career. The opportunity cost of auditioning was burning me out, so I started writing roles for myself. Consequently, I discovered a passion for creating original stories, rather than interpreting someone else’s ideas. I began climbing the assistant ladder and generating my own material, writing before and after work, and shooting on weekends when I could. I was working as an assistant when I read the series doc for CW’s LEGACIES and fell in love with the premise. In a wildly optimistic move, I wrote an impassioned letter to the producer, pitching all the reasons she should hire me — and she did! I started season one as the writers’ PA and made my writing debut with the season two finale.
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
SBA: My digital series, Fame Dogs, was the most formative experience of my career so far. The project is a meditation on the cultural obsession with fame, through the eyes of an awkward millennial. I wrote the primary role for myself with the intention of hiring a director, but when I failed to find someone whose comedy sensibilities aligned with mine (who I could also afford), I decided, “fuck it, I’ll do it.” Fame Dogs is an 82-minute long project that we shot in seven days and had I known how absurd that was at the time, I wouldn’t have attempted it. The show’s success has proven to me that anything is possible when it’s powered by talented women and a wading pool of coffee.
AFF: Share a memorable experience sparked from Austin Film Festival.
SBA: I don’t have a single AFF experience to recall. Rather, I have a series of relationships that were sparked waiting in line for panels, huddled at the Driskill bar, and jogging between venues. I met some of my dearest friends and most trusted writing allies as AFF, and while I can’t remember the exact moment of each meeting, I cherish that it happened.
Sylvia Batey Alcalá
Writer Ordinary Joe, Legacies; Writer/Director Fame Dogs, The Spectacular Summer of Weredog and Amy
Joshua Losben and Scott Gabriel
Joshua Losben is a graduate of the USC Screenwriting MFA program where he was named the Jack Oakie Comedy Fellow. He was an Academy Nicholl Quarterfinalist and 2019 SFFILM FilmHouse Lab participant. Most recently his feature screenplay Space Kids (co-written with Scott Gabriel) won the 2020 Austin Film Festival. They are currently adapting a book for Scholastic Entertainment.
Prior to starting his screenwriting career, he toured the country as a singer/songwriter and released three albums under the name “Shwa Losben.” He won the ASCAP Robert Allen Songwriting Award for his original song “Chop Chop.”
He loves writing high concept comedies with flawed characters and heart.
Scott Gabriel started in TV as the founding line-producer of the hit show Impractical Jokers. His most recent television project, Currency, won Best Dramatic Series at both the Independent Television Festival (now Catalyst Content) and SeriesFest in 2019. His family film Space Kids – co-written with Josh Losben – won the Austin Film Festival and Writers’ Conference, and qualified him as a quarter-finalist for a Nicholl Fellowship.
Until the world imploded in 2020, he served as Executive Director at Visionarists, a New York advertising production company. He has created commercials for international giants like Panasonic, Western Union, and Lufthansa as well as content for human rights organizations like MIT Solve, LifeBank, and Population Action International. His directorial campaigns are recipients of Telly Awards and the American Advertising Federation’s Mosaic Award. He writes, directs, and produces. Ideally not at the same time.
He graduated from American University with a degree in international relations.
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AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
SG: I was one of those lucky kids who always knew what they wanted to do. I’ve been reading and writing for as long as I can remember. My first love was actually prose. When I was a kid, I thought I’d be writing novels. Then the film bug bit, and I couldn’t shake it off. Sometimes I’ve lost my way, but every time I stray too far from storytelling, writing is a North Star that guides me back.
JL: I started my career as a touring singer/songwriter. I’d always been interested in comedy and after I moved to New York I signed up for some improv classes at UCB. I was pretty terrible at it, but the classes helped me realize there were other forms of storytelling I wanted to try besides songwriting. I was accepted into the USC Writing for Screen and Television MFA program and I haven’t stopped writing since.
AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
JL: It’s important to set deadlines for your writing, but you shouldn’t give yourself time limits for your career. After I graduated from film school, I took a job as a busboy as personal motivation. I told myself I had six months to make a real go at building a writing career. Thankfully I was able to quit that job.
Six years later, I’m only now feeling like I have some real professional opportunities and a library of projects I want to share. I’m glad I kept writing. It’s a cliché, but focus on the work and good things will follow. I hope.
SG: Do the thing you want to do. If you want to direct buddy comedies, direct buddy comedies. If you want to write Elizabethan mystery novels, do that. When you do something and don’t screw it up too badly, you get invited back to do that thing again and again. And if what you’re doing isn’t the thing you really want to be doing, you can accidentally find yourself successful in the wrong career. In my case, I was doing a lot of commercial directing and producing until COVID hit. So that’s how people knew me and what they called me up to do. This past year forced me to stop all that and focus on writing the things that make me the happiest. And sure enough, it’s been the most productive literary year of my career. (I should caveat that I LOVE my commercial team. They are as passionate about commercials as I am about narrative film, which is precisely why they’re so good at making ads.)
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
SG: It took me a long time and many unfinished screenplays to really focus on learning structure. Early on, I hoped I’d be one of those intuitive writers, like Stephen King, who can start at the beginning of a story and just write it all the way to the end. But I’m not that guy. One day I got sick of writing novels and screenplays that I didn’t know how to finish, and I picked up every book on structure I could get. I crammed them all into my head and started finishing projects that same year. Now, my happy place is a pen, a pack of note cards, and a big empty wall to pin them to. Learning the architecture of storytelling changed my life.
JL: Obviously winning the 2020 Austin Film Festival screenplay competition! I’ll add that getting to fade out on my first feature was a major turning point too. That’s when “writing a screenplay” went from being some item on my bucket list to being that creative thing I do for “fun.”
Joshua Losben and Scott Gabriel
Writers Space Kids, Grandpa Was A Mobster
Tillery Johnson
Born and raised in the backwoods of North Carolina, Tillery moved out to Los Angeles after studying English literature at UNC Chapel Hill to pursue a career as a writer. Initially focused on features, he shifted to writing television and was accepted into the 2016-17 Nickelodeon Writing Program. In 2019 Tillery’s half-hour script Good Lord received the award for Best Comedy Pilot at the Austin Film Festival. He most recently worked as a Staff Writer on the animated show Glitch Techs, which was released on Netflix in 2020. When he’s not in the midst of a global pandemic, he enjoys spending his time performing improv comedy and traveling.
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AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
TJ: After years of religiously adhering to all of the books on structure and failing repeatedly to write a script I loved, I came to realize the reason those paradigms sound good in theory but don’t always turn out great in practice is because they’re descriptive, not prescriptive. In other words, they can be a great way to reflect on films that have been made, but they’re rarely a useful way to write something original. If those claims that something has to happen on this page or that work as a launching point for you, that’s great, but they tend to get in my way at this point. At the end of the day, in the simplest terms, all you need to know about writing a good script is that a character who wants something pursues a goal or goals to get it but obstacles and/or opponents get in the way, which forces the character to make choices that reveal who they are until they either succeed or fail in a way that matters to them. The rest of it is just noise. In even more reductive terms, it all boils down to “do we care what is happening?” If the answer is yes, you’re doing your job. I’ve found the best way to make the audience care is to allow a character to reveal themselves through the choices they make in the pursuit of something.
AFF: What’s the hardest scene or project you’ve ever had to write? How did you navigate the challenge?
TJ: Ummm, every project? Oftentimes I love an idea until I start writing it, and then I switch to hating the project until I’ve written it. There are certainly good moments where the problems I can’t solve suddenly become solvable or the dialogue is flowing. But I’ve also accepted that there will inevitably come a time in every project where I am absolutely positive it’s a complete and utter failure. I track my writing process in a journal and record the moments where I’m flying high as well as the ones where I’m in a pit of despair so that when I come to a point in my current project where it feels like nothing’s working and the idea is unfixable I can go back and remind myself that I had those exact same thoughts about my last script and it got better. One of my journal entries from early 2019 describes the script that won AFF as “a sad attempt at comedy” and “the worst idea I’ve ever had.” Thankfully I didn’t stop writing it just because my anxiety is a brilliant saboteur.
AFF: Share a memorable experience sparked from Austin Film Festival.
TJ: My most surreal moment was definitely having to follow Ron Bass, Dan Weiss & David Benioff, and Catherine Reitman on stage to accept my award for Best Comedy Pilot. Just being in the same room as them would have been intimidating enough, but I had to give an acceptance speech ten feet away from their tables. That said, my favorite AFF moment happened later that night after it was all over. I went out with a few of the friends I had made waiting in line for screenings, and we stopped by a dingy dive bar where they had karaoke. In the middle of all these locals dressed like cowboys singing country tunes, we performed showtunes from musicals like the theater geeks we were. It was the perfect ending to an amazing week.
Tillery Johnson
Staff Writer Glitch Techs; writer Good Lord
Catherine Wignall
Catherine set out to be a serious writer who wrote about serious things, but has come to accept that she can’t quite bury her wry sense of humour and is perhaps a little bit funny.
She made her feature film debut with the Blumhouse YA horror-comedy movie Crawlers and is developing a YA romcom web series with Brat TV. A life-long lover of mysteries, Catherine is also adapting a female-led detective book series for television with Piller/Segan.
Catherine is a BAFTA LA Newcomer and a Fulbright Scholar. She is also a recipient of the Carl David Memorial Fellowship in recognition of her work promoting positive representation of LGBTQ life.
When not writing or napping, she spends her time wishing she was a witch, a cat in a well-off family, or Harry Styles’ best friend.
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AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
CW: Don’t compare yourself to others. You’re on your own journey with your own unique voice, and what matters is that you keep moving forwards – not whether you’re doing it at a faster or slower rate than others.
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
CW: Selling my first script! While on a general with Blumhouse, I mentioned in passing a script I was working on – a Christmas horror YA comedy. Turns out they were in need of a Christmas horror movie for their Into the Dark anthology, which sees them release a new feature each month based on that month’s holiday. They ultimately went with a different Christmas script, but asked if I’d be willing to rewrite my script to turn it into something suitable for St. Patrick’s Day. Two months after graduating from UCLA, I made my first script sale! It might seem odd to see my very first sale as a ‘major turning point’ in my career, but everything since then has stemmed from that.
AFF: What are you working on right now?
CW: I’m working with production company Piller/Segan to develop a pitch based on the Savannah Reid Mysteries, a popular series with 26 books published so far. It’s a great series with a plus-size lead that focuses on the hope and sunshine in the world – even while dealing with dead bodies, betrayal, and the general darkness of crime. After the past year we’ve had, it feels really appropriate to be working on something that’s about positivity and the good that can be found all around you. It’s been a nice focus to have during the pandemic, especially when the news has been overwhelmingly depressing. The protagonist’s positivity has definitely rubbed off on me and given me hope for the future! I’m also working with Brat TV to write the first season of a new 8-episode show. I can’t reveal too many details yet, but it’s been a really fun experience working with them. I’m also developing new original work with Tapas Comics; it’s a new medium for me, so I’m excited to see what comes of it.
Catherine Wignall
Writer Crawlers
Nick Fituri Scown
Nick Fituri Scown is a Libyan-American filmmaker whose shorts have played at film festivals around the globe. He’s been nominated for an Emmy for Best Web Series and his narrative feature debut Pretty Bad Actress featured Heather McComb and Jillian Bell. Outside of writing, he has edited for networks ranging from FX to ESPN to Oprah. The political ads he worked on this past fall reached over 10 million views across social platforms and his documentary Too Soon: The Healing Power of Comedy After 9/11 will be released this fall by VICE.
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AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
NFS: Shortly after coming to L.A., a friend got me a job at a little production company. One day the bosses came to the PA bullpen and asked if anyone could do a British accent (they didn’t want to pay an actor for one line in a non-union show). I volunteered as tribute, thinking I could just do a Monty Python impression of some sort. I went to set, performed (admirably, I thought), and then immediately went back to being a PA, mopping up the fake blood from the head wound of the character I’d just played. The next day, the bosses called me into their office, oh shit, was my performance that bad!? No, they had a question, I’d said on my resume I could edit, was that true? I nodded. Then go cut the scene you were in. Now, I don’t know if this was a test or they thought it’d be funny and/or torturous to make me edit myself, but I cut the scene. Pretty good. Why don’t you cut the rest of that segment. I did. Pretty good. Why don’t you cut the rest of that episode. Pretty good. Here’s another one. And so within a matter of weeks, I went from a PA to an editor. Volunteering to be thrown into the fire and learning that I had the capacity to edit television professionally changed my life. It gave me the ability to pay the bills, make short films, travel the festival circuit (including AFF), and would eventually lead to an Emmy nomination and meeting the producer of my first feature film. All because when someone asked if I could do a British accent, I said yes.
AFF: Share a memorable experience sparked from Austin Film Festival.
NFS: At my first AFF I meet some of my best filmmaker friends (Todd Burger, Seth Caplan) and my future writer’s group member Alisha Brophy. At the festival a few years ago, I got to enjoy some BBQ with Barry Josephson. As a finalist this fall I got access to some great exclusive panels (even over zoom) including getting to watch my former roommate, and winner for best TV spec, Ethan Von Zamft, share some rap lyrics. And best of all, one of the judges, James V. Hart, reached out to say he loved my script and was wondering if could he pass it along to his manager, the legendary Jon Levin. Can’t ask for more out of a film fest.
AFF: What’s the hardest scene or project you’ve ever had to write? How did you navigate the challenge?
NFS: I can see now that when I started writing Come Back King it was because I related to the main characters at the beginning of the story, feeling, like them, that my career was over. It was going to be the last script I’d write. No more spending every weekend at my desk instead of hiking. No more taking edit jobs at night so I could write during the day. No more struggling to break in. No more… except this one last story. For reasons that are obvious now, I was compelled to write about this down on his luck director, Steve Binder, saving his career by saving the life of another struggling artist, Elvis Presley. Steve’s job, and thus my job as the writer, was to figure out how you convince someone that they still have something left in the tank. That what they have to share is still valuable and worth sharing. And so every scene of Steve building Elvis back up as a performer turned into a scene of me building myself back up as a storyteller. Composing a monologue Steve gives to convince Elvis he can still perform was essentially penning a speech to convince myself that I could still write. And many months and drafts later it worked, not just the script, but the old magic trick of writing. Why you keep doing it. Because writing helps you deal with whatever you’re struggling with inside. Gets it out on paper, in the open. Forces you to grapple with it, through your characters and the story. And then, you’re pleasantly surprised when other people not only enjoy what you’ve shared, but relate to it to. Art of any kind is about connection, to oneself and to others, and I wouldn’t have learned that If I hadn’t written the Come Back King which will no longer be my last script.
Nick Fituri Scown
Writer Come Back King; Filmmaker
Natasha M. Hall
A bicultural, first-generation American, Natasha’s family immigrated from Barbados to New York City, where she grew up straddling two worlds. One was a strict Caribbean household, and the other was Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, during the crack epidemic. So code-switching and assimilation became her armor. The two were so different, and they often seemed like surreal fantasies. As a result, Natasha now writes 1hr. dramas and fantasies about characters struggling to define themselves, about belonging and love. Currently in the 2020-2021 ViacomCBS WRITERS PROGRAM, her recent pilot, Iris has been recommended by senior-level writers on Twitter. She was also part of the original series team at HBO. Repped by Industry Entertainment and UTA, she is a graduate of Syracuse University and Teachers College at Columbia, during which time she taught English through Teach For America in the South Bronx.
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AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
NMH: The absolute biggest lesson was learning to follow the fear. There’s so much in life that can scare us, things we hide about ourselves from the public because we’re afraid of being judged, misunderstood or dismissed. But those are the stories we probably need to write because they’re tapping into something visceral, and there’s likely a universal truth underneath that can really resonate.
The next lesson was to take stock of who I am as a person… which included as a wife, daughter, friend, teacher, etc. And not just present-day but also throughout my life. What scares me? Makes me happy? What am I obsessed with? And also WHY. When I’ve done the inner work, it informs the page like nothing else because that work also clues me in on the stories I need to tell, making them visceral and specific to me.
I believe that a lot of what makes up a person’s “voice” comes from this.
AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
NMH: I’ve always been a storyteller and avid reader. I consumed anywhere from 5 to 10 books every weekend by high school, everything from ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L. M. Montgomery to FEAR STREET by R. L. Stine, and so much more. But the turn to TV writing came at the end of DAWSON’S CREEK when I was compelled to join a website called DAWSON’S CREEK: VIRTUAL SEASON 7. With a group of other writers, we got together to craft an alternate ending. From that moment on, I caught the bug and really started to follow the careers of TV writers I admired. One of those writers was Jane Espenson. Then one fateful day in L.A., I met Jane’s manager, Brandy Rivers. We hit it off, and she took me on as a client. At the same time, I started taking classes at Script Anatomy. Since then, I’ve been honing my voice and my material. Brandy’s guidance, along with my persistence, has gotten me to the place I am now as a writer and the future looks bright!
AFF: How have you been spending your time since AFF27?
NMH: I’ve mostly been writing and connecting with other writers as we gear up for staffing season. I’ve had a ton of general meetings thanks to my agents and manager while also going through the ViacomCBS Writers Mentoring Program. Additionally, I’m working with other Black female writers to start up a comic book anthology series partnered with HexComix. Until now, we’ve been working on the stories but are about to transition into working with artists and crowdfunding.
Natasha M. Hall
Staff Writer on Netflix’s Virgin River; Writer Iris
Alexis Siegel
Alexis Siegel is a rare breed – a Jew raised in Houston, Texas. After attending Greek Orthodox school for eleven years, Alexis escaped to the promised land (Los Angeles) where she attended USC’s film school. Over eight years later, she’s gone full-Angeleno, although the Texan in her will always consider vegan queso to be sacrilege.
Alexis is currently the writers’ assistant for the Fox drama series Prodigal Son where she co-wrote episode 112 as well as forthcoming episode 210.
Alexis writes quirky, comedic dramas with female anti-hero protagonists. She is an Austin Film Festival finalist, Walt Disney Television Writing Program finalist, Blacklist featured writer, PAGE Finalist, and won second place in Austin TV Festival’s pitch competition. When she’s not in front of her computer screen, Alexis can be found hip hop dancing, overanalyzing past conversations, or petting strangers’ dogs at Runyon Canyon.
Alexis is represented by MGMT Entertainment.
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AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
AS: I was lucky enough to attend USC film school where I did not one, not two, but six entertainment industry internships. Out of college, one of my internships led to a job at ICM working for one of the heads of the TV lit department. I knew I wanted to land in a writers’ room from there, so I got one million after-work drinks with one million people. After about a year, a friend of mine heard about an opening working on Deception, which had just gotten a series order at ABC. I met with Chris Fedak and became his assistant about ten minutes after the interview. I’ve been happily working for him ever since and climbing up the ladder!
AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
AS: Build a community, but don’t latch onto everyone you meet. Not every person wants to be your mentor or join your writers’ group. But when you do find like-minded writers, foster those relationships! It is crucial to have that creative and professional support system.
In the name of giving out advice to younger writers, I’ll also throw a shout-out to Script Anatomy. I recommend their classes to every aspiring TV writer I meet.
AFF: What are you working on right now?
AS: I am writing a dark dramedy right now called MAX BARKER’S F*CKING ENGAGED. It’s about a chaotic woman in her mid-20s named Tasha. She’s sleep-walking through life, sleeping around with loser men. Then she sees on Facebook that a guy named Max Barker got engaged, and this completely throws her for a loop. There’s a bit of mystery around it. Is Max an ex? What was their relationship? Over the course of the pilot, Tasha starts therapy, and we slowly unravel her repressed trauma. While she attempts to deal with this revelation in a healthy way, she’s also compelled by darker impulses, like inserting herself into Max’s fiancé’s life. All in the name of closure. Or so she says…
Alexis Siegel
Writer Kimchi & Kugel, Prodigal Son
Nancy Duff
Hailing from Atlanta, Nancy is the winner of the 2020 Austin Film Festival Josephson Entertainment Fellowship and Sci-Fi Feature finalist for her script, Company Man. The sci-fi dark comedy landed on the annual Blood List 12: Fresh Blood Edition honoring up-and-coming voices in horror, thriller, sci-fi, and dark comedy genres. Nancy is a recent participant in the Universal Pictures Feature Writing Program where she has written two feature screenplays under the guidance of producers at Chris Morgan Productions and Mandeville Films. She is a past recipient of the ScreenCraft Fellowship, participant of The Writers Lab funded by Meryl Streep, and winner of the screenwriting award at the Napa Valley Film Festival, earning her a spot in their Artist-in-Residence Program. For the past decade, Nancy has worked in visual effects, which has influenced her writing as she often incorporates action and sci-fi genres.
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AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
ND: Keep writing. Everything can turn around with a new script. Last year I wrote a script that was a genre-mash, personal to me, and a story several people told me was too quirky — not to spend the time on it. However, I couldn’t get the characters and story out of my head. It’s one of my favorite tales that I’ve written, and it ended up winning at AFF, getting on The Blood List: Fresh Blood Edition, and capturing the attention of my new manager. I have learned to trust my instincts and process. That can be said for a lot of things, but in storytelling, execution is key. Every writer’s point-of-view is different. Don’t be afraid to tackle the story that might not be the obvious one to tell.
AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
ND: I have loved storytelling since childhood. I would write addendums to my “Choose Your Own Adventure” books and loan them out from my “library” to kids on the cul-de-sac. My short adventure stories grew into longer ones, to eventually screenplays.
For the past twelve years, while working in the film industry, I helped artists create their monsters, all the while looking, searching, and finding my own characters… my own monsters. Every VFX job has been a learning experience that has informed my storytelling knowledge. While doing VFX breakdowns on scripts, my “writer brain” takes note of what script changes push the project closer to a greenlight. I’ve also been lucky to have access to mentors through programs at ScreenCraft, Universal Pictures Writing Program, and now at Austin Film Festival with Josephson Entertainment to guide me through the writing development process.
AFF: Share a memorable experience sparked from Austin Film Festival.
ND: The best AFF stories happen in between the panels or at the end of the day at the Driskill and are not to be printed :). However, I will say the community of writers I have met from attending the festival over the years has been crucial in my development as a storyteller. The encouragement one gets from attending AFF each year is so special – even in the virtual space of 2020.
Nancy Duff
Writer Company Man
Paul Kowalski
Paul Kowalski is an award-winning writer-director whose style tends toward dark psychologies, hypnotic imagery, and themes of exile, obsession and the supernatural. His feature, Paper Tiger, world-premiered at Austin Film Festival in October 2020, winning the Audience Award and a mention from the Jury. Born in London to Polish immigrants, Kowalski grew up on four continents; while studying literature at Brown University, he published a short story collection and made his first films. He is a BAFTA Newcomer, USC film directing professor, and AFI Conservatory graduate; his thesis film, Breathe, was lauded by the ASC, CINE and Beijing Film Academy, among others, as well as the Aesthetica and Beverly Hills film festivals. Other films include Shadows, and Battersea, which features London’s iconic power station and premiered at Raindance Film Festival. Paul is a British and Polish citizen, and lives in LA with his wife, actress Sorel Carradine.
AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
PK: After studying literature at university, I was working as a writer, theater actor, photographer and musician. I wasn’t fulfilled by any one pursuit, and was going insane with how fragmented my life felt. One day I realized that filmmaking could combine all my interests under one umbrella. I read Kurosawa’s biography, and it struck me how strongly he felt that to make films and really understand cinema, one must learn to write screenplays. So, full of great ambition (and even greater naïveté), I bulldozed my way through my first feature script – a 150-page cradle-to-grave biopic that read more like a history lesson. It was a painful, but vital, lesson of how a story needs its own unity beyond reality and life. I narrowed my scope, and tried again – and eventually wrote and directed my first short. Then, only after many more films, I started getting my head around what it actually meant to dramatize my ideas. That was the start.
AFF: What’s the hardest scene you’ve ever had to write? How did you navigate the challenge?
PK: My recent feature, Paper Tiger, has starkly differing dual protagonists – a widowed immigrant mother, and her teenaged son suffering with mental illness. The challenge was how to fully invest the audience in each point of view, without detracting from the other – to tell just one, cohesive story. The solution came, as it often does, by clarifying the film’s “Big Idea”, or thematic through-line. Once I figured that out, the script started to speak to me: I discovered that despite their outward differences, both protagonists were emotionally and psychologically the same. That insight informed every subsequent writing decision – but also extended into working with the actors, the way we photographed them and designed their spaces, through to the editing and music… But really, every project is the hardest to write. You get through it by avoiding the temptation to steal looks at the mountaintop – just keep climbing, one step at a time; if you hold fast in the face of the abyss, a path will open up! Cultivating that resilience is much more valuable to a writer than talent or luck.
AFF: What are you working on right now?
PK: Several features, and a limited TV series… The Housemaster is a psychological horror rooted in my experiences at an English boarding school in the early 90s. I’ve also written a 7-part historical series about a revolutionary pianist – which, incidentally, started life two decades ago as the first feature I ever wrote. And I have two other thrillers in development: one about some troubled souls on a retreat who spiral into a collective nightmare; and another about a withdrawn woman working at an underground virtual reality club who grows obsessed with a client and his dead wife.
Paul Kowalski
Writer/Director Paper Tiger, Breathe, Shadows, Battersea
Adewale Olukayode
Adewale Olukayode is a writer-director and comedian born in Lagos, Nigeria and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He now studies at Columbia University’s MFA program for Screenwriting/Directing. His films address themes of justice, transformation and healing. His style is influenced by African cinema, which he spoke passionately about at the College de France as a guest lecturer. Adewale won the 2019 Director’s Guild of America student award and also won the 2020 Jury Award for Narrative Student short film, “Home.” He is currently nominated for an NAACP Image award and is working on his first feature Terminal, which was awarded the Princess Grace-Louis Srybnik Award.
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AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
AO: When I was a kid, my mother couldn’t afford toys. I come from a basketball family, and family members were recruited by many colleges. Without toys, and with all these recruitment letters in the house, I would use the envelopes as action figures. I used the letters to create my own stories. I continued making stories my whole life. It wasn’t until I was in college (as a business major) and met an English professor, that I learned about screenwriting. He saw filmmaking in my future and pointed me in the direction of Brooklyn College’s film program.
AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
AO: I’ve learned my biggest lesson through years of practice: journal. My stories come from within. The emotions I have are raw, and journaling allows me to capture those moments and put them in my work. My work is about lived experiences, so journaling allows me to have a Rolodex of emotions to convey onscreen or on set with my actors. In the same vein, I’ve also learned to trust the contributions of my collaborators. They bring their personal experiences to the work, and I always want to be open to incorporating those because it makes for a richer experience.
AFF: What is one of your most memorable experiences from Austin Film Festival?
AO: My favorite experience was going to Austin in 2019 for Supersonic, a film by my collaborator and friend Saleem Gondal. I was happy to have the experience of going in person, because I still keep in touch with every filmmaker whose film showed in my slot. We’ve built relationships where we can call on each other to learn what each other is working on and how we can help. The Austin Film festival gave Saleem and I Stella Artois glass chalices with the title of our movie engraved on the cup. I still have that cup and drink from it. It is a perfect keepsake from the Austin Film Festival. I hope to get more of my films engraved on those cups.
AFF: What are you looking forward to in 2021?
AO: I’ve been spending my time since Austin developing my work and helping aspiring filmmakers by reading their scripts and giving feedback. I’ve also been doing street photography and learning from those who came before me by studying Roy de Carava, Henri Cartier Bresson, and others. I take photos of things that speak to me, and my films take inspiration from these photos. I’ve also been reading the works of Chester Himes and appreciating how his perspective lent to the stories he created. Finally, I’ve been reading a lot of screenplays and making9 memes every now and then.
Adewale Olukayode
2020 Austin Film Festival Narrative Student Award 2019, DGA Student Award Winner 2019, Princess Grace Louis D. Srybnik Film Honor
Becca Roth
Becca Roth is a queer writer/director who loves to tell stories that explore themes of otherness, human-ness, and identity (among a million other things), usually in the form of dramatic storylines with comedic undertones.
During Sundance 2020, it was announced that Becca’s feature screenplay, Margo & Perry, is one of ten scripts on The GLAAD List, which is a roster of the ten most promising unmade LGBTQ-inclusive film scripts selected by The Black List and GLAAD. The script also came in second place in the Slamdance Screenwriting Competition, won the Tracking Board Launch Pad Competition, and was a semifinalist for the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition.
Becca directed a short film version of Margo & Perry starring Sofia Black-D’Elia (Your Honor, the upcoming Single Drunk Female) and Annie Parisse (Friends from College, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), which screened at Austin Film Festival in 2020.
Becca recently directed The Book of Ruth, starring Emmy and Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh, which is currently screening at top festivals worldwide.
Becca is gearing up to direct Margo & Perry (the feature). She is also developing a TV series about an all-girls summer camp in 2002, as well as a queer romantic comedy, and a TV series about a painfully timid seventh-grader who prepares for her Bat Mitzvah while trying to come to terms with her ex best friend’s new best friend who she may or may not be in love with.
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AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
BR: The start of my film career was actually a mix of documentary and narrative writing/ directing. My first independent film was a documentary feature that I directed a year out of college and funded via Kickstarter. It was very DIY, I wore a million different hats, and it taught me so much about filmmaking just by trial and error. I was fortunate to tour the country with the film and attend dozens of film festivals, which introduced me to a larger film community.
From directing and screening this film I made connections that allowed me to make a living from directing, shooting, and editing short form documentaries for nonprofits (including the Academy Award winning documentary company Shine Global, and the Lustgarten Foundation).
During this period of several years, I spent my free time writing and directing no-budget narrative short films. In 2017, I wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in a short comedy film, Lenses, which is a satiric look at the unfair treatment of women in the film industry. The $1,000 budget film screened at top festivals and had a run at the IFC Center in New York, playing in the pre-show before all feature films.
Lenses was selected for Palm Springs International Shortfest, which is where I really crystalized my desire to write and direct narrative features and TV, reminding myself that this was what I’ve wanted to do all along and, that I was ready. Attending countless panels and pitch workshops in Palm Springs, and seeing the success of my short, I realized that I had so many ideas, and that over the years I was just jotting down a million little snippets of the many features and pilots that I would one day be brave enough to write.
I told myself that my fear was a good sign that I must do this, because it matters so much, and that I am allowed to pursue this dream. That I’d been writing and directing shorts for years, and I’d written a feature documentary (I do believe that molding the raw material of a documentary into a cohesive film structure absolutely counts as writing) so I just thought, “What am I waiting for? I can absolutely do this.”
I started writing Margo & Perry and attended writing workshops, labs, artist residencies, and formed a small writing group, and I learned how invaluable it is to have a community of support as a writer. I’m thrilled that my first narrative screenplay has resonated with so many people, and it solidifies for me that this is exactly what I am meant to be – and want to be – doing.
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
BR: Being selected for the GLAAD List at Sundance was perhaps the most meaningful recognition after a year of receiving several accolades for Margo & Perry, the first feature screenplay that I put out in the world. When I was sixteen, I struggled with coming out to myself, and didn’t have anyone in my life who I felt comfortable sharing this huge secret with. The way that I coped was by writing a movie about it in my journal. A coming-out movie, where a fictional version of myself got to be open and free and in love. I never knew if I would be brave enough to actually tell these stories for real, or if anyone would listen or care. Being recognized by GLAAD was so validating for teenage Becca, who tried her best at the time to believe in herself, but was often so consumed with doubt and fear. It is a life-affirming message to my younger self and to my current and future selves: “You deserve to be here. Your stories deserve to be shared. You matter.”
AFF: How have you been spending your time since AFF27?
BR: Aside from watching everything on Netflix, reading a million books, and walking my dog while rolling my eyes at my neighbors who refuse to wear masks, I’ve been getting the script for the Margo & Perry feature in tip top shape and working with my producers on our pitch materials as we prepare to take the film out. I’ve also been working on my other writing projects (Camp Whippoorwill for Girls, Last First Crush) and have really enjoyed collaborating with other writers, as well as returning to solo work (Quiet Voice, and a road trip movie currently titled Wishy Washy). Also, motivated by the uncertainty of when production will be back in full swing, I’m following my childhood dream and beginning to write a queer young adult novel.
Becca Roth
Writer/ Director Margo & Perry
Kazem Mollaie
Kazem Mollaie started filmmaking with short films in 1999. He holds a B.A. in Cinema Directing from “Soore University of Tehran” in 2005. Mollaie has been a member of several organizations such as “Iranian Young Cinema Society” (IYCS), the “Iranian Alliance of Motion Picture Guilds” (Khaneh Cinema), and member of Board of Directors of “Iranian Short Film Association” (ISFA). He is known for his first feature movie named Kupal (2017) and short films like Delete (2011) and Minus (2009). His second feature film is The Badger (2020) that is nominated as the Best Film in the “23rd. Shanghai International Film Festival” [ASIAN NEW TALENT AWARD] in its World Premiere.
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AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
KM: When I was 17, I entered the classes of the Iranian Youth Cinema Society. A government agency that teaches you the basics of screenwriting and directing. I spent a period of two years there, and I made 2 short movies during that time. After that, I was accepted to Sooreh University of Tehran to study directing in cinema for a bachelor degree. At that time, I knew great masters in the field of scriptwriting like “Syd Field” and “Linda Seger”. After university, I continued studying in cinema by myself and I mostly tried to read reference books in the field of script writing. The books of great writers such as Robert McKee, John Truby, Christopher Vogler, were very influential to me at that time.
AFF: What is one of your most memorable experiences from Austin Film Festival?
KM: Without reservation, my sweet experience was winning the award for the best narrative feature film in this prestigious film festival. Aside from that, the Austin Film Festival is a very precise and specific event in my mind that has an accurate schedule for everything. Its workshops are extremely exemplary that will fascinate any lover of writing.
AFF: How have you been spending your time since AFF27?
KM: I’m just writing my new script and I hope to finish it in 2021.
Kazem Mollaie
Writer, Director, Producer
Emil Gallardo
Emil Gallardo is a Mexican-American writer-director, a 2020 HBO Directing Fellow, and the recipient of Panavision’s Future Filmmaker award. Years before any accolades though, Emil’s first dues were paid as a PA on softcore porn sets. From there, he remained in the AD department but moved to working on a variety of fully-clothed independent and studio productions.
It wasn’t until several years later that he began writing and directing. His most recent film, 1, 2, 3, All Eyes On Me, about a crisis that engulfs an elementary school, deeply resonated with audiences and juries alike. It qualified for the 2021 Oscars, won a Jury Award at AFF, HollyShorts’ Grand Prix award, and was nominated for a John Singleton Impact Award.
Emil strives to tell unforgettable stories that stand out for their authenticity and willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. Asylum, the debut feature he’s currently developing, is no exception.
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AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
EG: One thing I’ve learned that keeps coming up is the realization that I don’t really know what I’m writing about until several drafts in. I’ll start with a topic and/or character I’m passionate about, but the heart of the story and the deeper themes it’s going to explore usually aren’t unearthed until I’ve spent a lot of time working with the material. I’ve learned to trust that process and accept that the story will unveil itself as I do the work. In the end, the story will inevitably be deeply personal, often times more than I’m comfortable with. But that’s the life we choose as writers, I guess.
AFF: What’s the hardest scene or project you’ve ever had to write? How did you navigate the challenge?
EG: Asylum, the feature I’m currently working on is the toughest project I’ve written to date. The story deals with the current injustices of the US immigration system and immersing myself in the world has been heartbreaking at times. While the film has given me a place to direct my anger, I don’t feel like I can get it out fast enough.
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
EG: Getting into HBO’s directing fellowship was when things really started taking off for me. Not only did I have the validation of being selected, but they provided world class people to learn from, mentors who give notes, career advice and I now have the support of a cohort of people I admire and consider friends.
AFF: What is one of your most memorable experiences from Austin Film Festival?
EG: I remember attending a talk given by Meg LeFauve at AFF 2019. She was discussing some of the choices they made in Inside Out and I couldn’t write down everything she was saying fast enough. It was just gem after gem. I remember leaving there feeling completely inspired and rejuvenated. After the festival, I returned home to California, still buzzing. Derek and I then wrote 1, 2, 3, All Eyes On Me. As soon as we completed the film, I submitted it to AFF, and not only did we get in, we won a jury award! Everything came full circle and I’ve felt like part of the AFF family since.
Emil Gallardo
Co-Writer/Director 1, 2, 3, All Eyes On Me
Aldo Miyashiro / Érika Villalobos / Abril Cárdenas
Film, Theater and TV director, writer, actor, teacher and TV anchor. His first plays, Wake Show and You will not love, got him the first prize and honorable mention, respectively, in the contest “Towards a young Dramaturgy 2000”. Later on, he wrote Un Misterio, Una Pasión, the first peruvian play to be adapted to televisión in 2003. He continued his career on screen by creating the series Lobos de Mar (2005) and La Gran Sangre (2006). In 2008, he became a late show TV anchor and continued until this day. He has written and directed the feature films Attacked: the theory of grief (2015), Eleven Machos, (2017), Bleed. Scream. Beat! (2017) – which was part of the official selection at the Austin Film Festival that year and a winner of the Audience Award at the Houston Latino Film Festival 2018 – and Eleven Machos 2 (2019).
Érika Villalobos
Peruvian actress, singer and writer. She participated in many theater and TV productions like Torbellino (1997), Pobre diabla (2000), Qué buena raza (2002), Luciana y Nicolás (2003), Misterio (2005), La Gran Sangre (2006), Mi Esperanza (2018) and En la piel de Alicia (2019). She was part of the band Torbellino and in 2012 she released her first solo rock album Potente. On film, she starred in Attacked: the theory of grief (2015), La gran sangre – La película (2007), Eleven Machos (2017), Locos de Amor 2 (2018) and Eleven Machos 2 (2019). She was part of the writer’s team in TV series like La gran sangre (2006) and Golpe a golpe (2007) and the film Bleed. Scream. Beat! (2017).
Abril Cárdenas
Peruvian actress, director, playwright and writer. She starred in plays like Promoción (2006), Sexo Pudor y Lágrimas (2014), Fausto (2015) and Los Cachorros (2019) and was the director of the play Las niñas. She wrote the play La Raza y Reyezuelos, runner-up for the playwright’s contest Sala de Parto, by Teatro La Plaza. She starred on the TV series Misterio (2003) and Promoción (2013) and the films Eleven Machos (2017) and Eleven Machos 2 (2019). She was a writer for the TV series Promoción (2014) and the film Bleed. Scream. Beat! (2017).
AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
AM & EV & AC: Our background is the stage. We have worked as actors, playwrights and directors. We are passionate about the cinema. It is a new language, dangerous and defiant. We decided to tell our stories; learn how to do it, find suffering and joy in the process, and get the thrill when the lights turn off and you listen to those lines that are no longer yours.
AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned?
AM & EV & AC: The lesson that remains clear to us is that the script is always alive. It never stops writing itself, it keeps reinventing itself; during the creation process, while filming, because of the cast’s insights, in the editing room, when the movie is seen by the audience and you regret not having written one more line, or you feel like there should have been an extra pause.
In your head, the script never dies. It requires a humbleness that you don’t have inside of you, the patience that you will gain over the years, a resistance against pain and frustration that you never imagined was needed for being able to write.
AFF: What are you looking forward to in 2021?
AM & EV & AC: Write. Produce. Shoot. And keep going.
And after the premiere; write, produce, shoot. Keep going, against all odds.
Aldo Miyashiro / Érika Villalobos / Abril Cárdenas
Aldo Miyashiro: Writer/Director Bleed. Scream. Beat!, Wake Show
Érika Villalobos: Writer/Actress Bleed. Scream. Beat!; Writer Wake Show
Abril Cárdenas: Writer Bleed. Scream. Beat!, Wake Show
Boise Esquerra
Boise Esquerra is a Native (Hopi) and Mexican American filmmaker who is currently enrolled in the Colorado River Indian Tribes in Parker, AZ. He is a recent graduate of the New York Film Academy (Screenwriting), where he was at the top of his class. He holds a BA in Digital Filmmaking and Video Production with an MFA in Filmmaking and has always had a great passion for the entire spectrum of his craft and every aspect that goes into it. Being Native
American allows Boise an opportunity to de-stereotype much of the tropes about his culture while bringing these stories to a much more modern, universal, and truthful platform.
During his time in Los Angeles, he has gone on to write and direct multiple projects. His latest short, Blackwater a dramedy about a Native American country singer who is sentenced to 180 days of wellness therapy after ten years of reckless alcoholism, upon returning to her home reservation. Blackwater has gone on to be in competition and has
officially screened at the 2020 Austin Film Festival, Slamdance, Hollyshorts, Nashville Film Festival, and many others thus far.
Looking towards the future, Boise hopes to continue to write, direct and create in hopes of
helping pave the way for diverse inclusion within the filmmaking industry – specifically strong Native American representation.
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AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
BE: In 2011 I started making little shorts films after a life-changing stint in the hospital where I had to drastically change my way of living due to substance abuse/dependency. It was at that point I fell in love with storytelling and the process of “from script to screen” Since then I have gone off to earn multiple degrees in filmmaking and screenwriting and have been loving it ever since. Filmmaking is my absolute calling in life, and it all begins with the story and script. In 2018, after earning a BA and an MFA in filmmaking, I continued my education in screenwriting at the New York Film Academy in Burbank, CA. During that time I worked hard, doing my absolute best in whatever it was I was writing at the time. Eventually, it was during a course titled “Transmedia” that helped me created the episodic pilot Blackwater. Blackwater was a success on multiple levels, screening at many film festivals (including Austin Film Festival 2020) and would eventually help garner representation at Inclusion Management in Burbank, CA.
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
BE: Definitely signing with Inclusion management. Afterwards, I was able to start building my network with creative executives from various studios putting my work on their radar.
AFF: What is a memorable experience sparked from Austin Film Festival?
BE: 2020’s Austin Film Festival was an awesome experience, even if virtual! What I remember most was the communication from AFF’s staff during the fest, and how they always made it a point to address all of my concerns, questions, and just made me feel valued as a filmmaker, even through a world-wide pandemic. The other great experience was the virtual Driskill bar! So much fun networking!
Boise Esquerra
Screenwriter/Director
Taylor Meacham
After graduating from Emerson College in 2014 with a BA in film production, Taylor Meacham moved to Los Angeles to work in postproduction management on Disney’s Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast. Although he began his career in animation management, Meacham’s affinity for storytelling drove him to spend spare time working on his own live-action shorts.
In 2015, Meacham was hired as a production coordinator on DreamWorks’ Trolls. After completing his directorial debut in To: Gerard, Meacham has had the ability to work creatively on various other DreamWorks projects – moving him into the role of storyboard artist on The Croods: A New Age and the upcoming Puss in Boots 2. He continues to explore stories that observe how unexpected moments in our lives can lead to unimaginable gifts.
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AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons that you’ve learned?
TM: I used to feel the need to shortcut my process of writing. I always tried to skip over that writing phase early on that is still about discovery in order to get to the final page as quickly as possible. Now I’ve learned patience with the writing process and to enjoy that part of the process no matter how slow it might be because, in practice it is where some of the best large ideas can come from. I’ve also found that asking for help or advice is an asset not a crutch. I now turn to those of my friends I admire for their writing for help with stories I am working on.
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
TM: Writing and Directing To: Gerard at Dreamworks Animation was a major turning point for me. At the time that I was pitching the short film to Dreamworks, I was working for the studio in production management, but always had a foot turned in the direction of writing and directing. When the studio decided to move forward with making the short, I was able to move into a story driven position at the studio as a storyboard artist. That has been such a gift. Now, it is a seamless transition between working with story through drawings during the day and then work through story with writing in my off hours.
AFF: What are you working on now?
TM: Right now I am storyboarding on the next feature installment of Puss in Boots for Dreamworks and working on a few smaller projects for myself with hopes to pitch them at some point in the future.
Taylor Meacham
Writer & Director To: Gerard
Jenny Kleiman
Jenny Kleiman is a screenwriter, director, producer and teaches the Working the Wound Screenwriting Workshop- helping writers develop complex women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ protagonists. She was raised in both Charleston, SC, and NYC; currently residing in the latter with her border collie-mix where she enjoys trying to keep plants alive and endlessly cooking.
Jenny’s work “finds the fun and funny in trauma,” and is united in thematic explorations of changing families, sex, and the taboo. Her short, Sofa Queen, received numerous selections and awards, including 2020 AFF and Jury Award: Best Short, Film Invasion LA.
Her newest script and anticipated feature debut, Held by Water, is a terrifying account of one woman’s search for inner healing through the lens of a sex cult. The tale was woven from her unique IRL experience of living in an accidental commune in an Upstate NY hotel for 4 months of Covid lockdown.
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AFF: How did you break in or get started in screenwriting?
JK: I made my way to screenwriting by trying almost every position in the industry first. In 2013, I was working as a music video and commercial director/ producer in my hometown, when a childhood friend asked me to come on board to co-direct and co-produce her feature script. At the time I knew nothing about what I was getting myself into, but decided to give it a read. I realized it was a huge opportunity, and I was just going to have to figure the rest out.
Over the next few years, this project paved the path of what I like to think of as my film industry “grad school” experience. I signed on, we shot an enticing teaser for just $300, built out our materials, and cold emailed hundreds of producers and execs. After about a year, this translated into navigating the complicated world of LOIs, deals, and financing structures with production companies, sales agents, and A-list talent. The process of trying to get greenlit can be incredibly fast-paced and exciting but also grueling. We were always just around the corner from making this feature, but never quite “there.” In 2017, we had a deal fall through with one of the biggest companies in the industry. We were four years into pitching, and the universe was telling us to come up with a new game plan. Over the next few months, my co-director and I decided the best path was to option out the script and move into a less immediate role as co-producers.
When my adrenaline finally dropped, I was left with two major impressions. First, the dangling carrot of industry success can feel like stepping on a “forever treadmill,” and it’s difficult not to get swept up in looking ahead instead of enjoying the present. You have to learn how to enjoy the “in-betweens” and decide which part of the industry makes you happy. And I still needed to answer that question.
I was always envious of screenwriters because I had something to say but no way to structure my ideas. And on a practical note, scripts weren’t going to keep raining out of the sky to direct. So I completely switched tracks, took the initiative to sign up for classes and a writer’s group, and spent roughly the next two years fully dedicated to learning the craft via my first feature script, American Princess. Once I felt confident enough in a draft, I threw it up on The Black List platform- where it landed as their #1 Trending Script of March 2019 and placed in the 15 Top Rated scripts for that quarter.
AFF: How have you been spending your time since AFF27?
JK: Teaching, writing, pitching, and riding out covid winter in New York- which I should say is actually going by quickly. Between Sofa Queen’s festival run, the writers groups I teach, and the sessions I participate in with my own work, I feel really lucky to have a virtual community right now. It’s made the time fly!
AFF: What are you working on now?
JK: In addition to Held by Water, I’m also shopping a pilot called Double Vision; a one-hour dystopian mystery-thriller about a spiraling young woman who is thrust into the center of a heated Border War between the first conglomerate-run independent nation and the cartel-run border town on its outskirts.
I also teach two weekly screenwriting workshops on originating complex protagonists whose personal arcs speak to the compelling and intersectional experiences of women, people of color, and/or the LGBTQ community.
Jenny Kleiman
Writer/ Director Held by Water, Sofa Queen, Double Vision
Aurora Florence and Jeff Dickamore
Aurora Florence and Jeff Dickamore are a creative duo based in LA where they produce original content though their production company, Saint Norma Jean Productions. Together they wrote, produced, and directed The Anxious Taxidermist, a musical pilot which played at the Austin Film Festival 2020, Slamdance 2021, and has won multiple awards, including Best in Fest (Women In Comedy Festival) and Best International Pilot (Pilot Light TV Fest). Aurora’s creative career began in music (founding member of Imagine Dragons) and theater (Eliza Doolittle, My Fair Lady – National Tour). Her background in musical theater gives her a strong sense of story and tone as a songwriter. Jeff is an accomplished actor (MFA University of Tennessee) and writer, and made his directorial debut with The Anxious Taxidermist. Their short form series, Curated will be coming out later this year. The benefit of living with your creative partner is being able to work on projects all the time. The down side is being able to work on projects all the time.
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AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned?
AF: Find creatives you trust to give you honest feedback and whose personal craft you value. We’ve been part of a writers’ group the last year that has been invaluable to us not only for their feedback on our work, but getting to regularly read and discuss others’ writing, too. Also, write a good story and then take care of it. Always be asking, how is what I’m writing serving the story?
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
AF: For Jeff’s senior thesis project in grad school he had written an adaptation of Tarzan utilizing aerial acrobatics, large scale puppets, and live music. We put on a workshop production, sponsored by the college, and turned a warehouse acro-studio into a theater with recycled backdrops. It was the first thing we had created from start to finish. The process was difficult but rewarding in ways like nothing else we had done artistically before. From there we set our sights on creating our own projects.
AFF: What are you most looking forward to in 2021?
AF: Pitching The Anxious Taxidermist! We are developing it right now with a major production company and have plans to start pitching it in the coming months. We’re also very excited about some other writing projects that have been on the back burner but that we’re finally finding time for.
Aurora Florence and Jeff Dickamore
Co-writers The Anxious Taxidermist, Curated
Troian Bellisario
Troian Bellisario is a burgeoning actress, writer, director and producer best known for her starring role on the acclaimed FREEFORM television show Pretty Little Liars. Troian also wrote, produced and starred in the independent feature Feed.
Troian also wrote, produced and starred in the short film Exiles and has directed episodes of Pretty Little Liars, Famous in Love, as well as Good Trouble. She most recently wrote, directed and acted in the short film Life on Mars, which was featured in the 2020 Austin Film Festival.
On stage, she appeared in Equivocation at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. With The Casitas Group, a theatre company of which she is a founding member, Troian appeared in an exclusive engagement of Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman, as well as a Sam Shepard double feature: Fool for Love and True West. As well as the San Diego Globe’s production of The Last Match.
Troian recently wrapped production on the CBS pilot Ways and Means, with Patrick Dempsey.
AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
TB: You have to stick to your guns. Everyone will offer you their opinion if you ask for it, which is wonderful, but it can take you further away from your own intention and voice if you are not careful.
Also, not everything you write is meant to be realized. Somethings are just for you.
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
TB: Really, booking Pretty Little Liars. It constrained a lot of what I could do, audition for, have time for, but it was the first major platform of my career. I learned to direct because of it, produce because of it and write during it. Even though I was just an actor (until I directed) it impacted my career and life in so many more ways than just what I did in front of the camera.
AFF: What are you working on now?
TB: I recently wrapped a pilot for CBS. I have a limited series I have written that I am trying to get produced called Sad Beans, and I am writing my first play, The Santa Anas.
Troian Bellisario
Actor, Writer, Producer
Kelly Pike
Kelly Pike grew up on military bases around the world before her family settled in a Virginia shipyard town. She went on to establish a career in the fine arts as a sculptor and museum professional in Texas, and her work is steeped in the lived experience provided by this multi-faceted background. She first expanded her art practice into film by working with documentarian Albert Maysles and, more recently, earned an M.F.A. in Film & Television from UCLA. She now lives in Los Angeles, where she writes and directs narrative films with an affinity for outsiders in coming-of-age moments, at any age. Her short films have screened around the world winning awards from the DGA, The American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival, the Austin Film Festival, the Bahamas International Film Festival, Vimeo, and PBS. She is currently a fellow in the AFI Directing Workshop for Women. www.kellypikefilm.com
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AFF: What’s the hardest scene or project you’ve ever had to write? How did you navigate that challenge?
KP: I wanted the audience to bear witness to a sexual assault in my last film, without ever putting it on screen. Ultimately, I decided to remain steeped in the character’s point of view as she stared at a flickering neon light nearby. This was specifically written so that the moment was in the film, but the assailant never was. It was only her experience, however dissociative it became for her.
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
KP: This is hard to pinpoint, since there have been so many unexpected twists. Probably the most significant was when I decided to leave behind the life I’d built for myself in Houston and moved across the country to earn my M.F.A. in Film & Television at UCLA. It’s a huge leap of faith that could have gone in any direction, but has been pretty great so far.
AFF: What are you working on now?
KP: I’m in pre-production on a short film, Picture Day, which I’m making as part of the AFI Directing Workshop for Women. I’m also writing a feature based on my short film, Undercut, and developing an episodic set in Houston at the intersection of the oil and gas industry and fine arts museums.
Kelly Pike
Writer/Director Undercut
Ann Marie Allison & Jenna Milly
Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly recently wrote and executive produced the feature comedy Golden Arm starring Mary Holland and Betsy Sodaro. The film rights have been sold to Utopia Pictures and HBO for an April 2021 release. Jenna and Ann Marie also sold an original comedy spec It’s Wednesday Night to Netflix, are out to cast with an Untitled Jocelyn Moorhouse Project and are specing a script in the YA space. They are represented by VERVE Agency and Ensemble Entertainment.
AFF: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
AMA & JM: We’ve learned that you’re the only person who is going to fight for the kind of content you want to see. If you want to watch it, you’ve got to write it.
AFF: What was a major turning point in your career?
AMA & JM: A major turning point for us was when we decided to stop listening to Hollywood telling us we couldn’t make the kind of movies we wanted to see. They kept saying no one wants to see a comedy about ladies arm wrestling, so we just went and made it ourselves. And we had an awesome time doing it!
AFF: What are you looking forward to in 2021?
AMA & JM: Hoping pre-production kicks into full gear on our next feature for Amazon. Fingers crossed!
Ann Marie Allison & Jenna Milly
Writers/Executive Producers Golden Arm (2020)
Khaled Ridgeway
Khaled Ridgeway is an award-winning writer/director from Chicago, with blood type of ‘H’ for Hustle. A Syracuse University alum, he briefly taught at the grade school level before tackling improv at The Second City. Khaled later received his MFA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he was named a Ryan Murphy HALF Fellow. His 2019 thesis film, Night Diner, earned him the DGA Student Jury Award and the AT&T Film Awards’ Grand Prize, before premiering on Revolt TV. Khaled is also a Hollywood Screenplay Contest Grand Prize Winner and has written and produced content for Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s New Form. His 2020 feature directorial debut, Death of a Telemarketer, screened at the 2020 Austin Film Festival and the 2020 American Black Film Festival, winning the Fan Favorite Award.
AFF: How did you break in or get your start in screenwriting?
KR: While attending USC, I wrote a spec of the hit show Brooklyn Nine-Nine that garnered me the Grand Prize at the Hollywood Screenplay Awards.
AFF: What’s the hardest scene or project you’ve ever had to write?
KR: In the climactic scene of my feature debut, Death of a Telemarketer, the main character Kasey has to make one final life-or-death call to his dad. My own father had passed unexpectedly shortly before I wrote this scene, and so I infused a lot of what I wanted to still say to him but couldn’t into the dialogue. It was painful but therapeutic.
AFF: What are you working on right now?
KR: I’m writing a supernatural drama titled Belong that centers on a black college student who must battle an evil cabal of ancient werewolves disguised as faculty.
Khaled Ridgeway
Writer/Director