One of the most thrilling things about life is there is always something to learn. Whether it be from a teacher, a friend, or a coworker, knowledge is abundant and empowering. Throughout my time in college studying creative writing, I was drawn into the wonderful world of screenwriting and the way we are able to tell stories about people we will never be. From big sci-fi blockbusters to small, independent films, people yearn to express what it is to be human and how we deal with both horror and beauty in our lives.
As a screenwriter, my main goal is to not only contribute to the conversation surrounding films, but to change it. I wish to explore narratives that examine how people behave, interact, and change due to their own emotions and truths. I’m interested in stories driven by anti-heroes and morally grey, fleshed-out characters rather than fantastical narratives. Films such as Blue Valentine (2010), where both the main characters are unreliable, imperfect, and painfully human; this is the type of tone I want to create for my films.
Part of my goal as a screenwriter is to write stories that people may be scared of, in a sense that it reveals things about themselves that they may have been ashamed of, or nervous to embrace. Halina Reijn’s Babygirl (2024) is a film that follows a powerful CEO and her affair with a young male intern. However, the message itself is about how people may think they are only one thing, but they can be another if they so choose.
Anatomy of a Fall (2023), directed and written by Justine Triet, told the story of a woman accused of killing her husband after he fell out of the window of their home. We follow the characters in the past, present, and in the tension of the courtroom, wondering again and again if the husband really was murdered or if it was an accident. These 2 examples, amongst the many other great films written by women, are what has inspired me to join them and bring my ideas to life on the page and eventually the silver screen.
Nevertheless, I aspire to be both a screenwriter and good collaborator. Though I do want to direct as I advance into my career, learning and growing with other creatives as a screenwriter is where I wish to begin. I believe that people with a common goal can gain a lot from each other, and all films come together with a good, consistent crew. Amongst my ambition there is a want to be thought of in a good light. I do what I can to achieve this and always will.