WRITER PROFILE
It’s always great to get together with a large group of writers and investors and keep up to date on what’s new, the screenplay contest, any recent deals, new dealmaker contacts, agents or managers that are looking and simply encouraging everyone to keep going after every dream in this difficult industry. For the hard working writer we want to do as much as we can to continue the exposure and word of mouth in the investment circles of the industry. Another way we do this is with writer interviews that we send far and wide and showcase at all possible meetings and markets.
We want to encourage your writing spirit, motivate you and again give you the accolades you so deserve.
Escape: The Unknown
Written by Tieshia Brown
What motivated you to become a writer?
Back in 2018, when I lost my grandmother, that was a very hard year for me. She was my rock, my heart, my breath, and when I lost her it felt like I lost my life. At the same time of losing her, the guy who also had my heart walked away from me also and left me hanging to during that hard time. That year was pure hell. While my grandmother was on her death bed, my coworkers started a nasty rumor about the guy and I which forced him to walk away from me in the first place. So at this point, I am depressed, I am vulnerable, I feel alone, neglected, I honestly wanted to end my life. Then one day, I started writing, I started writing a script, a script that explained what I was going through. The script is titled Escape: Heart Condition. While writing that script, it bought me to tears because I based the central character off of me and what I was feeling. That’s when I knew that my grandmother passing away is what pushed me to write. Writing became very therapeutic for me and it allowed me to let all my emotions out. It even allowed me to write my next episode of the Escape Series which is Escape the Unknown. This films is based off a female who is getting stalked by her abusive ex-boyfriend who was just released from jail. Being that I was stalked once before in that same year I lost my grandmother made me connect with the script even more I felt like I was connecting with my grandmother again. So when someone ask me what motivated me to become a writer, I always tell them my grandmother passing away is what pushed me to write.
Starting on a blank page is not easy- where does your creativity come from?
My creativity comes from the things I have been through. I take what I have been through and make a story out of it. Being that it is my story and my life, I have the chance to play around with how the story should unfold. Since everything I write, I direct and edit myself, I am able to continue to be creative post writing. My creativity comes from this mind that is always thinking of ways to make my audience go whoa they want more.
Do you write projects knowing that so many other factors need to happen to get it to screen and does that come into your project creation?
When I write, I write off of true events. I may switch up the characters and who plays what, but I make sure that I write about things I been through and what I know the audience will want to see. I know that when writing so much needs to happen to make sure that their is a story and that can keep the reader/audience attention. Since everything I write is directed, produced, and edited by me, I make sure that my team is able to understand what I am trying to say and if they have any ideas that will add to the script to enhance the project in a better way I be sure to add it to the script and to my notes so that when we film we know what was discussed.
What is your dream for this project and what other ancillary revenue do you think it could generate? Please include script title in reply
My dream for Escape: The Unknown is to make sure that people understand that domestic violence does exist. That stalking is in fact real. My dream is that the reader sees and understand my vision for this project. My dream is for the reader to connect with this script to the point they feel that they are in that story themselves. When it comes to generating revenue, I think that it would generate it from streaming websites such YouTube, Facebook watch, Vimeo, Amazon Prime, or any other websites that will host series.
How has your experience been with screenwriting contests for this project so far?
Well, I haven’t enter this script in screenplay competitions because I film my projects and enter the film into film festivals. However, since this pandemic, I haven’t be able to film anything so I guess this is the time to enter into one to see where it goes.
If you could stand in a room full of investor partners looking at many projects what would you like them to know about you and this project?
I will tell them this project means everything to me. The Escape Series project is about different toxic situations people go through on a daily basis and how they escape from them. I want investors to know that every script that has been writing for this series are things that I have went through. With Escape The Unknown, it will put a message out there for women and men to vigilant when it comes to the people they are dating. It will shine a light on abusive relationships and to be careful of your surroundings.
Do you have any website links for your writing, credits, background, etc that you would like to share?