I came to writing through a roundabout route. I was an athlete who transitioned to coaching and after a decade coaching club and senior girls’ high school volleyball, I needed to do something that was just for me. I took a short story class and loved it. A friend of mine in the film industry read what I was working on and told me I wrote more like a screenwriter. I mulled it over and took the plunge after hearing Anthony Zuiker speak. He said he didn’t necessarily hire film school grads. At that moment I thought, maybe it isn’t a pipe dream.

Starting on a blank page is not easy- where does your creativity come from?

I think we all have stories we love that inspire us, experiences that carry meaning, or even just places we don’t want to forget. I don’t think it’s hard to come up with ideas, I think it’s hard to commit to just one. I think sport made me a singularly focused person. I think less about where creativity comes from, than I do how to find the joy in the process.

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?

I want to be a part of the entertainment industry so yes; I consider outside factors when I’m writing. Producing short films has also made me acutely aware of how much some things cost and if I want a break then I don’t want to write stories that will break the budget. It’s hard for a company to invest in a writer with a limited track record. I want to make my project, and myself, more appealing by respecting the challenges involved in making film.

What is your dream for this project and what other ancillary revenue do you think it could generate?

I’m currently working on pushing Birthday Blues forward. I know I can make it in Vancouver on an ultra-low budget. I have two cast letters of intent signed so far; Johannah Newmarch of Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart, and Aliza Vellani of Netflix’s Sweet Tooth. I think we can have a distribution run that will generate revenue based on the limited budget. I also think there’s room for a live music release on iTunes, an online concert for the film’s house band. It’s a murder/mystery set at a house party that has a band play the film live.

How has your experience been with screenwriting contests for this project so far?

An early draft of Birthday Blues was named Best Mystery at the 2016 Las Vegas International Screenwriting Competition, and was awarded a Special Commendation, Best Scottish Screenplay at the 2017 Scottish Independent Film Festival. (I’m a dual national, Canada and the UK) Since then, I’ve just been focused on honing the story. I’m pleased with the direction it’s going so far and am considering taking another look at the contest route.

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 want them to know that Birthday Blues is a budget friendly film that focuses on a unique approach to questioning how we write stories about women. I’ve had people describe the film as Knives Out meets A Promising Young Woman. I would also like to mention that I have a team in place that can make it happen, and I’m committed to ancillary music sales and a strong social media presence to drive awareness of the film. I did it one before with my Western short concept film, Last Stand to Nowhere, and I believe I can apply the lessons of that success to Birthday Blues. Lastly, as an Independent writer and director who has also produced, I am in a unique position to leverage contacts gained through networking in one if the greatest film cities in North America, Vancouver.

Do you have any website links for your writing, credits, background, etc. that you would like to share?

You can find me online:

Twitter: @paisleymedia2
Instagram: @paisleymedia1
IMDB: Michelle Muldoon