What motivated you to become a writer?

Years ago, a producer with Mark Wilson’s Productions came into the dance studio where my exhusband worked and asked if there was a dancer who spoke Spanish who was willing to translate into Spanish a Burger King stage performance. My ex-husband’s assistant recommended me. I translated three of their stage performances and ended up directing the performer. After that, I was hooked. I began taking classes and courses on writing for TV, stage and film.

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

My creativity is sparked by a word, a sentence, a thought that comes with a feeling of the story I’m inspired to tell. I take that inspiration and turn the seed, the fascinating core, into a narrative of the story. Then I begin to ask all the necessary questions, such as “What is the central dramatic question? What action by the protagonist touches off the fight to the finish? What action by the protagonist sets up the potential fight? What common factor unites the two premises?” These questions propel me to put my story into a three-act structure, to create ‘the condition of action,’ ‘the cause of action’ and ‘the resulting action.’ From there, I continue to develop the story into the basic screenplay structure.

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?

Since I was a professional dancer and participated in producing stage performances, I know that the collaboration of many enhances the final production. After I have a good first draft of the screenplay, I get coverage for the screenplay, to see if something is missing, to see if it is well-understood and possibly get another perspective of my story. Then I rewrite and rewrite, analyzing the screenplay to see if scenes, dialogue and/or characters are necessary or should be eliminated, thereby tightening the screenplay. Also, I prepare the tools (logline, synopsis, marketing material) to present in the market place and onto the desks of people in the industry.

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

My dream for “CARGO JACK” is to surpass production excellence, shine in commercial appeal and be a money-maker. The comparable films are “Taken” meets “Expendables”: “Taken” (2008): Budget: $25,000,000; Gross (World): $226,837,760 Expendables” (2010); Budget: $80,000,000; Gross (World): $274,470,394 I want “Cargo Jack” to attract investors, financiers and other revenues to get it produced; allure well-known actors to draw the attention of production companies fascinated with the story to bring to fruition an excellent, commercial-appealing, money-making film. “Cargo Jack,” can play in movie theaters, on broadcast television, on streaming platforms and be produced through financiers, sales agencies, production companies, etc. “Cargo Jack,” an action thriller, has the potential to become a franchise with characters that promise more thrilling, action-packed stories/films about the lives of cargo pilots and the air cargo transportation business. Also, “Cargo Jack” has the ability to expand into a game app, character action figures, toy planes, graphic novels, etc.

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

“Cargo Jack” has placed in several contests: as a quarterfinalist and finalist. Since then, I have rewritten the screenplay.

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?

“Cargo Jack” was inspired by the stories my brother told when he worked for a Miami air cargo company. The screenplay reveals a social disease: The sexual exploitation trade. When Jack’s girlfriend is taken, Jack and his crew go into action, jump hurdles, confront killers risking their lives to get her back, while bringing down a global crime network. Logline: A washed up cargo pilot snaps out of his alcoholic haze to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend from ruthless South American sex trade operators. I’m a produced writer/producer with Ground Squirrel Entertainment. In 2018, I wrote and produced a short film entitled “Lie In Wait,” that was accepted in two festivals as follows; Official Selection in 2019 Independent Filmmakers Showcase Film Festival and 2019 SemiFinalist International Burbank Film Festival. I also wrote the feature screenplay based on the short film. In 2021, “Lie In Wait,” feature screenplay, garnered a spot in the Capital Fund Screenplay Contest Hot Top 100. I’m on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8920836/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2 My screenplays and plays have won and placed in writing contests. I have written over a dozen screenplays, teleplays and plays.

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

Groundsquirrelentertainment.com

Marialsoriano.com