WRITER PROFILE
It’s always great to get together with a large group of writers and keep up to date on what’s new, 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. As a Third Thursday writer’s meeting winner 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.
#TSLA
Written by Zuzu Bell
What motivated you to become a writer?
After years of costume and production designing films, a career I enjoyed but only endured because of the lack of opportunities in directing for women, I was inspired by the recent moves made by women director/ writers like Bigelow, and Duvernay. So, I decided it was my time to take the leap.
Starting on a blank page is not easy- where does your creativity come from?
My creativity comes from the many stories my grandmother told me as a child. She was born in Alabama; but you shouldn’t let the fact that my people are in part, urban Appalachians and former slaves mislead you to believe these stories were anything close to the norm. She was a theosophist and futurist, most of which was heavily influenced by theism and science. My experiences with her greatly influence my storytelling. I’ve have carried over a lot of her ideas and teachings in my work as a writer.
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?
Having been a costume and production designer for over ten years in the NYC indie world, I would be a fool not to take into account the market and how modern films are made from a business standpoint. These new ways of doing business have greatly colored the choices I make as a writer. I don’t believe it should be a primary factor but, to ignore these immutable truths will be at your peril or promise, I’m flexible in that way…I also believe many writers under utilize art department’s purpose in the bigger picture.
What is your dream for this project and what other ancillary revenue do you think it could generate?
The latest project I’m pushing out of the nest is titled #TSLA. #TSLA is a quasi-musical, Sci-fi comedy about three disparate characters who’s fate became tied by a well meaning but, ultimately disastrous failed musical collaboration. The film plays with ideas from theorist such as Baldwin, Sartre, de Beauvoir, Ellison, and Nikola Tesla.
My dream is to raise money to direct this project. The film is “loosely” based on actual events that have captured the interest of everyone from music fans, to stock traders, to tech enthusiast. It was an edifying moment for America and truly brought into conversation a discourse about race, class, and privilege.
#TSLA
Logline: An eccentric tech billionaire and his synth pop girlfriend, lure a controversial ‘212’ rapper to his LA mansion under the guise of a creative collaboration. The weekend quickly descends into a hellish quagmire, forever tying their fates.
How has your experience been with screenwriting contests for this project so far?
My experience with writing contests have been a mixed bag. When I began writing in January 2016, the film season started late, not just for me but, for everyone in New York. I applied for Sundance with my proposal and five pages but now that the work season had started, I got so wrapped up with work I never polished that screenplay. Of course, Sundance got back to me, inviting me to send the completed script. This trend of me not having the time to complete work due to my working on other films, continued until 2019. In May I decided to take a regular job so that I could begin the process of finishing those scripts and writing samples, giving them the attention they deserve. It’s already proven to have some affect as I’ve been called in for reader jobs, script analyst freelance work as well as web series writing job interviews. I have not been staffed or sold a script as of yet but one thing is clear, taking the time out to concentrate on my dreams seems to be paying off in small ways.
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?
#TSLA is the collaboration no one asked for, but will never forget! It’s an exploration into the deep recesses of our identity as Americans. It’s a reminder that there’s still something left to feel in this world of distraction without the pesky need to experience it ourselves…It’s sort of an atonement by proxy.
Do you have any website links for your writing, credits, background, etc that you would like to share?
I’m on IMDB under Zulema Griffin. And a new site transitioning it from a PD/CD site to writing projects, WIP’s etc. for the new year.
