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.

“They Call Me Terrorist”

Written by Amrita Singh

What motivated you to become a writer?

For as long as I’ve known myself, I knew I wanted to have some form of published work. At first, I thought I’d be a novel writer, inspired by all my favourite YA novels, however, I realised there was a magic about movies that I wanted to be a part of. I remember growing up in as an only child in a single-parent home, movies and their characters became my friends. I want to give others that same feeling of comfort and spark some sort of interest in their minds like those movies did to me growing up.

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

I think almost all fiction is rooted in reality. My creativity comes from the world around me in so many different ways, from social issues affecting the globe to my own experiences growing up. Our universe is so diverse and dynamic. When I write, I take these ideas from the environment around me and put my own twist on it, it’s like I’m taking the world around me and making it mine, creating a reality that understands me.

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 would be a fool to think movies are a one-man job. There are multiple people that help turn a script into words on paper to action on the screen. I completely acknowledge that but I don’t let it influence a script that much. I consider how others might react and the efforts it may take to get the script on screen, but first I focus on telling the story the way I envision it. Once satisfied, if changes need to be made where appropriate based on the process of getting the script transformed, I’m not too fussy. At first, though, I like to concentrate on telling the story how it is in my mind.

What is your dream for this project and what other ancillary revenue do you think it could generate? Please include script title in reply.

Script Title: They Call Me Terrorist

Log Line: A determined widow undergoes a series of horrific events when her late husband falls victim to a terrorist attack in their city is accused of being responsible. Together with her friends, she must prove him innocent while overcoming her own grief and heartbreak.

This is my first script so obviously my dream would be to get it made into an actual movie on a screen. This script is based on the negative stereotypes brown people are subjected to because of terrorism. It discusses the fact that terrorism has no colour, that brown people are just as much victims to it than anyone else. It also touches on the double standards that society has as they define what a terrorist looks like, profiling innocent people for actions they did not commit.

As a brown woman myself, you can imagine this story is quite personal and important to me. It would be an absolute honour to get this script sold and see this plot play out in a screen in front of me. I think it describes a situation and issues that are relevant to society and hopefully, can change some of the false assumptions people have made of my race.

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

So far so good, I assume. At the time of this interview, I had not heard back from any contests at yet and this is my first time entering any sort of screenwriting competition. I’m a virgin to the industry, if you will. I’m excited and hopeful that things work out and if not with this round in the competition season, I will try again. I have so much determination in me, I’m ready to leave my mark in this industry.

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?

This project is humanizing. It is relevant to the world around us, too many people do not understand to the extent to which terrorism can affect families, especially brown families. Most movies focus on the events leading up to a terrorist attack, but few discuss what happens after. This script touches exactly on the loss and pain people feel when these awful events occur as well as how quick our society is to blame a whole race, forgetting they can be victims too. There aren’t many brown women like myself in Hollywood, but I would like the chance to change that and diversify the platform.

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

At this point, I can be found on ISA under Amrita Singh