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.
AMERICA’S NEXT CULT LEADER
Written by Ash Willeby
What motivated you to become a writer?
Long-time writer. My High School Creative Writing teacher created a new class code so I could take her class again, since I’d taken all her existing classes. When I first started dating my current partner, they asked me to give feedback on their screenplay. I was jazzed to help, but my experience was with live theatre (which is totally different), so I went and took a class real quick. It was a thirty-day class in which we wrote an entire feature, and I just fell in love with screenwriting.
Starting on a blank page is not easy- where does your creativity come from?
Each script starts as an idea that keeps screaming inside my brain. It’s usually something that bothers me in real life, and many times is rooted in revenge. I usually start a note on my phone with the part that I can’t get out of my head, and just add to it (characters, a funny scene even if I don’t know where it will go…) as I know more. The more I add, the more encouraged I am to keep going.
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?
It’s mostly just to quiet that little voice in my head that is hell-bent on righting the wrongs of the world… and to make myself and other people laugh. Since filmmaking is such a collaborative process, all I can do is provide a great jumping-off point.
What is your dream for this project and what other ancillary revenue do you think it could generate? Please include script title in reply.
I would love to get to flesh out a few seasons of AMERICA’S NEXT CULT LEADER and see it on a streamer. I think it lends itself to having “ANCL” branded merch, as it’s part of the show in season one, so having that actually available in real life would be dope.
How has your experience been with screenwriting contests for this project so far?
TBD
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 world is rich with characters and actions to spoof, not only parodying cult movements, but also reality competition shows. Since I’m a little bit obsessed with both of these, there is a lot of life in this project… and a lot of love.
Do you have any website links for your writing, credits, background, etc that you would like to share?
ashwilleby.com