SHANNON MEYERS JOHNSON

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Austin, Texas

Your script or media entry stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your project ?
After spending decades in corporate America, I decided to forge my own path in 2023 by opening a consulting business and following my lifelong passion: writing. In corporate America, promotions often felt like a professional fight club with no rules, yet very politically polite. That inspired me to take that promotion concept to the next level and I let my imagination run with it.

How long did it take you to write your script...and what was your development process?
I signed up for an Introduction to Screenwriting class in 2023 at the Austin School of Film. It was a great class with a wonderful instructor and within three months, I had completed my first short script. At the end of the class session, during the table reads, my teacher said my script was pretty good and I should enter it into some contests.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer or filmmaker?
I want to bring diverse stories to life that turn stereotypical narratives on its head. Whether it’s through my own writing or I’m helping others produce their stories, I believe no one should leave this earth with an untold story.

Which film directors or screenwriters inspire you? Why?
Ava Duvernay inspires me daily. She has brought attention to so many important historical and contemporary issues through film.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
One of my all-time favorite movies is “Get Out”. It was masterfully done and it stayed with me for a long time.

What advice do you have for others hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
If you love writing and believe in your work, then persist. I found that persistence has always been in my body and soul. Once I started to listen to what was already inside and continued to act on it, then persistence met opportunity. Also, my advice is that it’s truly never too late to start—if anything my creativity has grown even more rich over time.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I just completed my second script, Wife for Life, about the complexities and lingering feelings of past romantic relationships over time. I am now in the process of working on two feature length screenplays.

Where can the world find you? (Website, IMDB, etc.)
You can find me in a quaint little coffeeshop bookstore listening to live acoustic music and writing. Or you can also find me on LinkedIn and FilmFreeway.