SHARON POWERS
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
La Jolla, California Your script or media entry stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your project ? In 1997, I opened one of the first women’s surf shops in the world because at that time, products for women were very limited, so a few specialty stores popped up. I have both a son and a daughter, and they have children, so I am always thinking about what they might all be watching. Both of my kids helped out in the store and in reality Saylor, the lead, is a combination of the two of them at her age. My son is the surfer of the two, and now a stunt driver, formerly a professional drift driver. I felt I could create a fun world for a young girl with those elements. And then throw in a houseboat as a home, because we really haven’t seen that much. How long did it take you to write your script or produce your pitch deck/sizzle reel/trailer...and what was your development process? The idea and script came to me quickly. Saylor and her world are easy for me to write. Every once in a while I create characters that resonate so well in my mind, their stories could continue for a long time on a creative level for me. The big challenge can be reeling my thoughts in. I took a class on creating pitch decks for another pilot I was writing and during the class started to create the “Pink Lava” pitch deck at the same time I worked on my “Baja Nowhere” pitch deck. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer or filmmaker? To see the world’s and characters I’ve created come to life onscreen. Whether its theatrical, television or computer form. And a bonus would be to have a hand in that. I’ve been a producer on a couple of movies. Which film directors or screenwriters inspire you? Why? Darren Star. He has a fun sense of people, especially women. Baz Luhrmann. His visuals are so unique. I mean, what would he do with Saylor’s world? I can’t even imagine. Greta Gerwig. I was blown away by “Barbie”. There’s so many incredible writers and directors, those are just a couple that came to my mind instantly. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show? This is a very difficult question because how do I limit myself to one. I can come up with 3 or 4 of movie and television but not just one. What I do know is, it needs to be something that is so good I want to rewatch it over and over. Twenty years ago I would have said “I love Lucy” was my all time favorite TV show, but I love the energy of “Schitt’s Creek.” Throughout the series, the main characters grew as individuals just like in a screenplay. And “Fringe” is brilliant. I was sad that “On Becoming a God in Central Florida” and “High Desert” didn’t get picked up for additional seasons. Great female leads and quirky plot lines. What advice do you have for others hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? Get the feedback that contest offers. It’s less than what a professional charges if cost is an issue. I always get professional feedback and have my friends and family read my stories. I just ask that their thoughts aren’t sugar-coated so as not to hurt my feelings. Real feedback can be hard to process, but it helps the story. It can also be very different from person to person so I look for a common thread they might all point out to me or something that my writing soul can connect with. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? I wrapped up a holiday romance, “Jingle Shells”. It’s my first Christmas screenplay and I used older characters for the leads. I’m writing a novel, a romance mystery which I haven’t done before called, “A Rocky Start”. I’m working behind the scenes to produce my vampire surfer horror screenplay, “One More” and then rewriting another horror script, “Froth”. I do have favorite genres to write, but I don’t like to limit myself. Where can the world find you? (Website, IMDB, etc.) MySeaBuddies.com PowersWrites.com |
